What can we learn from Kangaroos?

So the kids and I are reading Magic Tree House books and they almost all have to do with an animal of somekind. The one we are reading right now is about Dingoes at Dinnertime -- which takes the kids in the story on an adventure in Austrailia.

Of course, Kangaroos live in Austrailia.

Kangaroos seem pretty amazing. Not only can they jump over a school bus with their "super feet" but they have an average of 3 babies per year... wow! They can have one "toddler" nursing, one in their pouch attached to a nipple and one in the fetus/embryo stage. They also have the ability to "pause" gestation depending on the needs of the other babies. Interesting.

Okay, so what can we learn about birth, breastfeeding and bonding from Kangaroos?

1. Kangaroos prepare for birth. They get their pouch ready, days before the birth, by cleaning it. They also encourage natural birth, by positioning themselves in a way that gravity does it job. *Their c-section rate is 0! :)* They also promote physiological third stage by staying active in the birthing process and encouraging the new baby to move to the pouch and breast. They clean up afterwards, preserving the memory and peacefulness of birth.


2. The new baby attaches to the breast/teet by about 3 minutes after birth. They are PERMANENTLY attached to the nipple (that's right ladies!) for the eqivalent of time that it takes for them to reach full gestation. They are born at about the same time as a 7 week human baby -- so they are VERY premature -- see photos below. Kangaroo's trust in the superiority of breastmilk. Kangaroo breastmilk changes, depending on the age of the baby nursing -- if a toddler is nursing, the fat content is higher, for example. Kangaroo babies are nourished at the breast for about 1 year, which appears to be about 1/10th of their life... if we take 80 years as the average human life span, that would be the equivalent of about 8 years for human babies... umm hmm!!


3. Bonding -- No wonder why Dr. Nils Bergman calls his organization Kangaroo Mother Care -- these Mamas know how to bond with their babies -- they prepare for their birth, trust in their bodies to nourish their babies and protect them in their pouch for approximately 6 months, before they even step foot into the "real world." NO ONE else holds them, cares for them or feeds them, for about 6 months. At that time they spend just a few minutes out of the pouch -- and after about 8 months they live out of the pouch, but still breastfeeding from the outside.
I was once told by an adoptive Mama that babies are only in utero for 9 months, because they outgrow the space, but that the next 9 months is just as important as the first 9 months -- I guess Kangaroos heard the same thing!


Why do we rush our kids so much? We get so excited to be having a baby and then we can't wait for the pregnancy to be over (I was there too!) and then we can't wait for their first roll over, first steps, first words...


I say we should enjoy the short about of time we have with these precious little ones -- the memories, the hugs, the kisses, the funny things they do -- the opportunity we have to mold them and bond with them -- as I put my 40 pound 4 1/2 year old on my back today in my Storch wrap today all of my "new Mama" feelings came back, and then I got thinking about Kangaroos!


What if we modelled our parenting after Kangaroos? Gentle birthing, extended breastfeeding and essential bonding...


How would that make our lives different? How would it make our kids' lives different?

Hmmm??