The human nipple functions for both nutritive and non-nutritive suckling with the only difference that in the first instance nutritive fluid is delivered. The present invention conflates these two suckling devices. A nipple device comprises a first reinforcing member provided at the exterior surface of a nipple portion, and surrounding an interior elastomeric core. A second reinforcing member, such as a mesh reinforcement, can be added to improve bite resistance without compromising stretchiness or compressibility. The nipple device is bite-resistant to guard against biting damage and stretching-to-failure by an infant; and compressible, so forces applied by an infant's tongue will be transmitted (in the case of an artificial feeding teat) through a solid nipple core to compress and shutoff central duct(s) to facilitate swallowing without gagging, or (in the case of a pacifier) to reshape the nipple portion so it conforms to the shape of the infant's oral cavity.

An anatomically emulating infant pacifier for a sucking infant's mouth has a substantially spherical silicone ball member with a hollow interior portion or cavity that may be designed to hold a gas or a liquid. A substantially circular, areola emulating, portion is disposed on the silicone ball member with a plurality of protrusions disposed therein. A nipple member centers the areola emulating portion, protruding perpendicularly from the areola emulating portion at a distal end of the nipple emulating member. The proximal end of the nipple emulating member, which may have at least one hole disposed therethrough, has a diameter substantially equivalent from the distal end, the middle portion of the nipple member narrower than the distal and proximal ends. The hollow interior portion of the silicone ball member is designed to equalize to the prevalent gas or air pressure, the silicone ball member designed to be squeezable by the baby to emulate a human breast.

A feeding device includes a fluid reservoir and a nipple configured to be attached to the fluid reservoir. The nipple includes a body portion defining a compartment configured to contain a liquid so as to mimic a feel of a mother's breast. The body portion comprises a nipple tip comprising a fluid outlet. The nipple includes a base member attached to the body portion, the base member including an attachment portion configured to attach the nipple to the fluid reservoir. The base member comprises a fluid inlet in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir. The nipple includes a fluid passageway extending through the compartment from the fluid inlet to the nipple tip, where the fluid passageway allows fluid to flow from the fluid reservoir to the fluid outlet. A valve member positioned on the base member adjusts a flow rate of fluid from the fluid reservoir into the fluid passageway.

A teat for use with a fluid container comprises a deformable mouthpiece for an infant to suck on during a fluid intake action and an inner core disposed within the mouthpiece. An exterior surface of the inner core is spaced from an interior surface of the mouthpiece at the position of a fluid pocket guiding face of the exterior surface of the inner core so that a fluid duct between the mouthpiece and the inner core is defined which allows the infant to perform a peristaltic fluid intake action. At least one of the interior surface of the mouthpiece and the exterior surface of the inner core has at least one protrusion that is designed to form a fluid barrier between the mouthpiece and the inner core at a position for delimiting the fluid duct at the sides thereof.

A dispensing cap comprising a grasping body, a spout engaging bore and a dispensing coupling. The dispensing coupling has a dispensing cap coupled thereto through a tether. A pouch assembly is likewise disclosed, as is a process of enteral feeding with a pouch and a dispensing cap attachable to the spout. The dispensing cap can be provided and attached to a spout of a pouch (upon removal of a filling cap) wherein the dispensing cap may be provided in a sterilized bag or pouch prior to use. Methods and processes are likewise disclosed.

The human nipple functions for both nutritive and non-nutritive suckling with the only difference that in the first instance nutritive fluid is delivered. The present invention conflates these two suckling devices. A nipple device comprises a first reinforcing member provided at the exterior surface of a nipple portion, and surrounding an interior elastomeric core. A second reinforcing member, such as a mesh reinforcement, can be added to improve bite resistance without compromising stretchiness or compressibility. The nipple device is bite-resistant to guard against biting damage and stretching-to-failure by an infant; and compressible, so forces applied by an infant's tongue will be transmitted (in the case of an artificial feeding teat) through a solid nipple core to compress and shutoff central duct(s) to facilitate swallowing without gagging, or (in the case of a pacifier) to reshape the nipple portion so it conforms to the shape of the infant's oral cavity.

A teat for a milk bottle is provided. The teat comprises an attachment portion for attaching the teat to a milk bottle. A breast portion of the teat extends from the attachment portion, the breast portion including a compressible material. A nipple portion of the teat extends from the breast portion. The nipple portion is narrower than the breast portion and includes an outlet. A milk-flow pathway extends through the breast portion, the compressible material and the nipple portion for the passage of milk from a milk bottle attached to the attachment portion to the outlet. The breast portion includes a flexible skin fully enclosing the compressible material, the flexible skin separating the compressible material from the milk-flow pathway.

A dispensing cap comprising a grasping body, a spout engaging bore and a dispensing coupling. The dispensing coupling has a dispensing cap coupled thereto through a tether. A pouch assembly is likewise disclosed, as is a process of enteral feeding with a pouch and a dispensing cap attachable to the spout. The dispensing cap can be provided and attached to a spout of a pouch (upon removal of a filling cap) wherein the dispensing cap may be provided in a sterilized bag or pouch prior to use. Methods and processes are likewise disclosed.

The present disclosure is directed to an individualized artificial nipple made by a process comprising the steps of capturing surface geometry of a mammalian nipple with a device configured for capturing depth data, transferring the depth data to an additive manufacturing device, using the depth data to create a file format used for additive manufacturing, and producing a replica of the mammalian nipple using additive manufacturing.

A breastfeeding device is disclosed comprising a nipple, a housing, and one or more adjustable straps. The nipple is removably coupled to an amorphous liquid bag via a nozzle assembly. The housing comprises a protuberant portion having a first aperture, a back portion, and one or more fasteners. The protuberant portion and the back portion are removably attached to one another and form an interior cavity. The one or more fasteners are configured to removably attach the a protuberant portion to the back portion. The nipple is insertable into the first aperture of the protuberant portion and protrudes through the first aperture while the amorphous liquid bag remains within the interior cavity. The one or more adjustable straps are attached to the back portion.