The Haberman Feeder (a registered

trademark A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a form of intellectual property that consists of a word, phrase, symbol, design, or a combination that identifies a Good (economics and accounting), product or Service (economics), service f ...

) is a speciality

bottle A bottle is a narrow-necked container made of an impermeable material (such as glass, plastic or aluminium) in various shapes and sizes that stores and transports liquids. Its mouth, at the bottling line, can be sealed with an internal ...

named after its

inventor An invention is a unique or novel device, method, composition, idea, or process. An invention may be an improvement upon a machine, product, or process for increasing efficiency or lowering cost. It may also be an entirely new concept. If an ...

Mandy Haberman for babies with impaired sucking ability (for example due to cleft lip and palate or Mobius syndrome). The design of the feeder is to simulate

breastfeeding Breastfeeding, also known as nursing, is the process where breast milk is fed to a child. Infants may suck the milk directly from the breast, or milk may be extracted with a Breast pump, pump and then fed to the infant. The World Health Orga ...

Origin

Mandy Haberman's research included contact with the Cleft Lip and Palate Association of Great Britain, and a study of cineradiographs of suckling infants, so that she might better comprehend the mechanics of feeding. She especially noted the differences between bottle feeding (which is primarily sucking) and breastfeeding (primarily pumping).

How it works

The feeder's design enables the feeder to be activated by

tongue The tongue is a Muscle, muscular organ (anatomy), organ in the mouth of a typical tetrapod. It manipulates food for chewing and swallowing as part of the digestive system, digestive process, and is the primary organ of taste. The tongue's upper s ...

and gum pressure, imitating the mechanics involved in breastfeeding, rather than by sucking. A one-way valve separates the nipple from the bottle. Before starting the feeding, air is squeezed out of the nipple and is automatically replaced by breastmilk or

formula In science, a formula is a concise way of expressing information symbolically, as in a mathematical formula or a ''chemical formula''. The informal use of the term ''formula'' in science refers to the general construct of a relationship betwe ...

through the valve. Milk cannot flow back into the bottle and is replenished continuously as the baby feeds. A slit valve opening near the tip of the nipple shuts between jaw compressions, preventing the baby from being overwhelmed with milk. Stopping or reducing the flow of milk is controlled by rotation of the nipple in the baby's mouth. Usually the nipple is marked with lines that indicate zero flow, moderate flow, and maximum flow. For infants who need assistance with their feeding efforts, whoever's feeding the baby may apply a gentle pumping action to the body of the nipple. The numbers in the cross section are listed below: # Teat, this part is inserted into the baby's mouth. # Teat, this part is used to gently squeeze the milk into the baby's mouth and to keep the teat filled with milk. # Flexible part of the valve. The milk in the teat cannot flow back into the bottle, thus when squeezed the milk flows into the baby's mouth, at the same time milk is sucked into the teat # Ring to keep the teat and valve on top of the bottle. # Standard sized babybottle (only top part shown).

Patent information

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

patent A patent is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the legal right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention for a limited period of time in exchange for publishing an sufficiency of disclosure, enabling discl ...

GB2169210 covering the feeder was applied for on December 11, 1985 and granted on January 5, 198

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

US6102245A covering the feeder was applied for on October 18, 1996 and granted on August 15, 200
2

External links

Product page on mandyhaberman.com

University of Missouri Children's Hospital, Pediatric Plastic Surgery Haberman Feeder instructions

Seattle Children's Craniofacial team, infant feeding
{{Infants and their care Infant feeding 21st-century American women inventors 21st-century American inventors