SBIR Phase I: A WEARABLE PATCH TO MEASURE KEY BREASTFEEDING METRICS

The broader/commercial impact of this SBIR Phase I Project is to measure the most critical metrics associated with breastfeeding in real time, namely milk volume and suck patterns. Exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of life is highly recommended. While U.S. breastfeeding initiation rates exceed 80%, only 25% of women are able to reach the six-month goal. The leading cause of premature breastfeeding cessation is maternal anxiety about milk supply exacerbated by the absence of an accurate, inexpensive, and convenient means to assess infant milk intake. The current standard-of-care, weighing an infant before and after feeding, requires an expensive clinical scale to detect a 1-2% weight change, trained staff, tight swaddling of the infant, careful operation, and regular calibration. Even then, it’s still a tedious exercise and thus does not provide a quality representative measure of daily milk intake. There is therefore a need for a “thermometer for breastfeeding” – an accurate, easy-to-use device to be used for multiple feedings in both clinical and home settings. The technology developed in this project can be used for rapid identification and intervention for infants at high risk of feeding problems. This project aims to develop and validate the accuracy of a low-cost wearable patch measuring milk volume and suck patterns in real time. The patch operates by detecting changes in the shape and electrical properties of the breast and can be used for 1-12 feedings per day. Data are reported to a mobile app for tracking and analysis, as well as integration with other key metrics of infant feeding and growth. Several patch configurations will be built and tested to optimize the design and analysis algorithm. The design with highest accuracy will be further validated in a larger study involving breastfeeding mother-infant dyads. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.