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"A newly developed proactive app could instantly connect breastfeeding mothers with pediatricians or lactation consultants to help collect data, monitor patients and provide consultation and support while improving breastfeeding outcomes for new mothers.
Azza Ahmed, an associate professor in Purdue's School of Nursing, and Jeffrey Brewer, an associate professor of computer and information technology in the Purdue Polytechnic Institute, co-founded LACTOR LLC to commercialize the technology.
LACTOR's system has two main components - the mother's portal, where mothers can enter their breastfeeding data and receive notifications, and the lactation consultant's portal, where mothers' data is received by experts who can provide support and counsel if requested or needed.
"Mothers use the app as a type of diary to input data such as how many times she breastfeeds, for how long, how many ounces she may have pumped or additional data like if she's using a supplement," said Ahmed, who's also an International Board-certified lactation consultant and pediatric nurse practitioner. "The app is connected to a server that allows the mothers to receive notifications or interventions from a professional if any questions or concerns arise, giving an opportunity to track their children's feeding patterns and detect any problems early and communication with the lactation consultant."
Ahmed said the U.S. has achieved breastfeeding initiation rate based on Healthy People 2020 goals, but there is still a struggle with continuation rates.
"Breastfeeding provides short- and long-term benefits to both infants and mothers. It protects babies from many infections and illnesses, and research shows that breastfed babies are less likely to develop asthma or become obese along with several other benefits," she said. "Although the United States has met the national objective for breastfeeding initiation, rates of breastfeeding at 6 and 12 months, as well as exclusive breastfeeding at 3 and 6 months, are still low, and only 22 percent of infants are exclusively breastfed at the end of six months, which demonstrates the challenges mothers continue to face after hospital discharge..."
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Azza Ahmed, an associate professor in Purdue's School of Nursing, and Jeffrey Brewer, an associate professor of computer and information technology in the Purdue Polytechnic Institute, co-founded LACTOR LLC to commercialize the technology.
LACTOR's system has two main components - the mother's portal, where mothers can enter their breastfeeding data and receive notifications, and the lactation consultant's portal, where mothers' data is received by experts who can provide support and counsel if requested or needed.
"Mothers use the app as a type of diary to input data such as how many times she breastfeeds, for how long, how many ounces she may have pumped or additional data like if she's using a supplement," said Ahmed, who's also an International Board-certified lactation consultant and pediatric nurse practitioner. "The app is connected to a server that allows the mothers to receive notifications or interventions from a professional if any questions or concerns arise, giving an opportunity to track their children's feeding patterns and detect any problems early and communication with the lactation consultant."
Ahmed said the U.S. has achieved breastfeeding initiation rate based on Healthy People 2020 goals, but there is still a struggle with continuation rates.
"Breastfeeding provides short- and long-term benefits to both infants and mothers. It protects babies from many infections and illnesses, and research shows that breastfed babies are less likely to develop asthma or become obese along with several other benefits," she said. "Although the United States has met the national objective for breastfeeding initiation, rates of breastfeeding at 6 and 12 months, as well as exclusive breastfeeding at 3 and 6 months, are still low, and only 22 percent of infants are exclusively breastfed at the end of six months, which demonstrates the challenges mothers continue to face after hospital discharge..."
Learn More:
