A new study has found that Use of a mobile phone app that provides supportive texts and an online community may significantly increase the rate of breastfeeding among new mothers. Women participating in the study began interacting with the MMM app roughly six weeks before their delivery date and continued using it the same length of time after giving birth.

Private Facebook page also linked participants with app , where learning links, encouraging comments and concise videos were posted. Comments and questions were monitored and breastfeeding questions received responses from direct investigator Maya Bunik, pediatrician at the Children's Hospital Colorado in US.

Among study participants who used the app, 95 per cent were currently breastfeeding three months after giving birth, compared with 83 per cent of the control group. The same amount (95 per cent) were feeding babies breastmilk more than 80 per cent of the time, compared with 78 per cent of women who had not used the app.

Participants who used the app also had greater confidence ratings about breastfeeding issues, such as knowing if their babies were getting enough milk and coping with breastfeeding challenges.