Breast feeding quantification
View Patent ↗Presented is a method for quantifying breastfeeding between a mother and a baby, the method including measuring a physiological volume indicative of stomach fullness volume for the baby; setting a signal threshold value of the physiological volume to correspond to a stomach level that is less than or equal to the stomach fullness volume; obtaining an objective measurement of the physiological volume indicative of a level of fullness of the baby's stomach; and providing an indication to the mother when the objective measurement equals or exceeds the signal threshold value.
1. A method for quantifying breastfeeding between a mother and a baby, the method comprising:
measuring a physiological volume indicative of stomach fullness volume for the baby;
setting a signal threshold value of the physiological volume to correspond to a stomach level that is less than or equal to the stomach fullness volume;
obtaining an objective measurement of the physiological volume indicative of a level of fullness of the baby's stomach; and
providing an indication to the mother when the objective measurement equals or exceeds the signal threshold value.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the physiological volume is the fullness level of the baby's stomach.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mother has a breast, and wherein the physiological volume is the reduction in fullness level of the mother's breast.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing instructions to the mother to discontinue breastfeeding when the indication is provided to the mother.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing instructions to the mother with respect to correlating the indication with the actions and/or demeanor of the baby.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein measuring includes using a stomach monitor to measure the stomach fullness volume.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the stomach monitor includes a strain gauge.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the stomach monitor includes an ultrasonic transducer.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using a monitor to obtain the objective measurement.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the monitor includes a strain gauge.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the monitor includes an ultrasonic transducer.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the monitor includes a durometer-measuring device.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the monitor includes a size-measuring device.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the size-measuring device measures a linear dimension.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the size-measuring device measures a surface area.
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the size-measuring device measures a volume.
17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising informing the mother that an appropriate nutritional training opportunity is occurring based on the indication.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the physiological volume indicative of stomach fullness volume is a lowest observed physiological volume indicative of stomach fullness volume.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the physiological volume indicative of stomach fullness volume is a highest observed physiological volume indicative of stomach fullness volume.
20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the physiological volume indicative of stomach fullness volume is an average of observed physiological volumes indicative of stomach fullness volume.
21. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining an objective measurement is performed concurrently with breastfeeding.