Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
I
Privacy Nursing Pillow
Description
The present invention relates to devices designed to aid in the privacy of
nursing mothers and to
devices designed to provide support to the infant while feeding. More
specifically, the invention
relates to a pillowcase that converts a standard-sized pillow into a nursing
pillow with a privacy
barrier that allows for a mother to breastfeed discreetly in a seated position
in front of others
while her infant is supported on her lap.
Background
Experts tend to agree that breast milk provides infants with a unique source
of nutrition that
cannot be perfectly supplemented by infant formula. Numerous studies have
demonstrated that
breast milk provides benefits over formula in terms of infant health,
immunity, and development.
Breastfeeding is also shown to provide benefits to nursing mothers including
weight-loss from
the additional caloric demands of producing the milk. Breast milk is also far
cheaper than having
to purchase infant formula and provides mothers with an additional economic
incentive.
Furthermore, the act of breastfeeding is often regarded as a crucial
opportunity for developing a
strong bond between mothers and their infants. For such reasons, it is
understandable why
many mothers aspire to breastfeed.
Despite the potential advantages of breastfeeding, many mothers may either
choose not to
breastfeed or quit breastfeeding sooner than they'd like to. One of the
reasons for this is that
breastfeeding is typically regarded as a much more time intensive and
inconvenient process
when compared to bottle feeding formula. One of such inconveniences
experienced by mothers
pertains to nursing an infant in public or in front of family members and
friends. Breastfeeding,
particularly in the earlier months of an infant's life, is required in
frequent intervals. During this
time, new mothers are also often receiving many visits from, or visiting,
friends and family which
can overlap with feeding times. In such cases, a mother must either nurse in
front of her guests
or hosts, or if she does not wish to, locate a secluded area requiring her to
leave the gathering.
Breastfeeding in front of others can cause uncomfortableness for the mother
and for others in
her proximity, since it is difficult to conceal the exposed breast while
feeding an infant.
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Various products have been designed to try and address the issue of providing
a breastfeeding
mother with some privacy. Many of such designs typically involve a canopy or
apron-like device
that suspends over the mother's shoulders and covers the mother's frontal
region and the infant
during feeding. A primary drawback of such a design is that a mother's view
can be obstructed
where such a view can be crucial in order to help the infant successfully
latch on, and remain
latched, to the breast. Another concern is that there may not be adequate
ventilation for the
infant while they feed leading to their discomfort and a poorer quality feed
as a result.
Furthermore, there is a risk that such designs may not be secure and may have
a tendency to
slip or shift with a squirmy and grabby infant which may reveal the nursing
mother. Additionally,
such designs do not provide the feeding mother with an included means of
supporting their child
while using them.
Nursing mothers often find breastfeeding to be done most comfortably while
seated with their
infants supported on their laps or in their arms. Many products exist that
attempt to provide a
more comfortable experience during such seated feeds by providing support to
the infant and
mother. These designs typically involve some sort of pillow-like product to
provide the support of
the infant however, none include a means of providing privacy to the mother at
the same time.
Summary of the Invention
The invention concerns a pillowcase that can fit any standard-sized pillow.
Once the pillow is
inserted into the case, it can be used as a nursing pillow to provide the
infant support and the
nursing mother with privacy. The pillow cover has three panels sewn-in around
three sides of its
perimeter - one being lengthwise while the other two are widthwise. The panels
can be raised
and secured to each other by way of an attachment mechanism, such as hook-and-
loop
fasteners or snaps, in order to create a stable barrier between the nursing
mother and the
outside of the panels. Within this established perimeter, the infant is able
to lie on the pillow with
access to its mother's breast with ample space and overhead ventilation. The
mother is also
able to view her nursing infant without any obstruction allowing her to ensure
a successful latch
is maintained while providing her the opportunity to make adjustments to the
infant's position as
necessary. The panels are configured to have a height sufficient to cover at
least the region of
her upper chest to allow for feeds in privacy. Each panel has a support panel
insert within it that
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can be removed in order to machine wash the fabric case. The support panel
inserts will be
composed of a resiliently flexible and rigid material such as a plastic to
ensure that the panels
maintain their structural integrity when erect and secured to each other. The
fabric of the pillow
case and the sewn-in panels will be washable in addition to being safe and
comfortable for the
infant. This may include a natural fiber cloth such as cotton. The upper
portion of the pillowcase
within the inside perimeter of the sewn-in panels may be reinforced with
additional layers of
fabric, such as padding and a waterproof membrane, to provide additional
protection to the
pillow beneath it in the event of infant spit-ups etc.. When removed from the
pillow, the case can
be folded in on itself reducing its size for portability
Description of the Drawings
Fig. 1 is an overhead perspective view of the invention with the privacy
panels collapsed away
from the center of the pillow prior to nursing.
Fig. 2 is an overhead perspective view of the invention with the privacy
panels erected and
secured to each other during nursing.
Fig. 3 is an upper perspective view of the invention from the side with a
pillow inserted and with
the privacy panels erected and secured.
Fig. 4 is an overhead perspective view of the invention with the privacy
panels collapsed inward
towards the center of the pillow after nursing.
Fig. 5 is an overhead perspective view of the invention with the pillow
removed and the panels
collapsed and fully folded-in on each other.
The drawings will be described in further detail in the section below.
Further, these drawings are
meant for illustrative purposes only and the dimensions and geometries can
vary from those
illustrated.
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Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
Fig. 1 illustrates an overhead view of the mother in a seated position with
the invention - and
pillow inserted within - resting on her lap. The infant is placed and
supported on the surface of
the pillowcase (D) within the perimeter created by the panels (A-1, A-2, B-1,
and B-2). In this
configuration with the panels collapsed, the mother can position the pillow
and infant in
preparation for breastfeeding. Once ready, the mother can begin erecting the
panels. Panel A-1
will secure to panel B-1 using attachment device C-1. Similarly, panel A-2
will secure to panel
B-2 using attachment device C-2. Once the panels are raised and secured, as
shown in Fig. 2,
the mother will be ready to begin nursing. In this case, a three-sided
perimeter will be
established around the mother and her infant with a height sufficient enough
to cover her
exposed breast(s), but not her face, from those seated in her proximity. This
will provide the
nursing mother with privacy to feed her infant without exposing herself to
those in her proximity.
The infant is provided with ample ventilation and the mother's view of the
infant remains
unobstructed. The pillow within the pillowcase provides the infant with
support and allows the
mother to use both hands if necessary in order to maintain or correct the
infant's position, or her
breast, to ensure that an adequate latch is maintained throughout the feed.
In order to provide the panels (A-1, A-2, B-1, and B-2) with rigidity, a
support panel insert can be
found within them. These support panel inserts are enveloped by the exterior
fabric layer of
each sewn-in panel in Fig. 1, 2, and 3 and are not visible. The support panel
inserts can be
removed from within the fabric of the panels by detaching their respective
attachment
mechanisms (E). Removing the pillow and support panel inserts will allow the
remaining case to
be washed by hand or machine.
Once a feed is over, the panels can be detached from one another and folded
inward towards
the center of the pillow. Panel A-1 and A-2 are folded in first with panels B-
1 and B-2 folded
overtop of them as shown in Fig. 4. The case may also be fully removed from
the pillow and
compacted further by folding the case in half down the seam in between panel B-
1 and B-2. The
final footprint of the case after being folded will take the form illustrated
in Fig. 5 and will be
highly portable.
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-11-16
