A mixed methods investigation into the experiences, attitudes and needs of Baby Buddy pregnancy and parenting app users during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the lives of expectant parents and parents of young babies, with disruption to healthcare provision and loss of social support This study investigated the impact of COVID-19 and associated lockdown on this population through the lens of users of the UK, NHS-approved pregnancy and parenting smartphone app, Baby Buddy OBJECTIVE: The study aims were threefold;firstly to gain insights into the attitudes and experiences of expectant and recent parents (babies under 24 weeks old) during the COVID-19 pandemic;secondly to investigate whether Baby Buddy is meeting the needs of its users at this time and thirdly to identify ways in which Baby Buddy could revise content to better support its users both now and in the future METHODS: A mixed methods study design combining an online survey with semi-structured telephone interviews amongst Baby Buddy users in the UK was applied Data collection ran from April 15th to mid-June 2020, corresponding to weeks 4 to 13 of UK in lockdown RESULTS: A total of 436 expectant (n=244) and recent (n=192) parents responded to the online survey, of which 79% (345) were aged 25-39 years and 17% (n=75) spoke English as a second language Over 88% (n= 386) reported increased levels of anxiety around pregnancy, birth and being a new parent, and 60% (n=253) were concerned about their own emotional and mental health Over 45% (n=106) of pregnant respondents were concerned about their physical health Telephone interviews (n=32) amongst pregnant (n=13) and recent parents (n=19) revealed similarly increased levels of anxiety due to reduced healthcare provision and loss of support from friends and family Whilst a minority identified some positive outcomes of lockdown, such as family bonding, many telephone interviewees reported feeling isolated, disregarded and overwhelmed Recent parents were particularly anxious about the effects of the lockdown on their baby's development and socialisation Many interviewees were also concerned about their physical health, as a consequence of both limited access to face-to-face medical appointments, and their own poorer dietary and physical activity behaviours Across both samples, over 90% (n=423) of respondents reported that Baby Buddy was helping them currently, with many commenting that its role was even more important given the lack of face-to-face support from healthcare and parenting organisations Greater speed in updating digital content to reflect changes brought about by the pandemic would have been appreciated CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic has created heightened anxiety and stress amongst expectant parents and those with a young baby, and for many, lockdown has had an adverse effect on physical and mental wellbeing With a reduction in healthcare and social support, expectant and new parents are increasingly relying on online resources As an evidence-based and free app, Baby Buddy is well positioned to meet this need It could support its users even more by actively directing them to the wealth of existing content relevant to their concerns, and by adding content to give users the knowledge and confidence to meet the new challenges facing them