Posture Monitoring During Breastfeeding: Smart Underwear Integrated with an Accelerometer and Flexible Sensors

Abstract

The position that a woman adopts during breastfeeding is important for both infant and maternal health; however, many women experience musculoskeletal pain due to poor posture during breastfeeding, which is a known factor in low exclusive breastfeeding rates. Posture monitoring is an effective intervention, but existing wearable devices do not consider the ergonomics of nursing mothers and breastfeeding scenarios. In this study, nursing underwear was developed with posture monitoring and a real-time feedback system using accelerometers and flexible bending sensors targeting the neck and upper thoracic spine. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 Chinese mothers to identify key challenges and inform the design. After designing and producing the prototype, wear trials were conducted with two participants who tested both the prototype and a commercial sample while holding a 4 kg baby doll. Video recordings and questionnaires were used to assess the underwear's effectiveness. The results showed improvements in postural alignment and an increase in the frequency and duration of relaxation periods. Participants reported that the prototype surpassed the commercial sample in functionality, comfort, and aesthetics. These findings are significant for postpartum health and provide guidelines for future smart nursing garment development.

Keywords: breastfeeding posture monitoring; ergonomic sensor integration; musculoskeletal pain; smart nursing underwear.

Figure 1

Overview of study design. Created by the authors.

Figure 2

Construction of prototype design. Created by the authors.

Figure 3

(a) A figure shows the sensor placement on a nursing mother’s body. Created by the authors; (b) a figure shows the sensor placement on the spinal column chart. Adapted from Pixabay (n.d.). Retrieved from https://pixabay.com/photos/spine-disc-the-back-disc-prolapse-2539697/ (accessed on 25 October 2024) [24].

Figure 4

The standard of improper breastfeeding posture. Created by the authors.

Figure 5

The Final Protype with Materials Annotation. Created by the authors.

Figure 6

Circuit board. Created by the authors.

Figure 7

Comparison of the posture angle data from the video and the data from Sensors. (a) Subject 001’s data, (b) Subject 002’s data.

Figure 8

Average posture angle values: commercial vs. prototype.

Figure 9

Comparison of postural angle: market sample vs. prototype using Wilcoxon test.

Figure 10

Averaged data based on questionnaires.