The Effect of Breastfeeding Counseling with Smartphone App on Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy, Breastfeeding Duration, and Problems

Background: Breastfeeding is essential for optimal infant growth and maternal health; however, low breastfeeding self-efficacy and insufficient counseling are major barriers to sustained breastfeeding. Mobile health (mHealth) applications offer accessible, continuous support that may enhance breastfeeding confidence, continuity, and effective problem-solving. Aim: To evaluate the effect of breastfeeding counseling delivered via a smartphone application on breastfeeding self-efficacy, breastfeeding duration, and breastfeeding-related problems. Methods: This randomized controlled prospective study was conducted among 60 primiparous women in the postpartum period at the gynecology service of a Training and Research Hospital in Turkey. The study comprised four phases: development of a smartphone application, participant randomization and selection, implementation and follow-up, and data analysis. Participants were allocated to either an intervention group receiving app-based breastfeeding counseling or a control group receiving routine care. Outcomes included breastfeeding self-efficacy, breastfeeding duration, and breastfeeding problems, assessed at predefined follow-up intervals. Results: Women in the intervention group demonstrated significantly higher breastfeeding self-efficacy scores than those in the control group across all follow-up measurements ( P < 0.05; η 2 = 0.79; large effect size). At six months postpartum, breastfeeding continuation rates were significantly higher in the intervention group compared with the control group (93% vs. 75%, P < 0.05). Additionally, breastfeeding problem scores were significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group ( P < 0.05; η² = 0.73). Conclusion: Breastfeeding counseling delivered via a smartphone application significantly improved breastfeeding self-efficacy, reduced breastfeeding-related problems, and increased breastfeeding duration among primiparous women. These findings suggest that mHealth-based breastfeeding counseling is an effective and feasible intervention that can be integrated into routine postpartum care to support successful breastfeeding. ClinicalTrials number was obtained for the study (No: NCT07426185).