1. Katherine Robinson Hodges
Best Beginnings’ Baby Buddy app and baby communication
Making an early start on the Library Journey
21 March 2016

2. About Best Beginnings Focus on pre-conception to three years
Inform and empower parents to improve outcomes
Aim to reduce health inequalities in the UK

3. Our projects

4. Free app iOS Android
Pregnancy to six months
Suite of features tailored to pregnant women and new mums
Presents information in different ways
Log progress (diary and goal features)
Works alongside NHS

5. Endorsing Organisations
Department of Health
Endorsed by professional organisations and DH
Content process ensures that content is reliable and up to date
Endorsing Organisations

6. Baby Buddy user age profile
App appeals disproportionately to younger parents
Based on in-app questionnaires, reaching proportionally more NEETs aged than the general population

7. Feedback on Baby Buddy Poll for feedback within the app
Very well received
Easy to use
Information easy to understand
Helping to understand
Feel closer to baby

8. Impact Over 60,000 downloads to date
Most impact in areas where Baby Buddy is recommended through local services
But free for anyone in UK to download
Over 60,000 downloads to date downloads per week
Find on Play Store and App Store
Work with certain local authorities to ensure that professionals are engaging with parents
Most impact in areas where Baby Buddy is embedded into service provision e.g. Cheshire, Bradford, Leicester
Darker green more downloads

9. Reaching more people Posters and leaflets available
Download button for websites

10. Today’s information Heart of the app – daily nugget of information
Personalised
App covers many physical, mental and social topics over the transition to parenthood
Pulled out content on communication, because this is where libraries can really get involved
App encourages parents to be confident and proactively engage with their babies, reading to them and speaking with them even before birth
In utero mentalisation associated with improved post birth bonding

11. Ask me Not just presenting information Searchable questions
Multimedia video content, like this NHS Choices video

12. Videos That video was NHS New videos being created by Best Beginnings
Parent-led rather than professional
Focus on baby communication with Leeds CCG “Understanding Your Baby”
One video already in the app

13. Bump Around Important mums are using library services
Include libraries more in the app
Can search for relevant places nearby – using phone location or searching for a postcode
Adding new places –
Users can suggest places
Bulk imports for local authorities from spreadsheets

14. Content syndication NHS Choices - free syndication programme
Content centrally maintained and updated by NHS
More than 600 partner websites and apps distribute content
Includes Videos, Health A-Z and Services Near You
Most Bump Around content comes from NHS Choices
Regularly updated by the NHS
Syncs with Baby buddy twice per week

15. Adding library information?
We want to widen the range of places
Libraries are great
Would like your ideas for how to make this happen
Not just technically
Supplementary info like parents’ groups

16. Future directions
Currently working with Whittington Hospital to expand place feedback functionality
Expanding content to the third birthday
Developing a dads’ and partners’ app
Integrating library info with current app benefits expectant and new mothers
Constantly trying to make app better
Adding features
Expanding target audience
Older babies
Dads
Hope for even wider benefits for libraries as project grows

17. Thank you for listening. Questions?