Re-engineering the Breast Pump

MIT Media Lab Breast Pump Hackathon
September 20-21, 2014

Leader of Team "Second Nature"
- 15 member team focused on building a biomimickry breast pump
- Led members to form 3 sub-committees
- Redesigned the breast pump in 3 parts:
        - the "mouth" (a new, discreet, wearable flange)
        - the "tongue" (a massage or compression-based actuator to facilitate milk flow)
        - the "stomach" (a small, quiet motor and milk reservoir in a self-contained insulated, 100% portable container)
- Won Most Outstanding User-Focused Design

Post-Hackathon Entrepreneurship
September 22 - Present

- In October, joined forces with "Helping Hands" team to continue hacking the breast pump.  Designated Head of Prototyping.  Helped lead 3 mini-hackathons (prototyping sessions with our internal team of 6-8 plus 2-3 additional outside engineers/designers)

- In December, joined as consultants to D.S. Labs to help design and engineer the compression-only Kohana breast pump.

Featured in


Comprehensive Press List (as of Nov. 2014):

Boston Magazine: http://www.bostonmagazine.com/health/blog/2014/09/10/mit-hosting-breast-pump-hackathon/

BetaBoston: http://betaboston.com/news/2014/09/08/the-breast-pump-hackathon-cometh/

Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/melissa-a-belli-md/a-better-pump_b_4236490.html?utm_hp_ref=parents&ir=Parents&utm_content=buffer18699&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

The Verge: http://www.theverge.com/2014/9/11/6136711/mit-holding-hackathon-to-try-and-make-a-breast-pump-that-doesnt-suck

Qz: http://qz.com/264116/finally-a-hackathon-for-something-that-seriously-needs-fixing-breast-pumps/

Tamra Johnson:  http://tamrajohnson.com/2014/09/11/its-about-time-mit-breast-pump-hackathon/

Engadget:  http://www.engadget.com/2014/09/12/mit-media-labs-breastpump-disruption/?ncid=rss_truncated

NBC News:  http://www.nbcnews.com/health/kids-health/mit-hackathon-aims-build-better-breast-pump-n202181

Mommyish  http://www.mommyish.com/2014/09/12/breast-pump-hackathon-mit/

Business Insider  http://www.businessinsider.com/mit-is-hosting-a-hackathon-to-make-the-breast-pump-not-suck-2014-9

Mom.me blog  http://mom.me/in-the-loop/14745-mit-host-breast-pump-hackathon/

HuffPo  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/12/mit-breast-pump-hackathon_n_5806144.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000037

USA Today  http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/09/13/better-breast-pump-newser/15577399/

Boston.com  http://www.boston.com/health/2014/09/14/the-mom-behind-mit-breast-pumping-hackathon/HeQ0CFCunC0PIhxxG3O4yI/story.html?p1=Topofpage:Carousel_sub_headline

MAKE blog  http://makezine.com/2014/09/14/the-make-the-breast-pump-not-suck-hackathon/

MedCityNews  http://medcitynews.com/2014/09/mit-hackathon-designed-bring-america-maternal-health-backwaters/

the Stir Cafe Mom  http://thestir.cafemom.com/baby/177215/_mit_wants_to_make

ReadWrite  http://readwrite.com/2014/09/16/breast-pump-hackathon-mit

Shape magazine  http://www.shape.com/blogs/shape-your-life/breast-pump-hackathon-aims-make-pumping-not-suck#091614

Tech Cocktail  http://tech.co/mit-breast-pump-hackathon-2014-09

Bostinno Tech Talk  http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2014/09/17/boston-hackathons-happening-in-fall-2014/

Fast Company  http://www.fastcoexist.com/3035758/a-reinvented-breast-pump-needs-to-be-just-the-first-step-in-changing-pumping-norms

WNYC  http://www.wnyc.org/story/lets-build-better-breast-pump/

Self  http://www.self.com/flash/technology/2014/09/new-moms-rejoice-mit-hosting-hackathon-build-better-breast-pump/

LiveScience  http://www.livescience.com/47907-breast-pump-hackathon.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Livesciencecom+(LiveScience.com+Science+Headline+Feed)

Mom.me  http://mom.me/blog/14787-11-parenting-hacks-we-wish-existed/

Fusion.net  http://fusion.net/modern_life/story/mit-media-lab-host-make-breast-pump-suck-1061853

Business2Community  http://www.business2community.com/social-buzz/mit-is-hosting-a-breast-pump-hackathon-this-weekend-01013900#bfO2SgVJqqRjim70.01

PopSugar  http://www.popsugar.com/tech/MIT-Breast-Pump-Hackathon-35760501

Twiniversity  http://twiniversity.com/2014/09/mit-to-host-breast-pump-hackathon-to-invent-a-better-pump/

LA Times  http://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-breast-pumps-breastfeeding-20140919-story.html

Forbes  http://www.forbes.com/sites/annabahney/2014/09/19/how-to-build-a-better-breast-pump/

Boston Globe video  http://www.boston.com/health/2014/09/20/hackers-have-blast-making-breast-pumps-not-suck/CZm6iCa6aSv66kNYMgLDEO/story.html?p1=related_photo_gallery

Boston Globe winners write-up  http://www.boston.com/health/2014/09/21/mighty-mom-breast-pumping-toolbelt-wins-mit-hackathon/colHXp5XR0HHIpaaKDXcfM/story.html?p1=trending_article_page_2

Fast Company  http://www.fastcompany.com/3036052/healthware/why-i-went-from-queasy-to-hopeful-at-mits-breast-pump-hackathon

BBC World News  https://soundcloud.com/bbc-world-service/newshour-hacking-the-breast-pump-at-mit

WBUR  http://commonhealth.wbur.org/2014/09/make-breastpump-not-suck

Mamajamas post  http://blog.mamajamas.com/2014/09/22/and-the-winner-of-the-breast-pump-hackathon-is/

Beta boston  http://betaboston.com/news/2014/09/22/breastpump-hackathon-winners-build-batman-inspired-mighty-mom-belt/

Newsweek  http://www.newsweek.com/making-breast-pump-suckless-272348

Boston globe  http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/2014/09/22/mit-competition-could-bring-better-breast-pump/GAigegLVCYfA7iVeZyJSEJ/story.html  

The bump blog  http://blog.thebump.com/2014/09/22/breast-pumping-toolbelt-wins-mit-competition/?cm_mmc=twitter_-september14-_-breastpump-_-none

Daily Dot  http://www.dailydot.com/technology/mit-breastpump-hackathon/

the Tech (front page)  http://tech.mit.edu/V134/N40/breastpump.html

http://pando.com/2014/09/23/batman-and-big-data-details-from-the-breast-pump-hackathon-men-you-are-gonna-want-to-skip-this-one/

http://www.treehugger.com/health/mit-hosts-hackathon-make-breast-pump-not-suck.html

http://medcitynews.com/2014/09/mit-hackathon-designed-bring-america-maternal-health-backwaters/?utm_source=MedCity+News+Subscribers&utm_campaign=29b56f6bad-RSS_Startups&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c05cce483a-29b56f6bad-67668705

http://www.techtimes.com/articles/16180/20140923/mit-breast-pump-hackathon-mighty-mom-designs-grabs-top-prize.htm

http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/2014/09/22/mit-competition-could-bring-better-breast-pump/GAigegLVCYfA7iVeZyJSEJ/story.html

http://gizmodo.com/how-to-build-a-breast-pump-that-doesnt-suck-1637625409/+katedries

New Yorker  http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/hacking-breast-pump

New scientist  http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22329883.800-hackathon-aims-to-invent-breast-pumps-that-dont-suck.html#.VCNJ7itdVVk

Berkeley Beacon  http://www.berkeleybeacon.com/news/2014/9/24/innovations-abreast-at-professors-hackathon

Good  http://magazine.good.is/articles/breast-pump-hackathon?utm_source=thedailygood&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dailygood

CNN  http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/25/tech/innovation/breast-pump-hackathon/index.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_tech+%28RSS%3A+Technology%29  

http://www.paperdroids.com/2014/09/26/mit-holds-make-breastpump-suck-hackathon/

http://www.tripletremelo.com/mighty-mom-breast-pump-trumps-in-mit-hackathon/

CBS New York  http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/09/26/nina-in-new-york-please-build-us-a-breast-pump-that-doesnt-suck/

Mention in Globe Sunday magazine  http://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2014/09/24/loud-messy-vital-defense-college-students/COW0lWKBgCh7VfLpRGcBYK/story.html

Boston Globe short article  http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/2014/09/28/mit-competition-could-bring-better-breast-pump/c3ejcRd4x1R4bSesURCj4O/story.html

HuffPo  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joy-kosak/are-we-ready-for-a-better_b_5901266.html

Weespring Blog  http://blog.weespring.com/breast-pump-hackathon-recap/#

WNYC  http://www.wnyc.org/story/building-better-boobie-trap/

Longest Shortest Time  http://longestshortesttime.com/2014/10/01/podcast-40-hackathon/

KUOW Radio piece with Beth  http://m.kuow.org/?utm_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FoY1D0PAaE0#mobile/42158

Canadian Broadcasting Corp - SPARK radio show  http://www.cbc.ca/spark/blog/2014/09/28/maternal-health/

http://www.howwegettonext.com/Article/VDDOai4AADAAPn5j/making-breast-pumps-less-sucky-mits-breastfeeding-hackathon#.VDKDbkvZXgK

http://www.gazettenet.com/news/townbytown/northampton/13788272-95/mit-media-lab-goes-to-source-nursing-moms-for-help-inventing-a-better-breast

https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=http://www.psfk.com/2014/10/mit-media-lab-hackathon-breastfeeding-pump.html&ct=ga&cd=CAEYACoUMTE2NTgwNjIyMTQ2MjU2MTgyMjAyGmNmNmYzZWU3M2RiMTY0NzY6Y29tOmVuOlVT&usg=AFQjCNG9LhWCG7IAzdlhiIr3dm5iJPvYkA

New as of October 2014:

Baby Center http://blogs.babycenter.com/mom_stories/10132014-pumping-sucks-but-mit-is-gonna-fix-that/

HHN  http://www.healthynewbornnetwork.org/blog/biggest-missed-opportunity-child-survival%E2%80%A6breastfeeding

PSFK  http://www.psfk.com/2014/10/mit-media-lab-hackathon-breastfeeding-pump.html

MIT.EDU  http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2014/breast-pump-hackathon-1017

Women in Astronomy  http://womeninastronomy.blogspot.com/2014/10/make-breast-pump-not-suck.html?m=1

Design Observer  http://designobserver.com/feature/the-prosthetic-baby/38623/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=twitter

New as of November 2014:

Code Montage  http://linkis.com/j.mp/UDB8K

Pacific Standard  http://www.psmag.com/navigation/business-economics/unseen-consequences-pumping-breast-milk-94181/

Fast Company http://m.fastcoexist.com/3038392/dont-settle-for-making-the-breast-pump-suck-less-make-it-something-moms-love

http://www.maximumfun.org/one-bad-mother/one-bad-mother-episode-82-gratitude-plus-guest-alexandra-metral

http://milkgenomics.org/article/mits-hackathon-revolutionizes-breast-pump/