Las Palmas Medical Center hosts Kangaroo-a-thon for parents in NICU center

International Kangaroo Care Awareness Day was celebrated Wednesday morning at Las Palmas Medical Center.

It’s a day where parents in the neonatal intensive care unit at Las Palmas are encouraged to perform kangaroo care, or skin-to-skin contact.

It has many benefits for parents and babies including a more stable heart rate for baby, and it also helps improve breastfeeding for mommy and baby.

The technique is not only encouraged to be practiced by moms, but by dads too.

For first time dad, Wayne Tempel, it’s something he believes has helped make his bond with his son stronger.

“He already reacts when I come into the room and I start talking. He identifies my voice and I notice, definetely for me myself, that it’s very hard for me to leave the hospital but knowing he’s in such great hands at Las Palmas makes it easy to go home,” said Tempel.

Hospital staff were available at the event to help parents administer kangaroo care and discuss more of its benefits for babies and parents.