The present invention provides a breastshield for use in a breastpumping system for expressing milk, the breastshield being of such a construction that substantially limits the amount of air between the breast/nipple and the breastshield surrounding the breast/nipple, and most preferably virtually eliminates any air at least in the area of the breast and nipple. In some embodiments, any air in the breastpumping system is substantially eliminated. With the amount of air limited, the mechanism used for generating the pressure difference in the breastshield (e.g., vacuum or negative pressure), such as a diaphragm pump, does not need to do as much work. Less energy is required for the expression of milk, and thus the size of pump used can be decreased, thereby reducing the overall cost of the device.

Improved devices and methods for the expression of milk from a breast are disclosed herein. A device for expressing breast milk may comprise a breast interface including a flange configured to engage a breast and fluidly seal thereagainst, and an actuatable assembly operably coupled to the breast interface and configured to apply vacuum pressure at the breast interface. The breast interface may be configured to apply anterior compression to an anterior portion of the breast when the actuatable assembly is actuated. The flange may be configured to apply posterior compression to a posterior portion of the breast when the actuatable assembly is actuated. The posterior compression can help improve the efficiency of milk expression by reducing the retrograde flow of milk.

Based in the field of breastfeeding, a breast pump apparatus (100) for expressing breast milk is disclosed. The breast pump apparatus (100) comprises a container unit (110) for receiving expressed breast milk, and a pump unit (120) including a pump body (130) and a pumping device (140) for applying negative pressure to a pump volume defined by the pump body (130). The pump body (130) comprises an inlet portion (132) adapted to be received on a female breast and an outlet portion (134) adapted to channel expressed milk to the container unit (110). The pump body (130) comprises an actuator element (200, 300, 400) comprising an active material capable of deforming upon application of a control signal to it, wherein deformation of the actuator element modifies at least one of a shape and size of the pump volume.

The present invention relates to an oxytocin release stimulation device (10) that can be arranged at or close to skin of a user (40). The oxytocin release stimulation device (10) comprises a lighting unit (14) and a control unit (16). The control unit (16) controls the lighting unit (14) such that the lighting unit (14) provides light with specific wavelengths and radiant exposures to the skin of the user (40) for a duration that ensures stimulation of a release of oxytocin. Release of oxytocin allows to stimulate a milk ejection reflex and thus to support milk extraction, e.g. when the oxytocin release stimulation device (10) is used with a breast pump (100). The oxytocin release stimulation device (10) can furthermore allow to reach an oxytocin level during pregnancy that allows to reduce the risk of postpartum depression or that allows to facilitate induction of labor.

Systems and methods for pumping milk from a breast, wherein the milk is expressed from the breast under suction and milk is expulsed from the pumping mechanism to a collection container under positive pressure.

A breast pump system having a suction tubing, a milk tubing, a pump, a three way vent valve, a milk bottle, an isolation valve and a breast shield, wherein the first end of the suction tubing and the first end of the milk tubing are fluidly connected to the pump; wherein the second end of the suction tubing and the second end of the milk tubing are fluidly connected to the breast shield; wherein the three way vent valve is fluidly connected between the pump and the breast shield on the suction tubing; wherein the milk bottle is fluidly connected on the milk tubing between the breast shield and the pump; and wherein the isolation valve is connected on the milk tubing between the milk bottle and the pump.

A baby product sterilizer having a breast pump includes: a body having a cap disposed openably and closably on the front surface thereof and a plurality of ultraviolet lamps located at the inside thereof to sterilize and dry baby products accommodated therein; a cover located at outer surfaces of the body; and the breast pump disposed between the body and the cover in such a manner as to be controlled by a controller mounted on the cover.

Systems and methods for pumping milk from a breast, wherein the milk is expressed from the breast under suction and milk is expulsed from the pumping mechanism to a collection container under positive pressure.

An apparatus for biomimetic expression of breast milk can comprise a breast interface having an expandable membrane configured to mimic the geometry of an infant's mouth. Various regions of the expandable membrane may be configured to simulate the structure and/or function of various parts of an infant's mouth. The expandable membrane may comprise one or more of a distal sealing region configured to simulate the lips, a superior region configured to simulate the hard palate, an inferior protruding region configured to simulate the gums, an intermediate curved region configured to simulate the tongue, and one or more internal expansion regions configured to simulate the soft palate and the throat. The expandable membrane may have a varying thickness throughout the one or more various regions to enable movement of the regions similar to the movement of the corresponding regions of an infant's mouth during nursing.

A breast milk expression apparatus for manipulating a breast of a user includes an outer shell, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced inner pads coupled to the outer shell. The pads are configured to engage the breast of the user and configured for radial displacement. The breast milk expression apparatus further includes a compression unit coupled to the plurality of pads. The compression unit is configured to cyclically displace the pads radially inwardly against the breast to cause compression of the breast and, following compression of the breast, to permit displacement of the pads radially outwardly from the breast as the breast decompresses.