The New York Times ran an article entitled Shouldn’t The Breast Pump Be As Elegant As An iPhone And As Quiet As A Prius By Now?
The article was written by Courtney E Martin and John Cary, who asked why breast pump technology was lagging behind other commonly used items.
So why have we not designed a life changing breast pump by now?
For a piece of technology so important to modern mothers, shouldn’t more time and money have been spent on modernising this piece of equipment?
Anyone who has ever used a breast pump will be able to tell you just how loud, indiscreet and cumbersome they are. The loud mechanical whirring allows people in the next office know exactly what you’re up to. And should they walk in without knocking, very little will be left to the imagination.
Breast pumps are supposed to make life easier for breastfeeding mothers. They should free you up to pump on the go. But when you’re stuck in a restaurant toilet cubicle for 20 minutes, it doesn’t really feel too convenient. However, all that is about to change.
The Life Changing Breast Pump Is Here
One company has revolutionised the breast pump and is looking to bring their technologically advanced model to market. Creative problem solvers Samantha Rudolph and her husband Jarod Miller read the New York Times article in 2014 and decided that they were the people to drag the breast pump into the 21st century.
The fast-acting entrepreneurs have been busy. Not only have they become parents themselves in those two years, they’re also created a breast pump that they claim is discreet, smart and comfortable to use.
As a pumping mama, Rudolph knows only too well the trials and tribulations that pumping mamas face on a daily basis. With that in mind, the couple have completely redesigned the breast pump. Those familiar bottles that attached directly to your nipples are long gone, replaced with discreet nipple shields that can be slipped inside a bra. The nipple shields are attached to long tubes which feed milk into bottles, meaning mamas are able to pump without taking their shirts off. It’s something that can done without the need for privacy.
For mamas pumping milk for babies in the NICU, this modern breast pump will allow them to spend more time with their babies. Any mama with a baby in the NICU will be able to tell you just how time consuming and draining it is spending so many hours a day hooked up to a pumping machine in the pumping room. With the redesigned breast pump, mamas will be able to pump discreetly without leaving their baby’s side. This product will bring families closer together, allowing more time for these mamas to bond with their babies.
Smartphone Enabled Breast Pumping
The breast pump is even smartphone enabled, so mamas can use their phone to change the speed and strength of the suction for a more comfortable pumping experience. Fancy, huh?
The smart technology will also keep track of how much milk you pumped, from where and when. So you won’t need to worry about trying to remember these things, your phone will have all the answers for you.
Rudolph and Miller have designed a prototype with the guidance of a pediatrician and a lactation consultant. To bring the product to market, the couple started a Kickstarter campaign to raise $50,000. They exceeded their target, raising over $70,000. Unsurprisingly, this campaign garnered a lot of support from pumping mamas.
Writing on their Kickstarter page, Rudolph and Miller said of the typical breast pump, “Using these outdated breast pumps literally creates a barrier between a woman and the world around her – at work, home or anywhere in between.”
The pump will retail for $450 which admittedly isn’t cheap, but Rudolph and Miller feel the benefits of this modern pump are well worth the extra money. For mamas who need to return to work or are looking for an easy way to pump, this product may well be the answer. The couple will be launching the breast pump through their company, Babyation.
The entrepreneurial couple hope that the product will be a game-changer for mamas everywhere. Well, it certainly seems that way. It’s great to see a breast pump that strives to fit in with modern life. And anything that can make breastfeeding easier and more convenient simply has to be a good thing. The revolutionary product is set to hit the market in March 2017.
See the video below to see the pump in action.
Recommended Reading: If you’re currently pumping, make sure you check out BellyBelly’s article Exclusively Pumping Breast Milk – 7 Secrets To Success.
