A South African doctor, Dr Nils Bergman, is currently conducting research on the benefits of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) for the premature new-born, as opposed to standard incubator care and its automatic separation of mother and infant.
What is Kangaroo Mother Care or KMC?
KMC refers to the specific treatment of premature babies by placing them on the mother's chest with skin-to-skin contact.
They are also allowed unrestricted breast-feeding and medical care while in this position.
Infants who are born prematurely are more susceptible to child abuse and neglect as their constitution is so sensitive.
In first world countries, medical aid groups pay far more for subsequent childhood complications of prematurity than for children born at term (40 weeks of pregnancy).
The autonomic nervous system of a premature baby is highly sensitive and susceptible to change as a result of the early birth of the foetus before biological maturity is reached at 40 weeks.
The autonomic nervous system, made up of two sub-systems, is affected in one of two ways.
The fight or flight response and the release of stress hormones are triggered (sympathetic nervous system), or secretion of the growth hormone is lowered (the parasympathetic nervous system).
A premature baby may die as a result of failure of the autonomic nervous system to function adequately.
When the secretion of growth hormone is lowered, the premature infant struggle to thrive.
The main problem with premature babies is that they have been separated from their primary habitat before they are ready to take on the world.
The quickest way to stabilise the premature baby's biological systems is to restore its habitat with the mother.
Fathers can do it too
This is imitated as closely as possible, by "attaching" the baby onto the mother's chest, with skin-to-skin contact, unrestricted breast-feeding access and connection with the mother's warmth, heartbeat and breathing rhythms.
Babies attach well to fathers too and parents can alternate the care.
Not only do premature babies do well with KMC, but normal babies also thrive when they are close to their mother or father's bodies.
Financial implications are great
In Bogota, Colombia, where KMC research was initiated, premature babies who were not doing well in an incubator thrived once they were attached to the mother or father's chest.
Incubators are expensive and so is medical aid and for developing countries this way of helping babies has major financial implications.
Sick babies cost money, but if all that is needed is a mother or father's loving touch, everyone can provide this.
Dr Bergman believes it is imperative to implement a public health policy which allows "the best" to happen normally.
Obviously there is a range of cases which occur on either side of the best as a result of medical complications.
Bonding is imperative
What is the best in terms of mother-child relationships and their interface with the community?
There are two processes that are critical for optimal mother and baby interaction.
The first is bonding. Although bonding takes place during pregnancy, there is a physiologically sensitive period soon after birth, facilitated by hindbrain activity (hypothalamic reproductive programmes), or in other words a more feeling, instinctual behaviour from both mother and infant.
The conditions supportive of good bonding between mother and baby are mainly mother and baby skin-to-skin contact within the first hour of birth, with as few medical interventions as possible.
One flows from the other
The second process required for optimal mother and baby interaction is attachment.
This is a more conscious, ongoing process of growth and enables the mother to respond to a baby's needs and the baby to respond to the mother once the baby's needs have been met.
Bonding and attachment, although different, are closely intertwined and one develops from the other.
If the opportunity for bonding has been disrupted by birth complications, the attachment process can compensate for the disturbance of the bonding process.
Secure emotional base
"The best" is to provide a public health service that supports these two processes.
Besides survival, what makes us humane and defines us as humans are our relationships with each other and our environment.
A baby whose needs for touch, loving closeness and interaction with her parent are met, move away from that parent with a secure emotional base from which to establish affectionate relationships with significant others in her environment.