Māmā Aroha App: digital health solutions for sustaining Indigenous breastfeeding practices

This article explores the development and impact of the Māmā Aroha App, a digital health solution designed to support and sustain Indigenous breastfeeding practices among Māori communities in New Zealand. Māori women have encountered significant barriers to breastfeeding, including a loss of traditional knowledge, culturally ineffective maternity services, and inadequate professional support, compounded by healthcare’s limited representation of Indigenous perspectives. Launched on August 2, 2021, the Māmā Aroha App consolidates crucial breastfeeding information and principles into a visually engaging and user-friendly format for health professionals, mothers, and their whānau (extended families). By digitizing traditional knowledge, the app makes this information more accessible and ensures that its interface honours Māori cultural and holistic values. This article provides an evaluation of the app’s development process, emphasizing the necessity of community engagement and tailored design to address the specific needs of Māori mothers and their whānau. The findings highlight the significant potential of culturally adapted digital health solutions and the importance of continuous collaboration to maintain their effectiveness.