More kangaroo cuddles as Round the Bays supports The Neonatal Trust

Runners in the Ports of Auckland Round the Bays will be supporting ‘kangaroo cuddles’ for premature and sick babies, with The Neonatal Trust Auckland among charities benefiting from the fundraiser.

The trust is a non-government-funded charity which provides emotional, practical and financial support for the parents of premature and sick full-term babies. It strives to make a difficult start to life a little bit easier and help families throughout their neonatal journey.

The trust also helps Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) in practical ways, such as purchasing or contributing to the cost of equipment.

It plans to put donations from the Round the Bays event towards purchasing specially designed chairs for Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) to help parents to share the skin-to-skin cuddles, known as ’Kangaroo Cuddles’, with their precious babies. It will also help fund the development and production of enhanced information material for parents.

Every year approximately 10% of all babies born in New Zealand are premature – that’s one every 90 minutes. A total of over 5,000 premature babies are born each year.

In Auckland alone, each year over 2,000 babies pass through and are cared for in the four units based in North Shore (350), Waitakere (350), Auckland (1,000) and Middlemore (800).

Kangaroo cuddles are given once a baby is well enough. They are taken out of the incubators and placed on their parent’s chest, usually under their clothes, so the baby gets skin-to-skin contact and can hear and feel the parent’s heartbeat. The baby is kept warm and studies have shown that kangaroo cuddles generally improve both a baby’s and their parent’s health.

Neil O’Styke, executive director of The Neonatal Trust New Zealand, said: “As with all things in the NICU, hygiene is very important. The chairs are specially designed to be easily cleaned and are made from a fabric which does not harbour germs and bacteria. They are built for comfort and encourage correct posture, to maximise the amount of time a parent can spend cuddling their baby.”

“We are incredibly grateful to be chosen as a recipient of the Ports of Auckland Round the Bays proceeds. Providing more specialist chairs will promote the practise and benefits of kangaroo cuddles”

“The timing of the announcement is great, as we’re in middle of our countdown to World Prematurity Day on 17 November which has a strong focus on raising awareness”

The event will be held on Sunday 8 March, 2015. Approximately $120,000 is raised each year and donated to many charities throughout New Zealand.

The other charities receiving any funds raised by the event are: The Waiheke Health Trust, Shine (Safer Homes in NZ Everyday), Auckland Down Syndrome Association, Barnardos, Stuttering Treatment and Research Trust, Kenzie’s Gift and Fairfax First Books.

ENDS

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