The Doctor Will Web Chat With You Now: How Technology Helps Breastfeeding Moms

by Kristan Hawkins | April 7, 2014
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Mom baby computerYou’re on vacation away from the comforts of home and your 6-month-old is clearly sick, crying and can’t be consoled. Should you race to the local urgent care with an irritable baby only to sit and wait? Is there a better alternative? New communication innovations that bring medical advice to you at a moment’s notice help when you need it most. Whether it’s an emergency situation or simply arranging a regular check-up with a lactation consultant from the privacy of home, online access to doctors and mobile apps make life easier for breastfeeding moms.

1. Get on-demand advice about potentially emergent pediatric health concerns.

Every parent’s heart skips a beat when awoken by a baby with a fever, inconsolable crying or obvious ear pain. Naturally, wanting to ease their baby’s discomfort, parents often pick up the phone to consult a pediatric professional only to be told to schedule an office evaluation. What if your pediatrician or emergency care provider could see your child to rule out the need for an unnecessary drive to the office? Health concerns such as ear infections are known for their telltale pattern of ear pulling and irritability. With a few questions and an opportunity to actually see your child over a Web interface, your doctor could save you a trip to the ER and handle the matter in no time at all, spelling relief for your baby. As an example, MeMD offers online medical consultations on ear infections as well as other health conditions.

2. Consult a lactation specialist online from the comfort of your home.

While some breastfeeding moms are more willing than others to breastfeed in public spaces, some women find it challenging or embarrassing. Sometimes the difficulty arises because the baby is experiencing latching issues. Rather than bundling baby up to go learn a personal activity, you can bring a lactation consultant to your home with webcam technology. Baby and mom can learn the technique from trained lactation specialists in their own natural setting, setting themselves up for success. Popular services such as The New Born Baby and Best Fed Babies specialize in bringing breastfeeding advice directly into your home to offer fast relief and solutions to keep you comfortable.

3. Innovative apps that make life easier for breastfeeding mothers.

Feeling groggy or experiencing vanishing short term memory after too many sleepless nights with the new baby? Mobile apps designed by healthcare providers who understand what breastfeeding mothers go through can help keep you on track for feedings, diapering and more. Try these cool (and free!) mom-centered apps:

  • Breast Feeding Tabulator. Skip the pen and paper by letting your smart device log your breastfeeding activity. This app also allows you to record when you last pumped to coordinate baby feeding scheduling times.
  • Eat Sleep App. “Did I change the baby’s diaper at 9 a.m.? No wait, they were sleeping, right?” This handy app lets you track and coordinate the essentials, eating, sleeping and diapering. Now sleep deprived moms can “book” their own time to eat and possibly get a little down time.

 

This post was contributed by Nancy Stewart. Nancy is a stay-at-home mom, baker and Instagram whiz. For more information about the Pregnant on Campus Initiative, please email Beth at [email protected].