Which is a major benefit of kangaroo care (skin-to-skin contact) for neonates and families?

• A. Improved thermoregulation
• B. Increased infection risk
• C. Decreased bonding
• D. Delayed weight gain

Answer: (A)

Skin-to-skin contact provides a steady, natural source of warmth for the newborn. Neonates, especially preterm babies, have limited ability to regulate temperature because they have a large surface area relative to their weight and relatively little brown fat. When held chest-to-chest with a parent, heat loss through conduction, convection, evaporation, and radiation is minimized, and the caregiver’s body acts as a warm incubator. This thermal stability reduces the energy the baby must spend to stay warm, allowing more calories to be directed toward growth and weight gain and helping with overall metabolic balance. In addition, the warmth and closeness support physiological steadiness in heart rate and respiration and strengthen bonding with the family, which can improve feeding and caregiving dynamics. The other choices don’t fit because kangaroo care does not increase infection risk (it’s associated with reduced infection risk), it enhances bonding rather than decreases it, and it generally supports earlier weight gain rather than delaying it.