Evidence-based NICU feeding
Shorten NICU stays.
One milk drop at a time.
Driven by curiosity and grounded in purpose, MiDI brings together innovation, compassion, and evidence-based care to create meaningful change for infants, families, and NICU teams. Together, we're reimagining developmental feeding — one milk drop at a time.
what is midi?
Simple intervention. Extraordinary impact.
MiDI (Milk Drop Intervention) places tiny drops of colostrum or breast milk on a premature infant's lips during tube feedings turning a passive feeding into a positive oral experience.
The MiDI Developmental Soother™ and Developmental Adaptor™ are the first tools engineered to deliver this intervention consistently, safely, and with perfectly sized drops for even the smallest patients.
Developed by a NICU nurse with 35+ years at the bedside. Validated by published research. Simple enough to begin on day three of life.
The Evidence
Backed by published research
$663,000+
in adjusted cost savings among study participants
Shorter stays
reduced average NICU length of stay across the 2023 published study
Day 3
intervention can begin early and continue throughout the NICU stay
Research published in 2023 demonstrated significant benefits associated with the Milk Drop Intervention. Read the study →
How it works
Consistent delivery, every feeding.
1. Attach
The MiDI Developmental Adaptor™ connects directly to any standard ENFit syringe, no workflow disruption.
2. Deliver
Precise, controlled micro-drops of colostrum or breast milk reach the infant's lips or the MiDI Developmental Soother™ during gavage feeding.
3. Develop
Each feeding becomes a positive sensory experience encouraging natural licking and sucking, building the neural connections that support feeding readiness.
"The neuroprotection of oral enjoyment" — now consistent, repeatable, and easy for any care team to deliver.
Barb O'Rourke, RN, Inventor of MiDI
The story behind MiDI
It started with one baby
After 30 years of feeding premature infants, NICU nurse Barbara O'Rourke placed a single drop of a mother's milk on the lips of Lily, a preemie born at 27 weeks. Lily pulled her hands close, and began to suck stronger and longer. Her mother cried and laughed at the same time.
Weeks later, Barb saw what happened without that experience: severe oral aversion, with no medical cause just the slow accumulation of negative oral experiences, right before everyone's eyes.
That moment became the Milk Drop Method. The Milk Drop Method became MiDI.
The MiDI Pilot Study
Be among the first NICUs to implement consistent Milk Drop delivery
The MiDI Pilot Study gives NICUs and neonatal care teams early access to the MiDI Developmental Soother™ along with training, onboarding support, and implementation guidance tailored to your unit.
Gain early access to Milk Drop Method training and implementation tools
Support improved feeding experiences for premature infants
Encourage family involvement and bonding during hospitalization
Contribute to ongoing data collection and evidence-based neonatal care research
Help shape the future of developmental feeding practice
Contact
Questions? Let's talk.
Not ready for the pilot yet? Send us a note about products, training, implementation support, or research collaboration — one of our team members will reach out.
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