Breastfeeding Premature Babies
  • Who is conducting this study?
  • BELOVEN is conducted Dr. Jennifer Smilowitz Ph.D. of the Department of Nutrition at UC Davis, in collaboration with Kristina Chamberlain, Clinical Director & Lead Faculty at UC San Diego Lactation Program and CDPH-WIC. This study has been reviewed and approved by the UC Davis Institutional Review Board.
  • What is the purpose of this study

  • The purpose of this project is to determine the feasibility and acceptability of an interactive, online, health and breastfeeding education program aimed to increase breastfeeding outcomes in pregnant women from underserved communities. This project is executed with three different studies:

    Study 1: To conduct focus groups to understand the breastfeeding needs of mothers from underserved communities.

    Study 2: To conduct a cross-sectional survey study to understand how to implement an effective, interactive, online education program.

    Study 3: To test the impact of an interactive, online education program on knowledge gained, breastfeeding self-efficacy, intention, duration and exclusivity. 

  • Who is eligible to participate?
  • -Pregnant women (between 24-36 weeks gestation)
    -Women who delivered a single, healthy, term (≥37 weeks at birth), living infant within the past twelve months and their infant lives in their household
    -Women who plan to feed breast milk to their infant for at least 6 weeks
    -Mothers willing to complete online questionnaires
  • Who is NOT eligible to participate?
  • -Women who have undergone breast surgery  

    -Women who stopped breastfeeding before 3 months due to taking medications or drugs contraindicated to breastfeeding (e.g., chemotherapy, PCP, cocaine)
    -Women who stopped breastfeeding before 3 months due to experiencing medical conditions contraindicated to breastfeeding (e.g., HIV positive)
    -Women with infants who had a health condition that prevented them from feeding at the breast or consuming human milk
    -Women who delivered a premature infant (<37 weeks gestation)
    -Women who were separated from their infants for ≥     3 days in the first week of their infants’ life
    -Women involuntarily confined 

  • What is expected of participants during the study?

  • For Study 1 (focus group), women will be asked to share their opinions with a researcher and a group of up to 10 other women that are similar to them. Women will be asked to share their experience (or lack of experience) in receiving diet and lactation education during their most recent pregnancy. The study will also ask women to share their opinions about style, format, and information they would find helpful in an interactive, prenatal online health and breastfeeding education program. The 2 hour focus group will be held virtually over Zoom video conferencing, and participants will be audio recorded.

    For Study 2 (survey study), women will be asked to complete a 20-minute online questionnaire that asks about their experience (or lack of experience) in receiving diet and lactation education during their most recent pregnancy. Participants will also be asked to share their opinions about style, format, and information they would find helpful in an interactive, prenatal online health and breastfeeding education program. 

    Study 3 will be designed and started after the completion of Study 1 and Study 2.

  • Will participants be compensated for participation? 
  • Yes. To complete Study 1, participants will receive a $100 electronic Target gift card. To complete Study 2, participants will receive a $25 electronic Target gift card.
  • Who is funding this project?
  • This project is partially funded by the 2020 Chancellor's Innovation Award.