Smart Breastfeeding Initiatives Rethink Infant Care

Smart Feeding Systems: Californian start-up Emulait developed a bottle that mimics the experience of breastfeeding for infants and aims to address oral latching problems. Mothers take digital scans of their breasts using the Emulait app, which analyses the nipple’s shape, size, colour and texture (the brand says no data is shared with third parties). The company then creates a bottle nipple resembling the mother’s nipple shape and texture, including multiple milk holes to replicate a realistic flow rate. Every bottle set ($55) includes a conventionally shaped version, as well as one emulating a breast, to allow parents to feed their young ones in a natural baby-to-breast position.

Meanwhile, Atlanta-based Nfant offers a smart bottle, which measures the newborn’s lip, jaw and hard/soft palate movement. Sensors record this data in a tracker app, where parents and caregivers can log their baby’s feeding preferences to recognise and respond to hunger and fullness cues.

Breastfeeding Support: Los Angeles-based Swehl offers both physical and digital products to help new mothers breastfeed. Its kits include collection cups to pump milk, a nipple balm, and nipple shields, while its online Swehl School provides information on feeding struggles, inequity in parental care, and mental health. It also runs Swehl Circles, a digital baby group where new parents can join remote expert-led education and support sessions.

UK health app Anya also supplies breastfeeding and parenting assistance. It presents 3D animations of how to help infants latch on to the breast, alongside other information on feeding, delivered via webinars and one-to-one meetings.