Being Kanga and Roo

Kangarooing (also sometimes called "skin to skin") is some of my happiest NICU memories.

Rooing is where you hold the baby (fantastic right!) on your chest in direct skin contact. The babies have to be a bit stable. Although they stabilize while being rooed, they can tank when being put back in their isolates. Our NICU would not allow us to roo while he was still on the vent or on bad days, he also had be over 2.5 lbs I think.. But I can't remember very well. Weight limits will vary NICU to NICU.
There has been and continues to be a good bit of research going into rooing. There have also been studies showing that micro & standard preemies stabilize faster when the post delivery procedures are done using mom as a table, but she has to lie really still. I hope to never need to put that knowledge to use.