Synchronizing breast pumping with infant feeding

• US 10,105,474 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2017
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Willow Innovations Incorporated (ExploraMed NC7, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ExploraMed NC7, Inc.
• Inventors: Barral, Joelle, Chandra, Venita, Garrett, Mary, Hudak, Jessica, Nayak, Asha, Palmer, Erika, Ruggles, Sandra Waugh, Tang, Beverly
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenberg, Rebecca E
• Application Number:
  US15/417,343
• Publication Number:
  US 20170136160A1
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4857 Indicating the phase of biorhythm clocks or watches with indicators for biological cycles G04B19/264
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/06 Milking pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/062 Pump accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/067 with means for hands-free operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/0693 with programmable or pre-programmed sucking patterns
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/0697 having means for massaging the breast
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3389 Continuous level detection A61M2205/3393 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3523 using telemetric means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3561 local, e.g. within room or hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/36 related to heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/088 on the body

Abstract

A system for synchronizing one or more breast-pumping sessions of an individual (such as a mother) and milk consumption by a second individual (such as a baby or infant) is described. In particular, based on measurements of a volume of the collected milk as a function of time and received information specifying milk consumption by the second individual as a function of time, a control circuit may determine a need for milk. Then, the control circuit may provide feedback based on the determined need for milk that synchronizes the one or more breast-pumping sessions and the milk consumption. For example, the feedback may alert the individual to initiate a breast-pumping session and/or may provide a signal to a breast pump that initiates a breast-pumping session.

Claims

1. A computer-program product for use in conjunction with an electronic device, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and a computer-program mechanism embedded therein to synchronize one or more breast-pumping sessions of an individual and milk consumption by a second individual, the computer-program mechanism including:

instructions for measuring, using a lactation sensor, a volume of milk collected as a function of time using a breast pump, wherein the breast pump collects the milk from the individual during the one or more breast-pumping sessions;

instructions for receiving, from a consumption sensor associated with a bottle, information specifying the milk consumption as a function of time;

instructions for determining a need for milk based on a temporal pattern of the volume of the collected milk and a temporal pattern of the milk consumption; and

instructions for providing feedback based on the determined need for milk that synchronizes the one or more breast-pumping sessions and the milk consumption.

2. The computer-program product of claim 1, wherein the feedback alerts the individual to initiate a breast-pumping session.

3. The computer-program product of claim 1, wherein the feedback includes a signal to the breast pump that initiates a breast-pumping session.

4. The computer-program product of claim 1, wherein the computer-program mechanism comprises instructions for measuring, using a sensor, one of:

a vital sign of the individual as a function of time, a biomarker of the individual as a function of time, and an activity pattern of the individual as a function of time; and

wherein determining the need for milk is based on one of;

a temporal pattern of the vital sign, a temporal pattern of the biomarker, and a temporal pattern of the activity pattern.

5. The computer-program product of claim 1, wherein the computer-program mechanism comprises instructions for receiving additional information specifying one of:

a vital sign of the second individual as a function of time, a biomarker of the second individual as a function of time, and an activity pattern of the second individual as a function of time; and

wherein determining the need for milk is based on one of;

a temporal pattern of the vital sign, a temporal pattern of the biomarker, and a temporal pattern of the activity pattern.

6. The computer-program product of claim 1, wherein determining the need for milk is based on a day of the week.

7. The computer-program product of claim 1, wherein the feedback maximizes an average volume of the milk collected during a given breast-pumping session.

8. The computer-program product of claim 1, wherein the computer-program mechanism comprises instructions for providing to the individual encouragement about the milk collection.