Breastfeeding Apps: A Descriptive Report

Abstract

Background: Women are increasingly using breastfeeding apps to facilitate and organize breastfeeding; however, no study has so far focused on maternal psychopathological risk and on the quality of dyadic exchanges in this field. Aim and Methods: This preliminary, descriptive study aimed at evaluating levels of psychopathological symptoms (through the SCL-90/R) and for the quality of the interactions they have with their children during feeding (through the SVIA) in mothers who use breastfeeding apps with different grades of engagement. Results: Data analyses showed that mothers with a mild use of the apps present a higher quality of dyadic interactions during feeding and lower psychopathological risk. Conclusions: The cross-sectional and descriptive nature of this study does not allow any causal conclusions. However, results suggest that the higher the engagement and use of breastfeeding apps, the lower the quality of feeding interactions and the higher the maternal psychopathological risk.

Keywords

• breastfeeding apps
• feeding interactions
• psychopathological risk
• motherhood