For NICUs, Lactation Teams and Women's Health
NICU Breastfeeding Program: Help Every Mom Keep Pumping for Her Baby
Her baby is in the NICU. She is at home, trying to make milk.
A NICU mom is asked to pump 8 times a day, away from her baby, while she is exhausted and scared. Her body is not a machine. Milk comes more easily when she feels close to her baby, supported by her family, and sure of what to do each day.
Cubtale connects NICU moms, their families and the NICU team in one app, so every mom gets the support her body needs to make milk for her baby.
Designed with NICU nurses at SEHA Corniche Hospital, Abu Dhabi · Data science partner: INSEAD
The Problem
Why NICU Moms Stop Pumping
For a premature baby, mother's own milk lowers the risk of the most serious complications, like necrotizing enterocolitis and sepsis (AAP). Yet many NICU moms stop pumping in the first weeks. Not because they don't care, but because:
Problem 1: She Is Away from Her Baby
Her body makes milk in response to her baby. At home, with no baby to hold, milk comes slowly.
Problem 2: Her Motivation Fades
Pumping every few hours, day and night, with little milk to show for it, wears her down.
Problem 3: Her Family Doesn't Know How to Help
Partners and grandparents want to help, but don't know when milk is needed or how to support her.
Problem 4: She Has No Clear Plan
She is told to pump often, but has no schedule, no daily goal and no idea if she is on track.
Problem 5: She Doesn't Know the Power of Her Milk
No one has shown her why her milk matters so much for a premature baby, so it's easy to give up.
Problem 6: She Can't See What Happens to Her Milk
She doesn't know when her baby was fed, or how much of her milk is left at the hospital.
Problem 7: Her Nurses Can't See Why Milk Drops
Is she not pumping enough, not drinking enough water, or is her body struggling? Nurses can't tell.
Cubtale answers each of these, one by one.
Problem 1 of 7
She Is Away from Her Baby. We Bring Her Baby Closer.
A mom's body releases milk in response to her baby: seeing, touching and hearing her baby. When her baby is in the NICU and she is at home, that connection is missing. Cubtale keeps her baby in her day, every time she picks up her phone.
Every Feed, Shared
When a nurse feeds her baby, she gets a message in her baby's voice: "Mommy, I just had some of your milk, and it was delicious! Thank you!"
Photos and Videos from the NICU
Nurses send photos and videos of her baby. She can look at them while she pumps.
Ask for a Photo Any Time
One tap asks the nurses for a new photo or video of her baby.
Weight Updates
When her baby gains weight: "Mommy, I gained weight! Thank you for all the milk, it's helping me grow!"
Skin to Skin and Visits
Skin to skin time and hospital visits are part of her daily goals, and her baby thanks her after each visit.
Problem 2 of 7
Her Motivation Fades. We Keep Her Going, Day by Day.
Pumping is hard, lonely work. Motivation fades after the first days, especially when milk comes slowly. Cubtale turns each day into small wins she can see, and lets her know people are cheering for her.
Daily Goals
Three simple goals each day: skin to skin or a visit, 8 pumping sessions, and drinking enough water.
Progress She Can See
A circle fills as she pumps: "Keep going! Just 6 more sessions." Then: "Goal crushed! You're a pumping star."
Bonuses and a Goal Calendar
She earns bonuses for extra effort like breast massage, and sees her good days add up on a calendar.
Messages from Her Nurses
Nurses send encouragement: "Arya did great today, calm, comfy and growing steady. You're doing such a wonderful job."
Daily Check-In
Each day the app asks how she is feeling, so her team knows when she is having a hard time.
Problem 3 of 7
Her Family Doesn't Know How to Help. We Give Her Family a Way to Help.
Moms do better with support at home. Families want to help, but they don't know what's needed. In Cubtale, partners and grandparents join her baby's family with their own account, and get clear ways to help.
The Whole Family Is In
Partner, grandparents and other caregivers each join with their own login and see the baby's updates.
Milk Requests Reach Everyone
When milk runs low, the whole family gets the request by app, SMS and email: "Daddy, can you help mom and bring me some more milk?"
Cheer for Mom
When mom hits her goals 3 days in a row, dad is asked to cheer her on. He sends hearts, and she gets: "My dad just sent you these hearts for all the effort you've put in helping me grow!"
Reminders for the Family Too
Family members can get pumping reminders, so they can bring water, wash pump parts or let her rest.
Problem 4 of 7
She Has No Clear Plan. We Give Her a Schedule That Fits Her Life.
"Pump 8 to 12 times a day" is hard to turn into a real day. Cubtale builds her schedule around when she wakes up and goes to sleep, reminds her when it's time, and tells her if she is on track.
Her Own Pumping Schedule
She enters her wake and sleep times, and Cubtale sets up a pumping schedule she can adjust.
Reminders
A reminder for each session, so she doesn't have to keep track of the clock.
Easy Pump Logging
She logs each session in seconds, including how much milk came from each side.
Am I on Track?
After she logs, she sees if she is on track: "You're right on track! That amount is exactly what your baby needs right now."
Pumping Tips
Short tips when she opens the app, like drinking a glass of water right before pumping.
Problem 5 of 7
She Doesn't Know the Power of Her Milk. We Show Her the Power of Her Milk.
Many moms don't know that their milk is medicine for a premature baby. When she understands why it matters, every drop feels worth it. Cubtale teaches her, in short pieces, at the right time.
Content from Her Hospital
Articles approved by her hospital, matched to her baby's age and stage.
Nurses Send What She Needs
Nurses send her articles from the app, and can see when she has read them.
Aria, Her AI Assistant
She can ask any question, any time, like "How can I increase my milk supply?" Answers come from trusted sources like the AAP.
Her Baby Tells Her
Every message from her baby reminds her that her milk is helping her baby grow.
Problem 6 of 7
She Can't See What Happens to Her Milk. We Let Her See Her Milk at Work.
Moms want to know: Did my baby eat? Was it my milk? Is there enough? Cubtale shows her each feed and how much of her milk is left, so she knows exactly when her baby needs more.
Every Feed, in Real Time
She is told when her baby is fed, and whether it was her milk, formula or both.
Her Milk Supply
She sees how many days of her milk are left at the hospital and at home.
"I Need More Milk"
When supply runs low, her baby asks: "Mommy, I am running out of milk. Can you bring me some more?" She taps "Yes, coming up!" or "Speak to nurse."
Milk Bags, Labeled
She logs each milk bag with the date and amount, so the NICU knows what is coming.
Problem 7 of 7
Her Nurses Can't See Why Milk Drops. We Show Nurses the Real Reason.
When milk drops, the reason is often a mystery. Is she pumping less? Drinking too little water? Exhausted? Or is her body struggling? Cubtale gives nurses and lactation consultants the full picture, so they can help with the right thing.
Her Full Picture
Pumping sessions, milk volume, water, skin to skin, visits and what she has read, day by day.
Alerts When Pumping Drops
If her pumping drops, the app asks her first: "Forgot to log, or didn't pump?" Her answer, like "I was too tired," goes to her nurse.
Help Requests
She can ask for help in the app, and her nurse is alerted right away.
Call Notes Every Shift Can See
Nurses log each call with mom, including what she shared and how motivated she is.
Milk Alerts
Nurses see each baby's days of milk left, and get alerts at under 5 and under 3 days.
EMR Integration
Built to Connect with Epic and Oracle Health
Weights and feeding orders already live in your EMR. Cubtale is built to connect with Epic and Oracle Health (formerly Cerner) through standard HL7 FHIR interfaces, so your team can see the same data in the Cubtale app and in the EMR.
Into Cubtale
The baby's weight and feeding order, with no double entry.
Back to the EMR
Pumping volumes, milk supply, alerts and education records.
Proven in the NICU
Built with NICU Nurses, for NICU Moms
Cubtale was designed with 71 NICU nurses (bedside, lactation and milk kitchen) at SEHA Corniche Hospital in Abu Dhabi, who used the nurse app for more than nine months. Next, a 100-baby clinical study at Corniche, with INSEAD as data science partner, will measure the effect on exclusive breastfeeding.
Early Results
71% of babies whose moms use Cubtale were exclusively breastfed, against a US average of 42%.
71 NICU Nurses
Bedside, lactation and milk kitchen teams shaped every feature.
100-Baby Study
Measuring exclusive breastfeeding at 15 days, 1 month and 3 months.
Questions Hospitals Ask
What is Cubtale?
Cubtale is a pregnancy and baby app used by more than 200,000 parents. For hospitals, Cubtale connects NICU moms, their families and the NICU team in one app, to help moms keep pumping and give their babies breastmilk.
Why do NICU moms stop pumping?
They are away from their baby, motivation fades, families don't know how to help, they have no clear plan, and they can't see what happens to their milk. Cubtale addresses each of these.
How does Cubtale help a mom's milk supply?
It keeps her close to her baby with feed messages, photos and videos, gives her a pumping schedule and daily goals, brings her family in, and alerts her team early when pumping drops.
How do nurses use Cubtale?
Nurses log feeds, weights, visits and photos, which reach the family right away. They see each mom's pumping, water and goals, get alerts when milk runs low or pumping drops, and can send articles and encouragement.
How does Cubtale help nurses understand a drop in milk?
Nurses see pumping sessions, milk volume, water, skin to skin and visits side by side. When pumping drops, mom is asked why, and her answer goes to her nurse. This helps the team tell if the issue is pumping, hydration, exhaustion or supply.
Does Cubtale work with Epic and Oracle Health?
Cubtale is built to connect with Epic and Oracle Health (formerly Cerner) through standard HL7 FHIR interfaces. Weights and feeding orders can flow in, and pumping and milk supply data can flow back.
Has Cubtale been used in a hospital?
Yes. It was designed with 71 NICU nurses at SEHA Corniche Hospital in Abu Dhabi, who used the nurse app for more than nine months. A 100-baby clinical study is next.
Do families keep using Cubtale after the NICU?
Yes. Families keep the same app at home for feeding, pumping, sleep and growth.
How do we get started?
Book a demo. We start by mapping your NICU workflow with your nurses and lactation team.
Help Every NICU Mom Give Her Baby Her Milk
See how Cubtale supports moms, families and your NICU team in a short demo.
