Development of an Infant Sucking Ability Assessment System and Application to Lactation Guidance Services

The aim of this study is to develop a device that can easily measure tongue movements simply by inserting it into an infant's oral cavity, along with an application that can assess sucking ability. We developed a device by placing force sensors on a silicone rubber sheet (DuraQ®, manufactured by Sumitomo Bakelite Co., Ltd.) and attaching it to the little finger of a midwife to measure tongue movements in 20 infants. Additionally, using an application that displays the measurement results obtained from the device, midwives provided breastfeeding guidance and support services to mothers. As a result, mothers' confidence significantly increased after using the service. Furthermore, this increased confidence persisted for several weeks, suggesting that the device contributes to safe and secure breastfeeding.