OBJECTIVES: to determine physiological responses such as heart rate, oxygen saturation, axillary temperature and respiratory frequency in premature babies kept in the Kangaroo Mother Position (KMP). METHODS: twenty three premature babies with stable hemodynamic conditions, in spontaneous ventilation, and no lung disease, inpatients of the Center of Neonatology of the Hospital Conceição, Porto Alegre, were assigned to the Group I (control group) and Group II (KMP). A pre-test, post-test intervention study design was used in which babies were their own controls. Data were registered in the first minute (T01) to the 30th minute (T30) and from the 30th to the 60th minute (T60). Student's "t" test was used to compare both groups. RESULTS: patients present a mean gestational age of 34 weeks, mean weight of 1780 g and median age of 264 hours of life. Increase with statistical significant difference in oxygen saturation at T30 and T60 was demonstrated, as well as heart rate at T30 and axillary temperature a T60, when comparing Group II to I. CONCLUSIONS: KMP promotes improvement of physiological parameters in low weight premature children, when procedure is initiated within a period of one hour as compared to the same observation period in the incubator. KMP is possible during physiotherapeutic care.
Kangaroo Mother Method; Infant; premature; Physical therapy
