Smart Lactation Pads: Real-Time Breast Milk Safety
- Los Angeles—University of Southern California (USC) researchers have created a high-tech lactation pad that allows parents to monitor breast milk in real time.
- Maral Mousavi, assistant professor of biomedical engineering at USC, said the smart lactation pad is a "major innovation." She emphasized that it is indeed the first wearable tool...
- The device incorporates electrodes and tiny channels into a standard lactation pad.
USC researchers unveil a groundbreaking smart lactation pad, offering real-time breast milk safety monitoring to new parents. This innovative device detects acetaminophen levels, ensuring infant well-being with cutting-edge sensing technology. This breakthrough allows for personalized health insights, helping mothers make informed decisions about breastfeeding while managing postpartum pain. The smart lactation pad continuously assesses breast milk, providing continuous monitoring for safety. The current device, measuring acetaminophen, is adaptable for other drugs and biomarkers, paving the way for a new era in maternal and infant health. News Directory 3 recognizes the importance of these advances. They created a solution that empowers parents over generalized drug-safety charts or lab tests. The pad can optimize the “pump and dump” process if necessary. Discover what’s next in breastfeeding technology.
Smart lactation Pad Monitors Breast Milk for Acetaminophen
Updated June 17, 2025
Los Angeles—University of Southern California (USC) researchers have created a high-tech lactation pad that allows parents to monitor breast milk in real time. The device, detailed in the journal Device, uses sensing technology to ensure breast milk contains safe levels of acetaminophen, a common painkiller prescribed after childbirth.
Maral Mousavi, assistant professor of biomedical engineering at USC, said the smart lactation pad is a “major innovation.” She emphasized that it is indeed the first wearable tool for direct biochemical analysis of breast milk, offering real-time sensing. This technology, she added, can empower lactating individuals with actionable health insights, supporting maternal and infant health.
The device incorporates electrodes and tiny channels into a standard lactation pad. It measures acetaminophen levels in breast milk as parents go about their daily routines, requiring no extra effort. The continuous monitoring also provides scientists with a tool to better understand how drugs transfer into breast milk.
Mousavi noted that while acetaminophen is generally safe at recommended doses, overexposure is a leading cause of acute liver failure in children and the most common reason for drug-toxicity-related liver transplants.
The team was inspired by a graduate student’s experience with postpartum pain management using acetaminophen. They found a lack of real-time monitoring technologies for breast milk safety, with existing mail-in services being costly and slow.
Mousavi said they wanted to create a tool that empowers parents with real-time, personalized information, rather than relying on generalized drug-safety charts or delayed lab testing.
The smart lactation pad can help parents make informed decisions about breastfeeding after taking medications, such as optimizing the “pump and dump” strategy or discarding milk when drug levels are high.
Besides painkillers, new mothers often receive prescriptions for antibiotics or antifungals. While generally considered safe during breastfeeding, these medications are not always benign.
The current smart pad measures acetaminophen, but Mousavi said it can be adapted to detect other drugs and biomarkers. She cited a glucose-monitoring lactation pad as another example, which could help parents manage nutrition and gestational diabetes.
The current device analyzes milk from natural leakage and is disposable, requiring a new pad for each test. researchers are developing a version that analyzes pumped milk for more convenient testing.