Some pictures have a way of touching your heart and leaving you feeling emotional. One such photo that has captured the hearts of many shows a young child helping his dad keep his twin sisters warm. What makes this photo even more special is that the twins were born prematurely.
This heartwarming picture, which recently gained popularity after being shared again, was originally posted on the Danish Facebook group Parents and Birth in Denmark about three years ago.
In Scandinavia, maternity facilities have introduced a fascinating new technique called the “skin-to-skin” method for newborns. This technique involves placing the baby on the parent’s bare chest, providing them with extra warmth and comfort, especially for premature babies.
Premature infants often experience heightened pain due to the immaturity of their nervous systems and brains. However, when they have skin-to-skin contact, they appear to experience fewer pain reactions, suggesting that it has analgesic or calming effects.
The aim of this practice, also known as “Kangaroo care,” is to provide infants with comforting and positive emotions during their crucial development phase. Research by the National Institute of Health has shown that this technique effectively reduces infants’ pain.
It is believed that Kangaroo care helps preterm babies cope with the stress of being born, accelerating their recovery and allowing them to thrive sooner. Scandinavian maternity hospitals that have implemented this method have seen remarkable results, with a significant 70% increase in the survival rate of premature newborns, up from 30%.
One particular instance of using this method has garnered a lot of attention online. A photo from the Danish Facebook page Parents and Birth in Denmark shows a young child assisting his dad with the “skin-to-skin” technique. The boy is just five years old.
In the photo, the child can be seen holding both twins, one on his father’s chest and the other in his own arms. It portrays a serene moment, with everyone peacefully enjoying the benefits of this incredible treatment, their eyes closed in relaxation.
After recently being shared on the NINO Birth Facebook page, the photo has once again captured the hearts of many online users.
Swedish professor Uwe Ewald, in the caption accompanying the photo, explains the advantages of Kangaroo care, stating, “Skin-to-skin contact helps the baby to breathe better. The child becomes more calm and gains weight faster. Research shows that parents’ bacterial flora – compared with hospital bacteria – reduces the risk of serious infections in these delicate children.”
