King's College London

Despite the disease prevention and health benefits of breastfeeding for women and infants, the UK has one of the lowest exclusive breastfeeding rates at six months. Healthcare professionals and peer supporters support is a main factor influencing women’s breastfeeding decisions.

NHS maternity services are having to address the excessive workloads of healthcare professionals, with a drive to consider alternative approaches to providing care, and increasing interest in the benefit of virtual care following COVID-19.

For women who wish to breastfeed, virtual support offers an alternative option that could increase access to tailored support, save time, and costs for the woman and the NHS as home-based contacts could be prioritised for those with specific care needs. Virtual support can also be used for initial assessment to decide if home visits are needed.

Virtual devices currently available to support breastfeeding require a woman to hold the baby and operate the device so healthcare professionals can view the positioning of the infant and nipple attachment. Our UK survey found challenges of virtual devices such as supporters being unable to see the baby’s latch, and women unable to operate the device and breastfeed simultaneously. These findings and our users and community consultation confirm the need for the project.

Working with the Manufacturing Technology Centre, our aim is to establish technical and user specification requirements and device concept of an innovative hands-free two-way automated monitor and communication device for virtual breastfeeding support.

This project is part of the 'Communities' and 'Frugal Innovations' clusters within King’s Better Health & Care Futures.

1. Using participatory co-design and user-centered design in manufacturing, we will create user specification requirements for the device. Participants will be recruited through social media and the project team’s networks, including previous research participants who consented to be contacted. King's ethical clearance will be obtained before recruitment. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with about 14 service users and providers (e.g midwives, health visitors and breastfeeding peer supporters).
2. Through technology search and market landscape review, we will identify existing materials and analogue products that we can adapt for the device. We will also identify new materials/software/hardware that will need to be developed as well as the digital standards required for the device.

The potential impact of the device includes:

• Improve effectiveness and satisfaction of breastfeeding support.
• Increase breastfeeding rates.