Amazon Alexa is expanding its range of services with the introduction of a new tool aimed at supporting new mothers.
The ‘Breastfeeding Friend’ is a skill launched by Public Health England’s Start4Life programme, designed to offer advice and encouragement for breastfeeding mothers.
The ‘Breastfeeding Friend’ offers a digital solution for mothers seeking immediate assistance. With this tool, new parents can access expert advice any time of the day or night, complementing traditional support from healthcare professionals. The intention is to bridge the gap in breastfeeding support that many mothers experience after leaving the hospital.
Available as a free service, the tool integrates with Amazon Alexa and platforms like Facebook Messenger. It provides tailored responses to questions based on the baby’s age, ensuring meaningful and relevant advice.
This service comes in response to significant demand for accessible breastfeeding support, an area highlighted by surveys indicating a drop in breastfeeding rates in England, largely due to inadequate preparation and embarrassment in seeking help.
PHE conducted a survey revealing only 44% of mothers continue breastfeeding after six to eight weeks. This drop is attributed to a lack of preparation and support for new mothers.
The survey also found 31% of mothers felt uncomfortable asking healthcare professionals for breastfeeding advice, while 64% expressed a need for 24-hour support.
The ‘Breastfeeding Friend’ aims to alleviate these issues by providing immediate access to expert guidance, offering reassurance to mothers who might feel isolated in their breastfeeding journey.
Viv Bennett, chief nurse at Public Health England, supports the initiative, emphasising the importance of accessible support for breastfeeding mothers. She states that such digital offerings can significantly impact the breastfeeding experience.
All information given through the Start4Life services is NHS-approved, ensuring that the advice mothers receive is accurate and reliable. This separates the service from corporate influences, maintaining its independence from companies like Amazon and Facebook.
The primary goal of this initiative is to encourage healthy behaviours among parents from the outset. By embedding such support in everyday tools like Alexa, parents are more likely to utilise and adhere to expert recommendations.
The integration of this tool reflects a forward-thinking approach to public health, using technology to enhance traditional healthcare practices.
This development signifies a growing trend of integrating technology with healthcare. As more parents rely on digital assistants, leveraging such technology to provide health support is becoming increasingly prevalent.
Public Health England’s initiative is an example of how technology can be harnessed to meet public health needs, offering convenience without compromising on quality.
By introducing this tool, England continues to modernise its healthcare support for families, ensuring that expert advice is never more than a voice command away.
The introduction of the ‘Breastfeeding Friend’ marks a significant step in supporting new mothers. With expert, round-the-clock advice readily available, more mothers can feel confident and supported in their breastfeeding journey.
Amazon Alexa’s new tool is a testament to how technology can enhance healthcare.
By providing digital support to breastfeeding mothers, this initiative not only addresses existing challenges but also sets a precedent for future developments in maternal health support.