The feeder was actually invented by a mother whose child was born with a rare genetic disorder called
Stickler syndrome, the characteristic features of which include cleft palate, small and recessed jaw (Pierre Robin sequence), and large tongue, among other abnormalities. These features make it difficult for babies with Stickler syndrome to suck from a regular bottle. The Haberman feeder has a one-way valve, and the long part of the nipple is like a reservoir. The valve allows milk to flow into the modified nipple reservoir, but prevents it from flowing backwards into the bottle, meaning that the milk in the nipple is continuously replaced. The baby used tongue and jaw movement to draw the milk out of the bottle, and the nipple has a slit instead of a hole so that flow stops between compressions, preventing choking. The speed of the flow can be controlled by rotating the bottle. Instead of the standard nursing position, babies being fed with a Haberman feeder are held upright. This is especially important for infants with cleft palate, as the defect in the roof of the mouth would allow milk to come out the nose if the baby were fed in a recumbent position.
