Breastfeeding Education Integrated With Web Portal and Mobile Application-Supported Counseling

Overview

Breastfeeding provides significant benefits for maternal and infant health; however, perceived insufficient milk supply is one of the most common factors associated with early breastfeeding discontinuation. Although the World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, breastfeeding continuation rates remain suboptimal in many countries, including Türkiye. This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effect of breastfeeding education combined with a web portal and mobile application-supported breastfeeding counseling on perceived insufficient milk supply, breastfeeding intention, and breastfeeding adaptation among pregnant women. Women at 37-39 weeks of gestation will be randomly assigned to an intervention group or a control group. Participants in the intervention group will receive individualized breastfeeding education during pregnancy, educational materials, postpartum breastfeeding support, and web portal- and mobile application-supported breastfeeding counseling. Participants in the control group will receive routine hospital care. Data will be collected during pregnancy (baseline), immediately after birth, and at 1-, 3-, and 6-month postpartum follow-ups using validated scales assessing perceived insufficient milk supply, breastfeeding intention, and breastfeeding adaptation. Digital platform usage data, including the counseling topics accessed and the frequency of use, will also be evaluated in the intervention group. This study is supported as a research project and aims to develop an accessible digital breastfeeding support model that may improve breastfeeding confidence, reduce perceived insufficient milk supply, and promote breastfeeding adaptation and continuation.

Breastfeeding is a critical component of maternal and infant health, providing essential nutritional, immunological, and developmental benefits for infants while supporting maternal health and well-being. Despite the established benefits of exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life, as recommended by the World Health Organization, many mothers experience challenges in initiating and maintaining breastfeeding. Perceived insufficient milk supply is one of the most frequently reported concerns among breastfeeding mothers and may negatively affect breastfeeding confidence, breastfeeding intention, and continuation of breastfeeding. This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effect of a breastfeeding education program combined with a web portal and mobile application-supported breastfeeding counseling on perceived insufficient milk supply, breastfeeding intention, and breastfeeding adaptation among pregnant women. The study is designed to investigate whether continuous digital support, integrated with structured prenatal breastfeeding education, can provide sustained guidance and improve breastfeeding-related outcomes during the postpartum period. Pregnant women at 37-39 weeks of gestation will be recruited and randomly allocated to either an intervention group or a control group. Participants in the intervention group will receive individualized face-to-face breastfeeding education during pregnancy. The education will include evidence-based breastfeeding information delivered through verbal instruction, question-and-answer sessions, visual educational materials, and demonstration techniques using a newborn model. Participants will also receive a written educational booklet. Following childbirth, mothers in the intervention group will receive support during the initiation of breastfeeding and continued breastfeeding counseling through a web portal and mobile application throughout the postpartum period. Participants assigned to the control group will receive routine hospital maternity care. Data will be collected at five assessment points: during pregnancy as a baseline assessment, immediately after childbirth during the hospital stay, and at 1-, 3-, and 6-month postpartum follow-ups. Baseline maternal characteristics will be collected using a Sociodemographic Information Form, which includes demographic, socioeconomic, health-related, and breastfeeding-related characteristics. Breastfeeding-related outcomes will be assessed using validated measurement instruments, including the Infant Feeding Intention Scale, Perceived Insufficient Milk Supply Scale, Breastfeeding Adaptation Scale, and Breastfeeding Attitude Assessment Scale. These instruments will be used to evaluate changes in mothers' breastfeeding intention, perceptions regarding milk sufficiency, breastfeeding attitudes, and adaptation to breastfeeding over the follow-up period. In addition, digital platform engagement data will be collected for participants in the intervention group. Information regarding accessed counseling topics, frequency of platform use, and participant interactions with digital breastfeeding support services will be recorded and evaluated. By integrating face-to-face breastfeeding education with continuous digital counseling support, this study aims to provide evidence for an accessible, sustainable breastfeeding support model. The findings may contribute to the development of evidence-based digital health interventions that support breastfeeding adaptation, address breastfeeding-related concerns, and promote breastfeeding continuation among mothers.