A Tampa startup that has developed a natural infant feeding alternative to breastfeeding has exited the funding and research and development phases and has started mass production.
The Natural Nipple began as an initiative to reduce feeding-related issues in NICUs. It's been backed by Johnson & Johnson and Florida Blue, and was supported by The National Science Foundation grant funding. It's been featured by Tampa Bay Inno and was named a Forbes "1000 to Watch" in 2021. It was one of the Tampa Bay Wave's first female-led cohorts in 2020.
Now, The Natural Nipple is a product ready for distribution and mass production. It soft-launched on Mother's Day, but is using this World Breastfeeding Week to formally launch. The company has already had one wholesale order from a hospital and is selling the product online; the starter kit sells for $69.
Founder and nurse practitioner Lauren Wright found that 92% of parents experience difficulties with breastfeeding after the introduction of a standard bottle, according to a release. It is described as the first infant feeding system to mimic the natural breast's shape, feel and milk flow.
“It was shocking to find that the bottles used in the hospitals where I conducted my research were essentially causing babies to choke, costing NICUs an average of $50 million per year. For families, this is devastating, especially when it results in neurodevelopmental and immune disorders in their babies," said Wright in a release.
The company's research found hospitals were losing an average $154,000 per patient due to feeding costs.
Wright has been working on the idea for five years.
"My favorite part has been going from wondering if this is going to work to walking into a lactation class with a handheld 3D scanner feeling total imposter syndrome and having the moms say, 'Yes, designing a product after my breast will mitigate this latching issue,'" she told Tampa Bay Inno.
She's also enjoyed hearing feedback from users, especially mothers who are returning to the workforce after maternity leave and fathers who are bonding more with their infants.
The company is based in Tampa and has a manufacturing facility in New York.
