Apparatus and method for measuring fluid flow to a suckling baby

Abstract

A system for measuring fluid intake by a sucking baby. The system includes: a feeding pathway for fluid flow from the fluid source to the baby's mouth, wherein the feeding pathway has a first opening in communication with the fluid source and a second opening in communication with the baby's mouth; and an indicator pathway for indicating the amount of fluid provided to the baby's mouth through the feeding pathway, wherein the indicator pathway has a first opening in communication with the fluid source and a second opening in communication with the baby's mouth. The amount of fluid drawn into the indicator pathway is indicative of the amount of fluid drawn into the feeding pathway.

1 . A method of measuring fluid flow from a fluid source to a baby's mouth through a nipple comprising: 
 providing a feeding pathway for fluid flow from the fluid source to the baby's mouth, wherein the feeding pathway has a first opening in communication with the fluid source and a second opening in communication with the baby's mouth; and    providing an indicator pathway for indicating the amount of fluid provided to the baby's mouth through the feeding pathway, wherein the indicator pathway has a first opening in communication with the fluid source and a second opening in communication with the baby's mouth and wherein the indicator pathway includes at least one intermediate chamber among segments of the indicator pathway,    whereby the amount of fluid drawn into the indicator pathway and the at least one intermediate chamber is indicative of the amount of fluid drawn into the feeding pathway.    
     
     
         2 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a feeding pathway for fluid flow from the fluid source to the baby's mouth, wherein the feeding pathway has a first opening in communication with the fluid source and a second opening in communication with the baby's mouth; and    an indicator pathway for indicating the amount of fluid provided to the baby's mouth through the feeding pathway, wherein the indicator pathway has a first opening in communication with the fluid source and a second opening in communication with the baby's mouth and wherein the indicator pathway includes at least one intermediate chamber among segments of the indicator pathway,    whereby the amount of fluid drawn into the indicator pathway and the at least one intermediate chamber is indicative of the amount of fluid drawn into the feeding pathway.