Study Of Knowledge, Attitude, And Practice Of Kangaroo Mother Care Among Mothers In The Neonatal Wards

Background: Preterm birth is a leading cause of neonatal mortality worldwide, with India contributing over 3.5 million preterm births annually. Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC), involving skin-to-skin contact and exclusive breastfeeding, is an evidence-based, low-cost intervention that improves neonatal outcomes. However, the uptake of KMC remains suboptimal due to maternal unawareness, cultural hesitations, and system-level barriers in public healthcare settings. Objectives: To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of Kangaroo Mother Care among postnatal mothers admitted in neonatal wards of Dr. Sushila Tiwari Hospital, and to evaluate the impact of structured counselling on maternal stress and KMC-related practices. Methods: This was a descriptive observational study conducted over 18 months. A total of 234 eligible postnatal mothers of stable low-birth-weight infants were enrolled. Pretested structured questionnaires assessed baseline KAP. After structured KMC counselling and practice sessions, the same questionnaire was re-administered. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS v25. Results: Post-counselling, maternal knowledge of KMC improved significantly across all domains (p ≤ 0.006). Comfort, confidence, and perceived safety during KMC rose markedly, while maternal stress decreased from 64.6% to 2.5% (p < 0.001). Practical implementation improved, with mothers providing 12–18 hours of KMC rising from 4.3% to 32.5% (p = 0.006). Neonatal characteristics and feeding practices aligned with global KMC profiles. Conclusion: Structured maternal counselling significantly improves KAP and reduces stress, reinforcing the need for integrated KMC education in neonatal care protocols to enhance maternal participation and infant outcomes.