FAQs
Real Quick, What is LEN?
LEN is a simple way to evaluate any feeding technology before you use it.
It helps you decide whether a tool actually belongs in your feeding system or whether it’s adding unnecessary complexity, work, or stress.
What does LEN actually evaluate?
LEN looks at four core ethical areas:
Autonomy → Who is making decisions?
Beneficence → Is this actually helping?
Nonmaleficence → What harm could this introduce?
Justice → Who can realistically access and sustain this?
What question is LEN really asking?
At its core, LEN asks:
What is this technology changing about how feeding works?
Or more simply:
Is this helping or just making things more complicated?
Why does context matter?
No product exists in a vacuum.
The same tool can:
help in one situation
and create problems in another
LEN helps you figure out whether a product fits your current feeding system, not whether it’s “good” in general.
What do you mean by “feeding system”?
Your feeding system is how feeding is currently working:
how decisions are made
how much structure or technology is involved
how much work it requires
LEN looks at how a tool changes that system especially in terms of workload, control, and risk.
When should I use LEN?
Use LEN any time you are:
considering a new pump, app, or device
following a new feeding plan
adding structure (tracking, schedules, routines)
feeling like feeding is getting more complicated
How long does it take?
Less than 5 minutes.
LEN is designed to be quick and repeatable, whether you’re a parent or a clinician.
What does a “good” result look like?
A tool is more likely to fit your system if it:
does not add unnecessary work
clearly improves feeding
is actually needed
keeps you in control of decisions
does not introduce new risks
What if a tool doesn’t pass LEN?
That doesn’t mean it’s a bad product.
It means:
it may not be appropriate for your situation right now
In many cases, the right move is continue asking questions!
Is LEN anti-technology?
No.
LEN is not about avoiding technology.
It’s about using the right amount of technology, for the right reason, at the right time—without letting it take over the feeding relationship.
Can I use LEN with my IBCLC or other care provider?
Yes and it works especially well that way.
You can:
run LEN on a product together
use it to guide decisions
or use it to step back when things feel overcomplicated
What’s the bottom line?
If a tool adds work, isn’t clearly helping, isn’t needed, shifts control away from you, or increases risk it probably doesn’t belong no matter what the marketing campaign promised.
LEN helps you keep feeding grounded in what matters:
you, your baby, and what’s actually working.