TOP 65 - The Effect of Maternal Kangaroo Care on Breastmilk Composition and Quality

Publication Number: 4769.TOP 65

Jane Anne Gorham, SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center, Kirkwood, MO, United States; Riley George, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO, United States; Margaret Rozier-Chen, SSM/St Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States; Kathryn Hanson, SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center, St. Louis, MO, United States

Background: Breast milk is well established as the preferred nutrition for infants providing many health benefits, particularly for preterm infants. Breast milk is a dynamic bioactive substance, and its composition varies based on multiple factors, reflecting the individual requirements of each infant. Kangaroo Care (KC) is the practice of providing early and prolonged skin-to-skin contact between a mother and her baby. Studies have shown that Kangaroo Care has many health benefits for mothers and infants, but importantly, can increase milk production from increases in maternal oxytocin levels. To date, there have been no studies that evaluate KC’s effect on breast milk composition. We hypothesize that Kangaroo Care will change the nutritional macronutrient content in addition to the quantity of mother’s expressed breast milk.

Objective: Our objective with the study was to analyze breast milk macronutrient concentration (protein, fat, carbohydrate, caloric content) and breast milk pumping volume before and after Kangaroo Care. We also wanted to compare morning versus afternoon breast milk macronutrient concentration and volume.

Design/Methods: Mother-infant dyads were eligible for inclusion if they were less than 35 weeks gestation, cleared by the medical team to perform KC, and between DOL 7-30. Enrolled subjects performed KC on 2 days, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. Breast milk samples were collected from pumps before and after KC. Mothers acted as their own control and two samples were obtained on a day when KC was not performed, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Mothers recorded the volume of their pumps and completed a food journal for the 24 hours leading up to the KC days. Demographic information on subjects was collected. Samples were analyzed by the MIRS Human Milk Analyzer which provided measurements of energy, carbohydrate, protein and fat content in the milk samples. Each sample was run in triplicate. Pre and Post-KC component and volumes will be compared, as well as differences between morning and evening samples. Student t-tests will compare data points, and we will consider p< 0.05 significant. Full IRB approval was obtained for this study. All samples have been collected and analyzed. Statistical analysis will be complete by January 31, 2026.