Infant Feeding Tracker Applications: Cross-Sectional Analysis of Use

Objective: Examine the extent to which postpartum patients use infant feeding tracker applications (apps), characteristics of app users, and app features most used and desired. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: An obstetrics/gynecology practice in Northern New Jersey in 2019. Participants: One hundred twenty-six patients aged ≥ 18 years recruited during their 6-week postpartum visit. Main Outcome Measures: Self-reported sociodemographics, infant feeding behaviors, and health app use. Respondents were grouped by self-reported use of an infant feeding tracker app. Analysis: Frequencies were calculated for descriptive analysis, and comparisons were made between user groups. Fisher's exact tests of independence were used to analyze categorical data. Mann-Whitney U tests were employed for continuous variables (significance at P < 0.002). Results: Fifty-seven percent of respondents reported using an app to track infant feeding. Compared with nonusers, users were more likely to have an infant who was ever breastfed (P = 0.001; Cramer's V = 0.30) and exclusively breastfed (P < 0.001; Cramer's V = 0.44). Users also used significantly more health apps than nonusers (P < 0.001). Most respondents used the app to track infant feeding, diapering, and sleep. Conclusions and Implications: Given their frequency of use—particularly among those who breastfeed—infant feeding tracker apps have the potential to support parents in meeting their infant feeding goals.