The Neo-MILK Web App as a Health Technology to Support Mothers of Preterm and Sick Neonates During Lactation: Usability Study.

Background: Mothers of sick and preterm infants need support to establish and maintain lactation. Although many health technologies on breastfeeding are available, most lack in evidence-based information and are therefore not appropriate for educating mothers. Furthermore, they do not focus on the special challenges of mother-infant separation during lactation in mothers of sick or preterm infants.

Objective: The aim of this study is to examine the usability and perceived usefulness of the evidence-based information about lactation and documentation tools contained in the Neo-MILK web app.

Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among mothers of sick and preterm infants admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit in Germany. Descriptive statistics were calculated for the System Usability Scale (SUS) and for self-developed items pertaining to overall satisfaction and perceived usefulness of the app. These included items on evidence-based information and the usability of tracking functions.

Results: Of 341 mothers who were contacted, 80 responded (response rate, 23.4%), and data from 63 mothers were analyzed. The mean SUS score was 76.4. The overall satisfaction rate was high, with 84% (n=53) of respondents indicating that they were either satisfied or very satisfied. Further, 82% (n=52) were inclined to recommend the web app to other parents. On average, the evidence-based information was perceived as helpful, more detailed, and not contradictory compared to information provided at the hospital. At the same time, most of the users reported that the Neo-MILK web app did not exert pressure to provide breast milk to their infants. Approximately 71% (n=45) of the mothers used the documentation tool in the web app several times per week to track their milk volumes.

Conclusions: By combining evidence-based information and useful tools to document milk volume, the Neo-MILK web app was high rated in usability and perceived usefulness. Considering the limitations of the study, this web app appears to be a valuable tool for educating and supporting pump-dependent mothers of sick and preterm infants during lactation.