A breast shield unit of a breast pump for expressing human breastmilk comprises a breast shield to be placed onto a mother's breast, a breastmilk collection container for receiving expressed breastmilk, an adapter for connecting the breast shield to the breastmilk collection container and a valve head. A breastmilk channel extends from the breast shield into the breastmilk collection container through the adapter and the valve head. The valve head includes a valve which closes and opens the breastmilk channel during the pumping action, wherein a fill level sensor for measuring a fill level of the breastmilk collection container is arranged in the valve head. The breast shield unit according to the invention facilitates a fill level measurement without a structural change of the breast shield and breastmilk collection container. Moreover, it facilitates data interchange with external information storage and/or information processing units.

The present application relates to a breast pump system comprising a vacuum pump, an actuator for driving the vacuum pump, and a power supply for supplying electrical power to a plurality of components including the actuator, and also to a method for use in such as system. An output voltage of the power supply is detected, and in response to the detected output voltage being less than a first threshold voltage, the supply of electrical power to a predetermined one of the plurality of components is suspended. Then, if the detected output voltage recovers to a level above a second threshold value, the supply of electrical power is resumed.

There is a breastfeeding device having a microprocessor having a memory embedded therein that can be pre-programmed to have a plurality of different sucking cycles interspersed with periodic pauses. These different cycles and pauses allow for an accurate modeling of a woman breastfeeding a child. In addition, this system and process can also result in a pre-programmable breastfeeding pump, which creates a preset time for initialization and a preset schedule of a series of events for breastfeeding over a period of time such as over a 24 hour or 30 hour period of time so that the user can automatically use the breast pump without having to use any of the keys on the keyboard of the device. In at least one embodiment, the device including any software which can be programmed thereon, is configured to mimic or model itself towards a suction pattern of a child.

A colostrum collection container includes a body having a first opening configured to receive a breastshield and a second opening configured to be operatively coupled to a vacuum generator; a divider sealingly disposed within the body; and an aperture disposed on the divider. The divider is disposed within the body and a first chamber is disposed between the first opening and the divider, and a second chamber is disposed between the divider and the second opening. The aperture fluidly couples the first and second chambers, and a fluid flow path extends from the first opening through the aperture and to the second opening. So configured, a first fluid is collected in the first chamber with gravity assistance while a second fluid flows through the fluid flow path from the first chamber to the second chamber.

An adapter system for facilitating collection of colostrum from a breast may include an adapter, a removable reservoir and a hand-expression funnel. The adapter may include a first open end for connecting to a breast shield of a breast pump system, a second open end for connecting to a breast pump connector of the breast pump system, and a third open end, disposed between the first and second open ends. The removable reservoir may include a wide end for removably attaching to the third open end and a narrow end for attaching to a colostrum delivery device. The hand-expression funnel may include a wide end for receiving colostrum and a narrow end for attaching to the colostrum delivery device. In some embodiments, the colostrum delivery device is a syringe.

Apparatus are described herein for providing a garment (e.g. a bra) that can be used by a wearer during extraction of breast milk using a breast pump. In some embodiments, a garment can include an inner panel that defines one or more openings and an outer panel that can cover the openings. Each of the openings can receive a portion of a breast pump, and the inner panel can provide support to the breast pump during milk extraction. The outer panel can be removably coupled to the inner panel with a clasp such that the outer panel can be at least partially removed from the inner panel to gain access to the opening(s). In some embodiments, the inner panel can be removably coupled to another portion of the garment such that the inner panel can be partially removed and/or fully removed from the remaining portions of the garment.

An apparatus allowing a woman to pump milk from her breasts without the necessity of the woman's hands holding the breast pumps utilizes at least one band of material encircling the woman's chest, the band of material provided with two openings corresponding to the woman's breasts. A center panel would be provided to adjust the fit of the band. Additionally, in another embodiment, a back panel would be used in conjunction with the center panel to connect left and right panels together, the left and right panels including openings for a woman's breast. In all of the embodiments, semicircular pieces would cover each of the openings. In yet another embodiment, a removable piece is attached to the front of the apparatus, allowing the woman to wear the apparatus all day, even in public.

A nursing garment is configured to be worn by a wearer having breasts and for use with a pumping apparatus and includes a band, a pair of inner soft cups, and an exterior front panel. The band extends around a torso of the wearer. The pair of inner soft cups are secured to the band, and each includes a top retaining panel and a bottom retaining panel overlapping one another. The top retaining panel and the bottom retaining panel are configured to be selectively pulled away from each other forming an opening therebetween to permit a portion of the pumping apparatus to extend through the opening during milk expression. The exterior front panel extends over the pair of inner soft cups having a bottom edge that is free from mid-length securement can be at least partially pulled upwardly to expose one or both of the pair of inner soft cups.

A system for improving a breastpumping session is disclosed. The system includes a database having at least one data group, the database being configured to send and receive group data regarding a pumping pattern. The system also includes at least one data processing unit configured to analyze pumping data regarding the breastpumping session and compare the pumping data to the group data. Further, the system includes at least one breast pump system communicably coupled to the data processing unit. Real-time changes to the breastpumping session are implemented to the breast pump system based on the analysis of the pumping data.

The present invention provides a supplemental nutrition apparatus. The supplemental nutrition apparatus may comprise a reservoir coupled to and in fluid communication with a fluid passageway, wherein the fluid passageway is configured to communicate fluid from the reservoir to a fluid passageway outlet, and a support element configured to engage a user, to at least partially support the fluid passageway, and to position the fluid passageway outlet proximate to the user's nipple.