Neonatal Intensive Care Awareness Day (30th September) is a time to highlight the experiences of newborn babies receiving specialist care, their families, and the healthcare teams who support them. At SurePulse, we are committed to developing innovations that make neonatal care safer and more family-centred.
Kangaroo Mother Care and Its Benefits
Evidence shows that Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC)—skin-to-skin contact between parent and baby—significantly improves outcomes (Chan et al., 2017). For preterm babies, KMC has been shown to reduce morbidity, shorten hospital stays, and improve breastfeeding rates, with benefits that last well beyond the hospital stay (Charpak et al., 2017; Conde-Agudelo et al., 2016).
Despite these benefits, KMC participation rates vary widely. One of the barriers is concern from both parents and clinical staff about monitoring the baby’s health during KMC and transitions.
Technology to Support Kangaroo Care
Wireless monitoring can help address these concerns by:
- Allowing continuous monitoring without restricting movement
- Reducing the need to disturb babies to adjust sensors
- Supporting longer and higher-quality KMC sessions, which also benefit breastfeeding (Bonner et al., 2017)
SurePulse VS
The SurePulse VS is our first device approved in the US, UK, and EU. It uses a thermo-protective single-use cap to provide wireless, continuous, and accurate heart rate monitoring, making it easier for clinical teams to support safe and effective kangaroo care. SurePulse are also developing a new multi-parameter device for monitoring during Kangaroo Care sessions in Neonatal Intensive Caren which is currently being trialed on babies at Queens Medical Center Nottingham.
Looking Ahead
At SurePulse, our vision is a world where baby-centred innovation transforms neonatal outcomes. By addressing barriers to practices like kangaroo care, we aim to support both families and clinicians in giving newborn babies the best possible start.
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