In South Africa, well over half of births in private hospitals are by Caesarean. In the past this automatically meant separation of baby from mother, sometimes for hours or even a whole day.

This is completely unnecessary, and even harmful.

The Kangaroula support here is to be present with both parents in the operating room. She can help the father – he seldom faints, but may need advice on where to sit and what not to do 😉 . Nobody else has time to explain to him what is happening! Where Jill works she will have prepared carefully with hospital management and staff in theatre and wards. Doctors and nurses clinical responsibility remain 100% as they are, but within that the Kangaroula supports the baby to be with the parents as far as possible.

Right after birth, the baby is checked and identified, and then can be shown to mother, and even stay on mother’s chest. However, she is often nauseous, or being moved, and so our standard care is to use the father for skin-to-skin contact. With a Kangacarrier, we have even managed twins successfully in this way. While mother is moved on a trolley, we move father in a wheelchair, keeping them close together. Once the mother has been moved to recovery ward, or even to the postpartum ward, Jill transfers the baby gently which usually starts breastfeeding straight away. In this method of care, the baby is unstressed and calm and behaves as if she had been kept with mother as at a normal birth. (Links go to Vania story – see photos. )

CONTACT JILL to learn more! Download Jill’s Kangaroula service brochure.