Today, 15th November 2025 is the first official World Prematurity Day, WHO is urging countries to scale up Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) — continuous skin-to-skin contact and exclusive breastfeeding — as a frontline intervention for small and preterm babies. WHO now recommends starting KMC immediately after birth, even before babies are fully stable, because early close contact greatly improves survival, temperature control, feeding, and bonding.
In 2025, WHO also emphasized:
Family-centered neonatal care, with parents present 24/7.
Reducing harmful separation of newborns from mothers.
Strengthening health systems to support early care for the 13.4 million babies born preterm each year
A mother’s touch remains one of the most powerful, lifesaving tools in newborn care.
True! a mother’s touch is beyond a soothing contact ; it is science-backed medicine.
Evidence shows that early KMC can reduce neonatal mortality by up to 40%. This skin-to-skin contact is proven to stabilize a baby’s heart rate, breathing, and temperature, and even reduces the risk of infections, boosts milk production, and strengthens feeding cues.
The first step forward would be to strengthen the health system by improving staffing, training, infrastructure, and family-support policies. With 13.4 million preterm births globally, KMC must be seen not as an optional add-on, but as an essential newborn care in every country. On this World Prematurity Day, let us remind ourselves that sometimes the most efficient care a neonate benefits from is as simple as the warmth of the mother & her presence.
Nowadays, doctors are encouraging Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) for all newborns. It is extremely beneficial and essential for the baby’s overall development.
Absolutely! This first official World Prematurity Day highlights just how transformative simple, human centered care can be. WHO’s push to begin Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) immediately after birth is a powerful reminder that technology alone does not save preterm babies, connection does. Continuous skin-to-skin contact supports temperature regulation, stabilizes breathing, improves breastfeeding, and strengthens emotional bonding. Allowing families to stay with their newborns 24/7 reduces stress and improves outcomes dramatically. With 13.4 million preterm births each year, scaling up these low-cost, high-impact interventions is essential. A mother’s touch truly is a lifesaving medicine, one that every baby, everywhere, deserves access to.
Such an important post. World Prematurity Day reminds us how strong these tiny fighters are and how much support premature babies and families truly need.
A powerful reminder that simple, compassionate care saves lives, early KMC can transform survival and bonding for preterm babies, and scaling it up is a step every health system must prioritize.
A truly meaningful milestone. Marking the first official World Prematurity Day with a global call for early Kangaroo Mother Care highlights how powerful simple, human-centered interventions can be. The shift toward starting KMC immediately—even before babies are fully stable—has the potential to transform survival and long-term outcomes for millions of preterm newborns.
A mother’s touch remains one of the most powerful, lifesaving tools in newborn care.