Did you know that if your baby needs specialized care in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), you can stay with them, nursing your baby or pumping milk for feeding" While in the NICU you?ll be one of baby?s primary caretakers.
Skin-to-skin care (SSC) is sometimes called ?kangaroo care,? because baby remains skin-to-skin with you for as long as possible. As you care for your baby in the NICU, you may wonder when you?re going to be able to catch up on your much-needed sleep and self-care.
Going Skin-to-Skin in the NICU
SSC or kangaroo care is when you place your baby upright on your bare chest so that your baby?s skin is in direct contact with your skin.
If your baby is in the NICU, ask your nurses how to practice relaxing and feeding while skin-to-skin. Preterm infants are more relaxed and sleep better and longer skin-to-skin with a parent. And this is important because deep sleep is vital to brain development in preemie babies. Benefits of Parent Sleep During SSC in the NICU
One concern you may have is how you will safely snuggle skin-to-skin safely with your newborn in the NICU. Parents will be encouraged to fall asleep skin-to-skin with their baby as long as the following safety measures are in place:

you and baby are in a non-rocking, reclining chair with arm rests or bed
baby is well secured by an appropriate wrap to parent?s chest
baby is electronically monitored, if necessary
an appropriate healthcare provider is immediately available

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