CA3099405A1 - Privacy nursing pillow - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a pillowcase that, when enclosing a standard-sized pillow, converts it into a nursing pillow for assisting a mother to be able to feed an infant in privacy in a seated position. The pillowcase has three collapsible panels sewn-in around its perimeter; one of which runs lengthwise while the other two extend perpendicularly from its ends on either side in a widthwise manner. These panels can be raised and secured with an attachment system in order to create a three-sided barrier around the perimeter of the pillow providing the mother and infant privacy and support when used during nursing. The inner support structures of the panels providing rigidity can be removed from the fabric panels of the pillowcase in order for the case to be washed. When removed from the pillow, the pillowcase can be folded in on itself to minimize its footprint for easy portability.

Description

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.
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-11-16

2 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 Date Recue/Date Received 2020-11-16

3 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.
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-11-16

4 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

Claims (4)

Privacy Nursing Pillow Claims The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A nursing pillowcase - that when fitted on a standard-sized pillow -will provide a nursing support pillow that will shield the upper front portion of a mother and the nursing infant comprising:
three fabric panels with removable inserts that are sewn to the perimeter of the case with a height and length to cover the mother's upper chest but not her face when erect;
attachment mechanisms to securely fasten the two lateral panels to the horizontal panel when configured in an upright position;
removable panel inserts to provide structural stability to the fabric panels when configured in an upright position;
attachment mechanisms to allow the panel inserts to be removed from within the fabric panel;
a reinforced panel of the pillowcase within the inside perimeter of the sewn-in panels with additional layers of fabric such as padding and a waterproof membrane.

2. A method of discretely nursing an infant in a seated position comprising:
a nursing support pillow as in claim 1;
raising and attaching the lateral panels to the horizontal panel using the attachment mechanisms to create a three-sided perimeter that surrounds the nursing infant and blocks the view of a nursing mother's exposed breast(s) from those in her vicinity while leaving her face visible.

3. A nursing support pillow as in claim 1;
with panels that can be folded inward towards the center of the pillow when not in use.

4. A nursing pillowcase as in claim 1;
With panels that can be folded in on itself for portable transport.