Breast pump

Abstract

A breast pump (100) is provided comprising a vacuum pump (120) which is configured to be operated at different vacuum profile settings, a controller (140) configured to control an operation of the vacuum pump (120) based on the different vacuum profile settings, and a breast fullness estimator (150) configured to estimate a fullness of a breast based on a duration of a milk expression session. The controller (140) is configured to select a vacuum profile setting based on the breast fullness estimation of the breast fullness estimator (150). Hence, the efficiency of the breast pump is increased as the operation of the vacuum pump is adapted to the estimated breast fullness.

Description

technical field

[0001] The invention relates to a breast pump and a method of operating a breast pump. Background technique

[0002] Breast pumps are well known and used by breastfeeding women to express milk from their breasts and collect the milk in a bottle so that it can be fed to a baby.

[0003] Typically, electric breast pumps include a vacuum pump connected to the funnel via a tube. Place the user's breast into the funnel, activate the vacuum pump and express the milk into the bottle.

[0004] US2008 / 177224A1 discloses a programmable electric breast pump system comprising a vacuum pump pneumatically coupled to a breast cup and a vacuum relief valve bypassing the vacuum pump. The programmable electric breast pump system also includes a controller that receives command inputs from a vacuum level selector and a vacuum rate selector and feedback from a pressure sensor that measures vacuum in the breast cup. In response, the controller cycles the relief valve between t...

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