Novel Approach To Improving Lactation Support With Mobile Health Technology

Summary

This is a randomized trial of use of a mobile health tool (EpxBreastfeeding) aimed at improving breastfeeding adherence and duration among recent mothers who self identify as motivated to breastfeed. As a result of text communication and expedited coaching through common breastfeeding challenges, the investigators expect more mothers in the study arm will continue breastfeeding through the first 6 months after giving birth.

Conditions

• Breastfeeding
• Feeding Behavior

Interventions

OTHER

EpxBreastfeeding

We developed an algorithm using the Epharmix platform, an automated toll-free phone and text message-based system that can programmatically query patients via their personal phones and subsequently collect response data, allowing clinically-relevant responses to trigger alerts to designated healthcare providers. The intervention for breastfeeding, hereafter referred to as EpxBreastfeeding, was built using significant clinical and patient input to only ask the most clinically-relevant questions for breastfeeding in a multiple-choice manner, such as "In the past \[x\] days, have you fed your baby 1) breast milk only, 2) breast milk and formula or 3) formula only?". These communications elicit patient-reports of breastfeeding at intervals of interest for the provider, which is, on average, every 2 days in the first three weeks postpartum and every 5 days subsequently. All data is filtered by clinician-designed algorithms to stratify patients into categories.

OTHER

Baby book survey

We developed a "baby book" template that will be given to mothers allowing them to make note of dates related to their child's development during the first year. Examples include: When was baby's first appointment with his/her pediatrician? When did you add formula into baby's feeding? When did you start feeding baby only formula? When did you introduce solid food into baby's diet? When did baby first smile? When did you start reading to baby? What was the first book you read to baby? Whe

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Barnes-Jewish Hospital

  collaborator OTHER

• Washington University Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Washington University School of Medicine

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Camaryn Chrisman Robbins, MD, MPH · Associate Professor and Co-Medical Director of Labor and Delivery, Washington University School of Medicine

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

40 Years

Sex

FEMALE

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2017-09-01

Primary Completion

2018-12-30

Completion

2018-12-30

Countries

• United States

Study Locations