Breastfeeding apps

Breastfeeding apps

  • Breastmilk is the best food for your baby as it provides them with all the nutrition they need to grow in the first 6 months.
  • Breastfeeding isn’t always easy, and it can take up to 6 weeks to establish.
  • There are a variety of apps to help you manage breastfeeding including education apps that provide advice on common problems.
  • Find out more about breastfeeding apps. 
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Making the decision to breastfeed your baby is one of the best decisions you will make as a parent. While breastfeeding is natural, it's not uncommon for mothers to experience challenges with it. There are a variety of apps to help you manage breastfeeding including education apps that provide advice on common problems. Some apps have information about how to locate breastfeeding friendly spaces and some provide information about alcohol and breastfeeding.

If you're having trouble breastfeeding, talk to your midwife or a lactation consultant. In addition, internet websites and smartphone apps have also become a popular resource to guide parents in their children's feeding and nutrition.

Here are a few breastfeeding apps reviewed by Healthify

App  Features Clinical review

Mama Aroha

 
  • Education and information about breastfeeding and advice on how to solve potential problems
  • New Zealand app
  • Available from Google Play and iTunes
  • Cost: free
  • Read more about Mama Aroha app

Breastfed NZ



  • Education and information about breastfeeding and advice on how to solve potential problems
  • New Zealand app
  • Available from Google Play and iTunes
  • Cost: free
  • Read more about Breastfed NZ
Four out of five stars 

Lact app

  • Education and information about breastfeeding and advice on how to solve potential problems
  • Available from Google Play and iTunes
  • Cost: free
  • Read more about Lact app
 

BURP

  • Breastfeeding and child-friendly spaces locator 
  • Country of origin: New Zealand
  • Available from Google Play and iTunes
  • Cost: free
  • Read more about BURP
Four out of five stars

Feed Safe NZ

  • Information about alcohol and breastfeeding
  • Alcohol-free breast milk timer
  • Country of origin: New Zealand
  • Available from Google Play and iTunes
  • Cost: free
  • Read more about Feed Safe NZ
Four out of five stars

There are a variety of apps aimed at supporting breastfeeding mums. These apps differ in their features and functionality and choosing between the apps is challenging because many of them have been developed without any input from health professionals or without being objectively assessed. A study by Taki et al(external link) considered 8 attributes to be important when they assessed the comprehensiveness of infant feeding websites and apps. They looked for the presence and accuracy of information on: 

  • Encouraging and supporting breast feeding
    • Breastfeeding as the physiological norm
    • Protection and promotion of breastfeeding
  • Initiating breastfeeding
    • Breastfeeding education for parents
    • Physiology of breast milk and breastfeeding
    • The first breastfeed
  • Establishing and maintaining breastfeeding
    • Difficulty establishing breastfeeding
    • Factors affecting establishment of breastfeeding
    • Monitoring an infant’s progress
    • Maternal nutrition
  • Breastfeeding – Common problems and their management
    • Maternal factors affecting breastfeeding
    • Infant factors affecting breastfeeding
  • Expressing and storing breast milk
    • Expressing breast milk
    • Feeding with expressed breast milk
    • Storage of expressed breast milk
  • Breastfeeding in specific situations
    • Tobacco, alcohol and other drugs
  • Infant formula
    • Preparing infant formula
    • Using infant formula
    • Special infant formula
  • Introducing solids
    • When should solids foods be introduced
    • What foods should be introduced
    • Foods and beverages most suitable for infants or that should be used with care
    • Healthy foods in the first 12 months (continued exposure and opportunity to sample a wide variety of healthy foods)

References

  1. Taki S, Campbell KJ, Russell CG, et al. Infant feeding websites and apps – a systematic assessment of quality and content(external link). Interact J Med Res. 2015;4(3):e18.

Credits: Healthify editorial team. Healthify is brought to you by Health Navigator Charitable Trust.

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