Process for use with breastpump to initiate milk in breastfeeding, particularly for premature infants

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9050404-B2
Application number	US-70174910-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 8, 2010
Priority date	Feb 20, 2009
Publication date	Jun 9, 2015
Grant date	Jun 9, 2015

Abstract

The present invention provides a suction sequence which is considered to produce advantageous results, particularly for mothers with newborn infants. The sequence comprises a process of stimulation, expression, and pausing to closely mimic a newborn's sucking pattern.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for operating a motor-driven breastpump to simulate the suckling pattern of a newborn infant pre-lactogenesis II, the method comprising at least one of a preset pattern of non-repeating suction sequences and a preset pattern of repeating sequences that appear to be non-repeating, the preset pattern comprising the steps of:
providing a plurality of stimulation sequences for stimulating the breast using a rapid cycle rate;
providing at least one expression sequence for extracting milk at a lower cycle rate; and
operating said breastpump within a breastpumping session in a pattern of said stimulation and expression sequences, including desired periods of pauses between certain sequences, which pattern emulates the suckling action of a newborn baby, wherein said breastpump session begins with an initiation of one of said stimulation sequence and said expression sequence and ends with a cessation of all sequences.

2. The method of claim 1 , further including a second stimulation sequence used in said pattern at a lower cycle rate than said plurality of stimulation sequences.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the motor-driven breastpump is operated during an early post-partum period when the mother is producing colostrum.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein each pause of said desired periods of pauses is an extended pause.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said extended pause comprises a pause greater than approximately three seconds in duration.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said rapid and lower cycle rates along with said pauses, are mixed in said pattern.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said mixing provides a substantially random pattern.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
providing at least one stimulation sequence further comprises:
stimulating the breast using a stimulation sequence of a high cycle rate of about 120 cycles per minute at a moderate vacuum level for about three minutes; and
then exerting a slower pull and release sequence of about at 90 cycles per minute for two minutes at a moderate vacuum level; and

operating said breastpump in a pattern further comprises:
pausing for about ten seconds;
then exerting said slower pull and release sequence for about one minute;
then stimulating the breast using said stimulation sequence for about two minutes;
pausing for about ten seconds;

then stimulating the breast using said stimulation sequence for about two minutes;
then exerting said slower pull and release sequence for about one minute;
then applying said expression sequence for about one minute;
pausing for about ten seconds; and
then exerting said slower pull and release sequence for one and a half minutes.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the method automatically stops after about fifteen minutes.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
providing at least one stimulation sequence further comprises:
operating a first stimulation sequence at a rapid cycle rate; and
then operating a second stimulation sequence at a rate slower than said first stimulation sequence; and
operating said breastpump in a pattern further comprises:
pausing;
then operating at said second stimulation sequence;
then operating at said first stimulation sequence;
then pausing;
then operating at said first stimulation sequence;
then operating at said second stimulation sequence;
then operating at said expression sequence;
then pausing; and
then operating at said second stimulation sequence.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of pausing is about 10 seconds in duration.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said first stimulation sequence is at a cycle rate of about 120 cpm.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said second stimulation sequence is at a cycle rate of about 90 cpm.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the total time elapsed of the method is about fifteen minutes.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:
exerting a first stimulation sequence for a plurality of minutes;
exerting a second stimulation sequence at a different rate slower than said first stimulation sequence for a plurality of minutes;
exerting a third sequence for expression of milk for about one minute;
pausing;
exerting said second sequence for about one minute;
exerting said first sequence for a plurality of minutes;
pausing;
exerting said first sequence for a plurality of minutes;
exerting said second sequence for about one minute;
exerting said third sequence for about one minute;
pausing; and
exerting said second sequence for more than about one minute.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said first sequence comprises a rate of about 120 cycles per minute, said second sequence comprises a pull and release cycle at about 90 cycles per minute, and said third sequence comprises a rate of about between 34 and 54 cycles per minute at a higher vacuum level than said first and second sequences.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein said first sequence further comprises operating said breastpump with a vacuum level in the range of about 70 to 200 mmHg.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein said second sequence further comprises
operating said breastpump with a vacuum level in the range of about 70 to 200 mmHg.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein said third sequence further comprises operating said breastpump with a vacuum level in the range of about 100 to 250 mmHg.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein during the step of pausing the pressure remains constant.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein each pause is for about ten seconds.

22. A breastpump system comprising:
a first program comprising:
providing a first stimulation sequence and a second stimulation sequence for stimulating the breast using a rapid cycle rate, wherein said first stimulation sequence comprises a faster cycle rate than said second stimulation sequence;
providing at least one expression sequence for extracting milk at a lower cycle rate; and
operating said breastpump system within a breastpumping session in a pattern of said stimulation and expression sequences, including desired periods of pauses between certain sequences, wherein said pattern emulates the suckling action of a newborn infant pre-lactogenesis II, wherein said breastpumping session begins with an initiation of one of said stimulation sequence and said expression sequence and ends with a cessation of all sequences; and

a second program following said first program, said second program comprising:
providing at least one stimulation sequence and at least one expression sequence in a pattern that emulates an infant at or after the onset of lactogenesis II,
wherein the pattern that emulates the suckling action of an infant pre-lactogenesis II is different from the pattern that emulates an infant at or after the onset of lactogenesis II.

23. A method comprising at least one of a preset pattern of non-repeating suction sequences and a preset pattern of repeating sequences that appear to be non-repeating, the preset pattern comprising the steps of:
operating a breastpump system within a first breastpumping session in a pattern of stimulation and expression sequences including desired periods of pauses between certain sequences, wherein said stimulation sequences use a rapid cycle rate and said expression sequences use a lower cycle rate, wherein said pattern emulates the suckling action of an infant pre-lactogenesis II, wherein said fi

Assignees

• Silver Brian H
• Meier Paula
• Medela Holding Ag

Inventors

• Silver Brian H
• Meier Paula

Classifications

• A61M2205/50

  with microprocessors or computers · CPC title

• A61M2205/52

  with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient · CPC title

• A61M1/062

  Pump accessories · CPC title

• A61M1/06 Primary

  Milking pumps · CPC title

• A61M1/06935 Primary

  imitating the suckling of an infant · CPC title