Support for Breastfeeding Mothers and Babies
Official title: Breastfeeding Education Support Tool for Baby
Funded at Thomas Jefferson University · NIH-11181180 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project aims to help mothers in India breastfeed their babies for longer, which can improve their children's health and development.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Thomas Jefferson University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $260,362 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD112492-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11181180 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant women and new mothers in specific regions of Karnataka State, India, who are interested in breastfeeding their infants, would be ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients outside the specific geographic regions in India or those not pregnant or with infants within the target age range would not directly benefit from this particular program.
What this research studies
This project offers a special program called BEST4Baby to support pregnant women and new mothers with breastfeeding. Trained peer counselors will provide education and support through in-person visits, guided by a mobile app. We want to see if this program helps mothers breastfeed exclusively for six months and if it positively affects their baby's growth and brain development. This support is designed to make it easier for mothers to give their babies the best start in life.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this program could lead to healthier babies with better growth and development by increasing exclusive breastfeeding rates.
How similar studies have gone: Community-based breastfeeding support programs have shown success in other settings, and this project builds upon established methods with a new tool.
Where this research is happening
-
Thomas Jefferson University
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Short, Vanessa L — Thomas Jefferson University
- Study coordinator: Short, Vanessa L
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Breastfeeding Education Support Tool for Baby
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.