Title: "Testimony".

Mrs: Marion Boixader (Spain)

My name is Mariona Boixader, I am from Barcelona (Spain), and I have 3 children. Pau, the second one, was borne at 26 weeks of pregnancy, whith 800 grms of weight. I had the meravellouse opportunity of applying the Kangaroo Mother Method whit him, although this is not usual in my country.

When I was pregnant, I had seen a video where kanguroo mathers wewe showed carrin on whith their preterm babies into their dresses. It tooke place in a meeting of brestfeeding support for mothers by La Leche League.

Pau was born by an urgent cesarea, and my fisical conditions did not allow me to know him till 2 days after. The first meeting with him was very hard for me. The baby did not look like the baby of my dreams. He was'nt pinky, and did not have a kute nice faty face.To the contrary, his aspect wasfar away from what I thought it would be. I asked to the nurse to hold him, and when I felt him into my dress, I started crying and crying, and I could not stop at all. Both my baby and I were cover in tears. I was closed with my loved baby, the same baby that doctors did'nt belive he would survive, and he vas alive.

From then on, I went every day to the hospitaland had Pau on kangaroo position almost all day. My husband also became a kangaroo father as a mastitis kept me in bed for two days.

This method was good for me because I felt usefull. I could give all my heat, my love, sweet songs and nurse him. I wasn't a siple espectator, I was working for him. Doctors, were also working for him: they gave him medicins, they controled his constants and they took care of his phisical health.. I took care of his phisical and emotional health. Both together doctors and myself were a good team.

By the other hand, our contact skin to skin helped me with the breas feading. I have to tell you, that as soon as Pau and I entered in contact I could feel my breasts full of milk. I think my milk was the bes medicine and food he could have had.

In kangaroo mother position, Pau slept deeply and he showed more relaxed. It seemed that he was in another world free from the neonatal room noises, like the ring of the telephone, alarms, .........

I did not follow the normal hospital roules, I stayed all day with muy soon. I'm very greatfull to the Hospital and would have liked to continue the method at home when he was 1 month and a half. We finally were discharged with 1,900 grs.

I stayed in the hospital for a week because of the cesarea. During this week, I estimulated my brests by my hands first, and whith an electric pump. I obtained a few drops of calostrum. I was fighting to obtain more., but the nurses didn't show any kind of enthusiasm with it. I had to wake up, during the nigth, to express my brests and whash the pump with soap and water. This was very hard to me , I had a big abdominal pain and I couldn't move very well. Nobody heoped me during the night. I felt alone, very alone.

One day the doctor came into my room and had with her a drug to stop my milk production. I explained to her that, as she could see, I wanted to brestfeed my son. The same happened the next day with another doctor. I repeted my answer but she seemed not to undrestand because she tried once more the third day. I felt sad, unrespecte and ununderstandeble, they had hurt my feelings.

I would like that the kangaroo mother method become more known in my country and used as a regular method. All mothers are waiting for it.