Community-based collaboration shapes resource for families and health-care providers
Parents worldwide now have access to a new digital tool that makes it easier to understand, plan for and navigate breastfeeding, thanks to an Ontario Tech University researcher using technology to support infant health and community well-being.
Dr. Jennifer Abbass Dick, Associate Professor in the university’s Faculty of Health Sciences, has partnered with Lakeridge Health and the Durham Region Health Department to launch AboutBreastfeeding.ca, a national e-health platform designed to boost breastfeeding health literacy.
The new website offers credible, evidence-informed content co-created with diverse families, including fathers, Indigenous families and young single parents, to help new parents make informed infant-feeding decisions. Designed for home use and clinical-care settings, AboutBreastfeeding.ca includes printable handouts and posters with QR codes linking directly to the website, giving families seamless access to trusted information during every step of their breastfeeding journey.
“Helping parents meet their breastfeeding goals is so important, as parents who plan to breastfeed will experience emotional distress if they are not successful and don’t know how to overcome challenges,” says Dr. Abbass Dick. “Through this resource, we’re giving families the tools they need to understand how their bodies work, overcome common challenges, and know when and where to seek specialized lactation professional support in the community.”
Dr. Abbass Dick’s research shows that providing access to reliable and easy-to-follow information helps families meet their breastfeeding goals, enabling parents to understand how lactation works and how to navigate difficulties.
Meeting a national need
In 2024, Canada recorded nearly 360,000 births. While more than 90 per cent of parents start breastfeeding, fewer than 40 per cent continue exclusively for the recommended six months mainly due to challenges experienced and lack of accessible, understandable information and support.
Dr. Abbass Dick’s work directly addresses this gap. Her research over the past decade has focused on developing standardized digital education for families, from hospital to home. The project began with the Durham Region Health Department in 2014 and grew to include Lakeridge Health in 2019, where her co-designed e-tools were implemented into clinical-care settings.
As usage grew to 6,000 users annually, feedback revealed the need for a more unified and accessible platform. The result is AboutBreastfeeding.ca, which has attracted visitors from around the world in the first few weeks since its launch.
Community collaboration driving change
This initiative is a model of what’s possible when universities, hospitals and public health agencies come together to innovate in health care.
“By launching this website, we’re empowering families with the knowledge and confidence they need to start their breastfeeding journey on the right foot,” said Kelly Pigeau, Public Health Nurse with the Durham Region Health Department. “We’re also strengthening the support network around them by ensuring health-care providers access and share the same high-quality information.”
“At Lakeridge Health, we see firsthand how critical the early days of infant care are for parents and their newborns,” said Ava Onwudegwu, Director of Critical Care, Respiratory Services, Trauma, Women's and Children's Programs at Lakeridge Health. “This collaborative project helps ensure that every family in Durham Region, regardless of their circumstances, has access to consistent, evidence-based breastfeeding information when and where they need it most.”
Media contacts
Glendene Collins
Manager, Community & Resource Development
Durham Region Health Department
905.668.7711 ext. 2999
glendene.collins@durham.ca
Sharon Navarro
Manager, Public Relations
Lakeridge Health
905.453.7889
snavarro@lh.ca
Patricia Pickett
Communications Specialist
Ontario Tech University
905.809.1675
patricia.pickett@ontariotechu.ca
