Efektivitas Kombinasi Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) dan Nesting terhadap Berat Badan, Suhu Tubuh, dan Kualitas Tidur pada Bayi BBLR

Abstrak

Background: Low-birth-weight (LBW) infants are vulnerable to impaired growth, thermal instability, and sleep disruption because of physiological immaturity. Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) provides skin-to-skin thermal support and facilitates breastfeeding, whereas nesting supports flexed positioning and energy conservation. Evidence regarding their combined use across several neonatal outcomes remains limited. This study evaluated combined KMC and nesting on weight gain, body temperature, and sleep outcomes in LBW infants. Methods: A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest study with a control group was conducted at Klinik Bidan Wanti, Medan, from February to May 2026. Sixty LBW infants with birth weight <2,500 g and gestational age <38 weeks were included by total sampling and divided into an intervention group receiving KMC plus nesting (n=30) and a control group receiving standard care (n=30). Body weight was measured daily, axillary temperature three times daily, and sleep indicators were observed each shift. Normality was assessed using the Shapiro-Wilk test, followed by independent-samples t-tests at α=0.05. Results: Weight gain was greater in the intervention group than in the control group (284.27 ± 42.82 vs 144.43 ± 47.27 g), with a mean difference of 139.83 g (95% CI 116.53-163.15; p<0.001). Mean body temperature was 36.80 ± 0.02°C versus 36.56 ± 0.06°C (mean difference 0.24°C; 95% CI 0.22-0.26; p<0.001). The reported sleep outcome was also higher with KMC plus nesting (3.62 ± 0.08 vs 2.68 ± 0.15 h; mean difference 0.94 h; 95% CI 0.88-1.00; p<0.001). Conclusion: Combined KMC and nesting was associated with greater weight gain, more favorable temperature stability, and better reported sleep outcomes than standard care in LBW infants. The findings support this combined non-pharmacological approach while requiring interpretation within the non-randomized quasi-experimental design.