Enrollment and use of a peer counselor mHealth texting program to support breastfeeding in low-income people: A pilot study in the District of Columbia

OBJECTIVE

To describe the characteristics of postpartum people who did and did not enroll in a breastfeeding peer-counselor mobile health (mHealth) texting program as well as the issues raised through 2-way texting with peer counselors.

DESIGN

Pilot intervention study involving two Special Supplemental Nutrition Programs for Women Infants and Children (WIC) sites in the District of Columbia over 1 year.

SAMPLE

WIC recipients.

MEASUREMENTS

Descriptive statistics, comparison of recipients who enrolled or not and qualitative content analysis of text messages.

INTERVENTION

A breastfeeding peer counselor texting program entitled BfedDC involving routine 1-way programmed messages and 2-way texting capacity for recipients to engage with peer counselors.

RESULTS

Among our sample (n = 1642), nearly 90% initiated breastfeeding. A total of 18.5% (n = 304) enrolled in the BfedDC texting program, of whom 19.7% (n = 60) utilized the 2-way texting feature. Message content covered seven content themes and included inquiries about expressing human milk, breastfeeding difficulties, breastfeeding frequency and duration, appointments and more.

CONCLUSIONS

Although enrollment was relatively low in BfedDC, benefits included 1-way supportive texts for breastfeeding and the ability to 2-way text with peer counselors. This program aligns with the Surgeon General's Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding and promotes breastfeeding equity in low-income people.