Data from: Identifying and overcoming breastfeeding challenges using two-way short message service, a randomized controlled trial

Breastfeeding challenges, such as pain and perception of insufficient milk supply, prevent many women from exclusively breastfeeding their babies for the six-month duration recommended by the World Health Organization. Mobile health strategies may help women identify and overcome breastfeeding challenges. This study evaluated a two-way short message service (SMS) intervention that delivered breastfeeding messages to women in Kiambu County, Kenya, and its impact on rates of exclusive breastfeeding and breastfeeding behavior at 1, 4, and 6 months post-delivery. Women in the control group received a general package of messages containing postnatal information; women in the intervention group received these messages, plus messages related to breastfeeding and surveys which offered more information about breastfeeding challenges. Both groups of women had access to a help desk agent who responded to questions via SMS. There was no significant difference in the rate of exclusive breastfeeding between the intervention and control at any time point (p=.861). Women in the intervention group were more likely to report experiencing breastfeeding challenges such as pain and perceived insufficient milk supply than those in the control group (32% vs. 24%, p=0.00). Of the women in the intervention group who reported experiencing breastfeeding challenges, 70% of them found a resolution to their challenge, and 23% of them resolved their challenges using SMS. SMS may help women in low-resource settings to identify and overcome their breastfeeding challenges.