JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Prolonged exclusive breastfeeding is a public health priority and a personal desire by mothers but rates are low, with milk supply challenges as a predominant cause. Early breastfeeding management at home is key. Milk electrolytes are accepted as biomarkers of secretory activation processes throughout the first weeks after birth, and predictors for prolong breastfeeding success, although not incorporated into routine care practice.

Objective:

To test the feasibility of a novel hand held smartphone operated milk sensing system, that was designed to compute a milk maturation (MM%) parameter based on milk sample conductivity, for tracking individual secretory activation progress in real-world home setting.

Methods:

A retrospective analysis of observational real world data gathered with the system by Lactation support providers or directly by mothers that was retroactively classified according to user-reported breastfeeding exclusivity and breastfeeding problems associated with ineffective breastfeeding and low milk supply.

Results:

We present 1511 milk sensing records achieved on-the-spot with over 592 real-world mothers. Data gathered with the system revealed typical time dependent MM% increase with evident differences in MM% levels according to breastfeeding status classifications, manifested in group means and individual progress predominantly during the first weeks postpartum.

Conclusions:

In this feasibility study we show that smart milk sensing technology offers the opportunity to objectively track individual breastfeeding efficiency and facilitate remote data gathering, at the home setting, potentially enhancing self and remote breastfeeding management and clinical classifications. Future controlled clinical studies are warranted to assess the clinical usefulness of the home milk monitoring tool, and its contribution in enhancing user and care provider satisfaction and breastfeeding success goals.