That’s what we were thinking about when we created Babyation. We are a parent-tech company that is unapologetically for moms. Our first product is a discreet and quiet breast pump so that women can finally pump on their terms.
Everyone assumes that our founders had a baby, realized something could be made better, and then started a company to do something about it. But nope! That’s not what happened…
A few years ago, Babyation co-founder Samantha Rudolph read an article in The New York Times. The piece posed the question “Shouldn’t the breast pump be as elegant as an iPhone and as quiet as a Prius?” Sam was not yet a mom (kids weren’t even fully on her radar at that point), but she saw her future flash before her eyes. She immediately woke up husband (and future Babyation co-founder) Jared Miller to vent about how ridiculous it was that the breast pump hadn’t been updated in decades, and he replied, “oh breast pumps aren’t that complicated. I can build one.”
Little did he know that she would actually hold him to it!
Following a few brainstorming and preliminary prototyping sessions, and after doing some market research, Sam and Jared were fairly convinced their idea was obvious and that another company would bring a version of their product to market. They waited, but after nearly a year, there still wasn’t any innovation in the space. Upon recognizing that this was one of those ideas they couldn’t get out of their heads, they officially formed the company and got started developing their product in earnest.
After a few months of working out of their home in Connecticut, they were ready to be surrounded by other startup founders While researching programs across the country, they came across Arch Grants. Sam grew up in St. Louis, and she never planned to move back to the Midwest. However, once Sam and Jared learned more about Arch Grants and the St. Louis entrepreneurial ecosystem, it became obvious that the opportunities St. Louis afforded them would be crucial to Babyation’s success.
Fast forward a bit, and The Pump by Babyation is getting ready to launch. A patent has issued on the product, with several more pending. Innovations include:
• The world’s smallest breast shields. They also have a soft component and
are shaped more like a baby’s mouth.
• An all-in-one case (think of it like a bento box) to store all parts when
they’re not in use. There’s an ice pack in there to keep milk cold
on-the-go.
• The Pump is app-controllable, and the app tracks all elements of feeding
in addition to controlling The Pump.
The team at Babyation passionately believes a woman should be able to pump whenever and whenever she wants — without the world around her knowing. For the first time ever, a woman no longer has to revolve her life around her pump. Instead, her pump can seamlessly integrate into her life.
Sam and Jared realized something else, too: it’s not just the breast pump that needs a refresh – it’s the way society views mothers in general. That’s why Babyation celebrates the woman behind the pump. And it’s why the company will always advocate for moms.
Babyation is proud to be leading breast pumping into a whole new era. We’re committed to a world in which products for families are not just an afterthought. And we are proud to be building a global company, all from St. Louis.
