Feed Safe NZ app | By WellSouth Primary Health Network |
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Features
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Country of origin | New Zealand |
Clinical review |
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Security and privacy |
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Cost | Free |
How to get the app |
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Feed Safe NZ app
Feed Safe NZ app
- An app that provides information about alcohol and breastfeeding. It contains official recommendations from Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora.
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While the app acknowledges that drinking alcohol while breastfeeding should be avoided, it provides information about breastfeeding and occasional alcohol use, to enable the user to make safe decisions. It uses your height and weight and alcohol intake to estimate when your breastmilk should be free of alcohol. The timer function can alert you when this time has been reached. It also has answers to frequently asked questions around alcohol and breastfeeding such as how does alcohol affect breastmilk. It has been made available by WellSouth Primary Health Network. For a complete app description go to the website(external link), Google Play(external link) or iTunes(external link) and for a complete app review, see reviews below.
PROS | CONS |
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✔ Developed by an academic and various health associations. |
✘ The information section discusses the effect of food intake on alcohol levels, but the user is not able to input food intake into the calculation section. Food intake reduces and delays the time of peak alcohol levels in breast milk. |
Clinical review
Reviewer: Jeremy Steinberg, GP, FRNZCGP
Date of review: February 2019
Platform: Android
Comments: This app calculates predicted alcohol clearance based on the amount of alcohol intake (using New Zealand standard drinks) and the user’s weight and height. The calculation method used appears to be based on sound research.
Users should be cautioned that the app does not take food intake into account, which reduces and delays the time of peak alcohol levels in breast milk. It also only lets you input standard drinks not what you actually drank, as well as having to be in integer form. It is cumbersome viewing the external PDF reference in the information section.
The information section has a lot of very good accurate advice, and there is New Zealand specific information.
It would be more complete with having an alcohol abuse screening section, and advice around breastfeeding problems.
Safety concerns: Caution with food intake, as the calculation doesn’t take this into account. The user must input standard drinks, not what they actually drank which could cause some inaccuracies.
New Zealand relevance: An international app, but the New Zealand version has been modified in keeping with local guidelines.
Disclaimer: The NZ Health App Library is a free consumer service to help you decide whether a health app would be suitable for you. Our review process is independent. We have no relationship with the app developers or companies and no responsibility for the service they provide. This means that if you have an issue with one of the apps we have reviewed, you will need to contact the app developer or company directly. |
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Credits: Healthify editorial team. Healthify is brought to you by Health Navigator Charitable Trust.