Importance

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Abstract

A flexible resilient breast pump insert (5) adapted to fit into the rigid funnel portion (1) of a vacuum generating breast pump operable to generate a negative pressure. The insert comprises a mouth portion (6) with an open end shaped to receive and contact the areola of a woman's breast and an inner portion (7) of reduced size to receive the woman's nipple. A lip (9) around the edge of the mouth portion allows it to be connected to the rigid breast pump funnel portion (1) to form a pressure tight seal therewith. The mouth portion (6) of the insert has a wall with an inner surface (6b) shaped to contact the woman's areola around her nipple and an outer surface (6a) with a plurality of recesses (10) formed in it, the thickness of the wall of the mouth portion in the region of each recess (10) being less than that of the remainder of the mouth portion and each recess (10) having a channel (12) leading from it to connect it with a source of negative pressure so that, in use, each recess (10) can be deformed and deflected into contact with the inner surface of the rigid funnel portion of the breast pump in response to a negative pressure applied to the outer surface of the wall of said mouth portion (6) thereby massaging the areola region of the breast and stimulating the lactation of milk from the nipple.

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First Claim