SMS support improves breastfeeding rates ... is there anything a mobile phone can't do??

I love my phone ... in fact I spent the majority of my drive to work this morning justifying my love for it to DP, who believes it is an unnecessary luxury (not so much the 'phone' , but the 'i' in front of it).

So when I finally arrived at work I was more than happy to find this email in my inbox ... a new study has found that SMS support improves breastfeeding rates!

Excellent, now I've got another item to add to my "reasons why phones are important" list, which I am compiling for the drive home.

Anyway, according to this world-first study by Queensland University of Technology (QUT), new mums are four times more likely to stop breastfeeding after eight weeks, than mothers who have received text message support.

The eight week project involved 130 mums across Australia who were given breastfeeding support via SMS

The SMS was also linked to the counselling service offered by the Australian Breastfeeding Association, which offers free telephone assistance about breastfeeding for new mothers.

Professor Rebekah Russell-Bennett, who led the study with Dr Danielle Gallegos, said at the beginning of the study 83 per cent of women taking part fully breastfed their newborns, compared with the national average of 62 per cent.

"The SMS service aimed to increase breastfeeding rates among new mums by providing a direct link with women and offering support, encouragement and advice when needed," Professor Russell-Bennett said.

"The messages were considerate of women's feelings. They weren't judgemental, they avoided guilt, stereotyping and acting as if breastfeeding was easy and natural."

"After completing the eight week program, there was only a four per cent decrease in women who were fully breastfeeding. This compares with a decline in the national average of 16 per cent (down to 46 per cent)."

Professor Russell-Bennett said the SMS program proved successful in encouraging women to continue breastfeeding, resulting in significantly improved breastfeeding rates.

"Women who participated in the study said they felt reassured by the text messages received," she said.

"Many women said they looked forward to receiving the messages as it made them feel like they were part of a group.

"They also said the messages offered information 'that told me things were normal'.

"Many women who find they are struggling with breastfeeding feel like they are failing, but by receiving the text messages they get the support they need."

Dr Gallegos said while the study sought to increase breastfeeding rates, it also aimed to empower women to make the "right" feeding choice for their child.

"Ultimately if women choose not to fully breastfeed, that is OK. But what we want to happen is to see women make the right decision for the right reasons, without feeling guilty," Dr Gallegos said.

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