August 30, 2018By Lance Baily

Lactation Simulation Model Trains for Breast Feeding & More for Parents, Students & Providers

The Lactation Simulation Model (LSM) from LiquidGoldConcept provides educators with the opportunity to comprehensively train for breast feeding. Wether for a prenatal class, standardized patient encounter, nursing exam, postpartum or hospital clinicians, the LSM can provide realistic simulated lactation training. Developed by a mammary gland biologist and breastfeeding medicine trainee in the MD/PhD program at UC Davis, the simulator and the company have already won numerous awards for their innovation!

The Lactation Simulation Model (LSM) is a comprehensive breastfeeding simulator that can teach parents and health providers how to identify, prevent, or manage over 25 common breast and breastfeeding-related prenatal and postpartum concerns. In the video below, Anna Sadovnikova MPH, MA, (MD/PhD in training), the Chief Executive Officer of LiquidGoldConcept, explains why each feature on the Essential LSM and the Advanced LSM is important for comprehensive breastfeeding education.


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Trainable Features of LSM Models

  • Culturally sensitive with four skin tone options
  • Hand expression of simulated colostrum from both breasts
  • Engorgement of one or both breasts
  • Expession of simulated colorstrum any breast pump
  • Large plugged duct in the Tail of Spence
  • Multiple plugged ducts deep in the Aerola
  • And for the Essential Model:
    • Round “deep latch” nipple
    • Compressed nipple with fissure
    • Peripartum Montgomery glands
    • Early Stage- Mastitus
  • And for the Advanced Model
    • Elongated nipple with milk belb
    • Inverted, damaged nipple
    • Axillary ectopic breast tissue
    • Breast abscess
    • Breast augmentation scar
    • Breast reduction scar

The LiquidGoldConcept Lactation Simulation Model Case Scenarios are the world’s first comprehensive, hands-on lactation training modules using our breastfeeding simulator. Their goal is to incorporate our breastfeeding simulators into medical and nursing schools, pediatric, obstetric, and family medicine residency training programs, staff training for the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, and for parent education in prenatal and lactation classes.

The LiquidGoldConcept Lactation Simulation Model is currently in use at hospitals, nursing schools, WIC clinics, and community centers around the world. All LSMs are hand-made and hand-painted in Ann Arbor, MI. As they are hand made, please expect 4-6 weeks for delivery.

Examples of Training Scenarios with the LSM


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  • Practice latch techniques with bulbous and inverted nipples
  • Describe potential lactation challenges associated with breast surgeries
  • Identify and manage axillary ectopic breast tissue
  • Manage early-stage mastitis over the Tail of Spence
  • Hand expression of colostrum in the first hour of life
  • Comprehensive breast exam on day four postpartum
  • Hands-on pumping strategies for going back to work
  • Differential diagnosis for persistent breast pain
  • And much more….

How LSM Came To Be

Anna, our CEO, is a mammary gland biologist and breastfeeding medicine trainee. In 2014, when she was studying human milk donation in Brazil, she worked with dozens of mothers and diverse health providers. What shocked her was the commitment of Brazilian physicians and nurses to hands-on breastfeeding support. All of the hospital staff Anna interacted with knew how to alleviate the most common breastfeeding problems—like engorgement and plugged ducts—with diverse breast massage and hand expression techniques.

While in medical school, Anna saw the value of learning how to perform exams, procedures, and techniques using medical simulation and standardized patients. These hands-on, interactive approaches to learning sensitive physical exams, like the pelvic, are key to bolstering a student’s confidence in his or her own performance and ability.

The LiquidGoldConcept team realized how valuable it would be to have a comprehensive hands-on training tool—a Lactation Simulation Model (LSM)—for parents and health providers to learn how to manage, prevent, or improve breast and breastfeeding-related problems. After months of design work, prototyping and testing by Jeff (Chief Technology Officer & mechanical engineer) and dozens of breastfeeding experts, it is exciting to see our LSM in use at multiple teaching institutions across the United States.

Learn more about the Lactation Simulation Model on the LGC Website!


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