Breastfeeding Education Integrated With Web Portal and Mobile Application-Supported Counseling

Breastfeeding provides significant benefits for maternal and infant health; however, perceived insufficient milk supply is one of the most common factors associated with early breastfeeding discontinuation. Although the World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, breastfeeding continuation rates remain suboptimal in many countries, including Türkiye. This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effect of breastfeeding education combined with a web portal and mobile application-supported breastfeeding counseling on perceived insufficient milk supply, breastfeeding intention, and breastfeeding adaptation among pregnant women. Women at 37-39 weeks of gestation will be randomly assigned to an intervention group or a control group. Participants in the intervention group will receive individualized breastfeeding education during pregnancy, educational materials, postpartum breastfeeding support, and web portal- and mobile application-supported breastfeeding counseling. Participants in the control group will receive routine hospital care. Data will be collected during pregnancy (baseline), immediately after birth, and at 1-, 3-, and 6-month postpartum follow-ups using validated scales assessing perceived insufficient milk supply, breastfeeding intention, and breastfeeding adaptation. Digital platform usage data, including the counseling topics accessed and the frequency of use, will also be evaluated in the intervention group. This study is supported as a research project and aims to develop an accessible digital breastfeeding support model that may improve breastfeeding confidence, reduce perceived insufficient milk supply, and promote breastfeeding adaptation and continuation.

Inclusion Criteria: * Pregnant women at 37-39 weeks of gestation. * Being 18 years of age or older. * Planning to give birth at the study hospital. * Planning to breastfeed their newborn. * Having a singleton pregnancy. * Having a healthy pregnancy without conditions requiring high-risk pregnancy management. * Being able to communicate verbally and understand the study procedures. * Having access to a smartphone and/or internet connection to use the web portal and mobile application (for participants assigned to the intervention group). * Voluntarily agreeing to participate in the study and providing written informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * Having a medical condition that contraindicates breastfeeding. * Having a pregnancy complication requiring intensive medical follow-up or early delivery. * Multiple pregnancy (e.g., twins or higher-order pregnancies). * Planned cesarean delivery due to medical indications that may interfere with the breastfeeding initiation process (if applicable according to your protocol). * Having a newborn requiring neonatal intensive care admission after birth. * Previous participation in a structured breastfeeding education or digital breastfeeding counseling program during the current pregnancy. * Inability to complete study questionnaires or participate in follow-up assessments. * Not having access to the required digital tools for the intervention group. * Withdrawal of informed consent at any stage of the study.