Presentation Information

Helpful or Harmful? Milk Tracking Apps and Their Impact on Parental Wellbeing

• Speaker: Lucy Ruddle , IBCLC
• Presentation Type:
• Duration: 60 Mins
• Credits:

Abstract:

Where does data support breastfeeding parents, and where might it undermine them? Milk tracking apps are a popular tool among modern mothers, offering a sense of control and reassurance in a culture where measurable outcomes are often prioritised over intuition. Within the infant feeding support community, important questions have emerged: are these tools helpful, harmful, or both? This presentation explores the nuanced role of tracking apps in the early parenting experience, particularly for neurodivergent mothers and those vulnerable to anxiety and rumination. For some, tracking provides structure and emotional regulation. For others, it may amplify doubt, over-focus attention on quantifiable outcomes, and create disconnection from the body and baby.

Drawing on current research and lived experience, we will examine both the perceived benefits and unintended consequences of data-driven feeding. Attendees will be invited to consider how to support parents who feel dependent on tracking while gently promoting embodied confidence and intuitive care. As life becomes increasingly quantified, this session explores how feeding support can strike a balance between the digital and the deeply human.