Jessica Ridgway Clayton, the Carol Avery Professor and Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies for the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship (JMC), has been granted a U.S. patent for her innovative nursing bra clip system that assists breastfeeding mothers.
Ridgway’s first-of-its-kind product is designed to help mothers have an easier and less stressful experience while breastfeeding. The Clip System can be incorporated into any nursing bra design, with the invention being the hallmark of Ridgway’s research that focuses on innovative designs supporting mothers and babies.
“The Clip System helps a mom by holding her shirt up for her while she breastfeeds,” Ridgway said about her product. “Moms often tuck their shirt under their chin while trying to feed their babies which results in an awkward and very uncomfortable chin tucked to chest position. The Clip System allows moms to sit in a more relaxed and comfortable position, provides a clear line of sight to baby’s mouth and keeps a mom’s shirt out of the way handsfree.”
Ridgway, in partnership with the FSU Office of Commercialization, is seeking industry partners to bring the Clip System to market. Ridgway’s goal is to make this technology a new industry standard and make it available to all moms.
Ridgway is a highly awarded design scholar, having won six research awards including the 2023 ITAA Award for Innovative Design Scholarship, the 2022 ATEXINC Award for Excellence in Marketable Textile Design and the 2021 ITAA Award for Creative and Innovative Employment of Techniques.
Her Clip System addresses many of the issues associated with breastfeeding, including repeated backaches due to repetition of body posture as well as tension through the shoulders and neck. This type of discomfort can lead to a limited duration of breastfeeding and can result in mothers not meeting the six-month timeline that is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics for exclusive breastfeeding.
Ridgway’s product makes the process much easier for mothers and improves their posture while sitting in a more comfortable position.
Her focus on benefiting neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) families is shaped by her own experience, inspiring her to pivot her research.
“My son Boone was born prematurely, and I exclusively pumped for him,” Ridgway added. “I struggled with holding my shirt up during that process having to pump in a variety of locations. The 18 months I spent breastfeeding my daughter, Becca, led me to believe there must be a solution to this very common problem. I knew it had to be a simple solution that integrated right into a nursing bra so that it was always there and available for a mom to use.”
“My son Boone was born prematurely, and I exclusively pumped for him. I struggled with holding my shirt up during that process having to pump in a variety of locations. The 18 months I spent breastfeeding my daughter, Becca, led me to believe there must be a solution to this very common problem.”
– Jessica Ridgway Clayton, Carol Avery Professor for the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship
Ridgway shared her story as part of the FSU50 Campaign, with her own experience igniting her passion to help other NICU families.
She is part of the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship, which elevated its national ranking from The Princeton Review and moved up to 18th in the publication’s list of “Top Schools for Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Programs of 2025.”
Ridgway is among many entrepreneurs at JMC who continue fulfilling FSU’s mission of building research and entrepreneurial excellence through new initiatives.
About the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship
The revolutionary and highly experiential Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship at Florida State University is dedicated to teaching those who wish to embark on an entrepreneurial journey. The College attracts students across disciplines and provides them with the education and skills they need to become entrepreneurs. JMC offers students three undergraduate majors, five graduate majors, 10 minors and a vast array of extracurricular opportunities, to inspire innovation, instill compassion and ignite an entrepreneurial mindset in the next generation of leaders.
For more information, visit jimmorancollege.fsu.edu.