Putting the focus on bonding between parents and their children, FirstHealth’s Clarke NICU at Moore Regional Hospital celebrated Kangaroo Care Awareness Day on May 15.
The international recognition day highlights the power of skin-to-skin contact and its ability to connect parents with their babies, especially the tiniest infants who need to spend extra time in the NICU before heading home. Kangaroo Care can help maintain a baby’s body temperature, regulate heart and breathing rates, help with weight gain and promote frequent breastfeeding.
Holly Eatmon, DNP, RNC-NIC, clinical educator for FirstHealth pediatrics and the NICU, said the staff at Moore Regional puts special focus on skin-to-skin contact as they partner with parents during a baby’s stay in the NICU.
“We know that Kangaroo Care calms tiny bodies and strengthens the bond they build with their parents,” Eatmon said in a press release. “This year’s theme, ‘In my arms, you thrive,’ is a powerful reminder to parents and our staff about the importance of skin-to-skin contact.”
Feature photo: Twin Grayson, born May 1, 2025, at Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst. Courtesy photo.
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