Low-income women are less likely to breastfeed than high-income women. Technology-based interventions demonstrate promise in decreasing health disparities. We assessed whether increased use of breastfeeding smartphone applications (apps) impacts breastfeeding rates for low-income women. This is a secondary analysis of a randomized control trial (RCT), including nulliparous, low-income women. Women were randomized to one of two novel apps: control app containing digital breastfeeding handouts and BreastFeeding Friend (BFF), an interactive app containing on-demand breastfeeding educational and video content. App usage was securely tracked. The highest quartile of BFF and control app users were combined and compared to the lowest quartile of app users. The primary outcome was breastfeeding initiation. Secondary outcomes included breastfeeding outcomes and resource preferences through 6 months. In the RCT, BFF and control app median uses were 15 (interquartile range [IQR] 4-24) and 9 (IQR 5-19) ( = 0.1), respectively. Breastfeeding initiation did not differ with app usage (84.1% in highest quartile versus 78.2% for lowest quartile; = 0.5). Rates of sustained and exclusive breastfeeding through 6 months were similar between groups. Among both groups, smartphone apps were the most preferred breastfeeding resource at 6 weeks. Low quartile users also preferred alternative online breastfeeding resources: >50% of all users preferred technology-based breastfeeding resources. Increased usage of breastfeeding apps did not improve breastfeeding rates among low-income women. However, technology-based resources were the most preferred breastfeeding resource after hospital discharge, indicating ongoing development of technology-based interventions has potential to increase breastfeeding in this high-needs population. clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03167073).
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/bfm.2021.0012 | DOI Listing |
Gut Microbes
December 2025
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Establishment of the gut microbiota during infancy is critical for host health with long-lasting implications. In this orchestrated process, microbial assembly is influenced by an increasing number of genetic and environmental factors, among which breastfeeding is considered as one of the most significant drivers for infant gut microbiota development. As the optimal diet for the infants, maternal milk provides numerous nutritional, microbial, and bioactive components to ensure the most adequate microbial growth and development of a 'healthy' gut microbiota during early life.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Hum Lact
December 2024
Center for Experimental Economics in Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China.
Background: Shifts in women's maternal roles may contribute to the global low prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding.
Research Aim: To investigate the association between maternal gender-role ideologies and exclusive breastfeeding in rural China.
Methods: Cross-sectional studies were conducted in 10 counties in Shaanxi Province using random sampling in 2021 and 2023.
J Hum Lact
December 2024
Department of Social Medicine, Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dublin OH, USA.
Secondary data analysis has emerged as an important approach for researchers seeking to explore new research questions using existing datasets. These datasets often comprise large and diverse, as well as longitudinal data, enabling comprehensive analyses that might be impractical through primary data collection alone. This paper discusses the importance of secondary data analysis in breastfeeding research, provides examples of publicly available and restricted datasets containing breastfeeding variables, outlines the methodological steps in conducting secondary data analysis, and discusses common limitations associated with this approach.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Pediatric Infect Dis Soc
December 2024
Section of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
New US guidelines support shared decision making regarding breastfeeding for mothers living with HIV and their neonates. We surveyed Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society members about implementation of these guidelines. We found heterogeneity in uptake, variability in clinical practice, and concerns about implementation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Midwifery Womens Health
December 2024
Midwifery Practice at Tampa General Hospital, Tampa, Florida.
Individuals who are at risk of not achieving a full milk supply are often overlooked in scientific literature. There is available guidance to help establish an adequate milk supply for healthy individuals experiencing a physiologic labor and birth, and there are robust recommendations for the lactating parents of small, sick, and preterm newborns to ensure that these newborns can receive human milk. Missing from the literature are clinical practice guidelines that address the preexisting health, pregnancy, birth, or newborn-related risk factors for suboptimal lactation.
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