Effects of Telephone and Short Message Service Support on Infant Feeding Practices, “Tummy Time,” and Screen Time at 6 and 12 Months of Child Age: A 3-Group Randomized Clinical Trial

This paper describes an evaluation to determine the effectiveness of either nurse-led telephone or SMS support in improving infant feeding practices and tummy time and reducing screen time. The study was part of a 2-year, 3-group parallel, randomized clinical trial conducted from February 23, 2017, to November 30, 2018, among 1155 women in the third trimester of pregnancy in New South Wales, Australia. The paper concludes that both the nurse-led telephone support and SMS interventions were effective in reducing screen time and bottle use at bedtime and was also effective in promoting the appropriate timing of the introduction of solid foods, early-start tummy time, and cup use.