Do parents need application-based learning media to learn baby massage? A qualitative study

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Developmental Psychology
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Childhood growth delays necessitate early stimulation interventions.
• Baby massage is a key method for promoting infant development.
• Parental education in baby massage is crucial for effective implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify essential learning media for parents acquiring baby massage skills.
• To explore parental and expert perspectives on effective baby massage education.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative research employing a phenomenological approach.
• Focus group discussions (FGD) with parents, health workers, IT experts, and media designers.
• Thematic analysis of collected data.

Main Results:

• A consensus emerged for an Android application as the preferred learning medium.
• The application should feature detailed, step-by-step baby massage videos.
• Key features include benefits, instructions, a diary, and midwife contact information.

Conclusions:

• Stakeholders (parents, midwives, IT, and design experts) concur on developing an Android-based baby massage learning application.
• The application will incorporate six distinct features and systems.
• This digital tool aims to enhance parental skills and support infant development.