Understanding barriers to practicing kangaroo mother care at home after discharge

India accounts for over one quarter of the global burden of neonatal deaths and 40% of low birth weight babies. Kangaroo mother care (KMC) is a low-cost, humane method of care for low birth weight (LBW) infants that promotes skin-to-skin contact between mother and infant and exclusive breastfeeding. Evidence supports the use of KMC in LBW infants as an alternative to conventional neonatal care in resource limited settings. The purpose of this study is to identify socioeconomic and cultural barriers to practicing KMC at home after discharge from the hospital. We recruited a consecutive sample of 60 mother-infant dyads from a government operated hospital serving vulnerable populations in Delhi, India. Mothers were recruited from the KMC ward and interviewed 4 times (in the KMC ward; 2 days after discharge at the hospital; 2 weeks after discharge at the hospital; and 4 weeks after discharge at the mother’s home). Questionnaires assessed the mother’s acceptability of KMC practices in the hospital and at home; barriers to practicing KMC at home; and reasons for discontinuation. The results will be submitted in May, 2015 for potential presentation at the American Public Health Association Conference. Barriers and solutions identified in this study may be relevant for improving KMC programs in underserved and urban populations in the United States as well as other international countries.