Automatic Pacing System for a Baby Bottle

摘要

A baby bottle, an insert for a baby bottle, a baby bottle including an insert, and a method of feeding an infant that serves to pace the infant's feeding rhythm. Generally, these devices and methods will be of use for a preterm infant who lacks coordination of the suck-swallow-breathe synchrony, but can also be used with full term infants who can benefit from rigid control of the flow of milk from a bottle, this includes, but is not limited to, infants with gastroesophageal reflux who can require pacing of feeds to allow for gastric emptying. The device generally cues the infant to swallow and breathe after each 1-4 sucks by stopping the flow of the fluid from the bottle after the infant has sucked sufficiently or a predetermined period of time has passed. Once the baby breathes or a period of time passes, the bottle resets for the next repetition. The device also serves to consistently slow the flow of milk during oral feeding.

主权项

1. A baby bottle for providing paced feeding, the bottle comprising:
a storage chamber, containing a first amount of fluid; a feeding reservoir, containing a second amount of said fluid smaller than said first amount, said feeding reservoir in fluid communication with said storage chamber; a nipple in fluid communication with said feeding reservoir; and a pump for moving fluid from storage chamber to said feeding reservoir; wherein when an infant sucks on said nipple, they can only obtain said second amount of said fluid until they cease sucking at which point said pump will feed said second amount of fluid from said storage chamber to said feeding reservoir.