GB2542145A

GB2542145A - Improvements in or relating to healthcare

Info

Publication number: GB2542145A
Application number: GB1515924.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hawkings Rebecca
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-09-08
Filing date: 2015-09-08
Publication date: 2017-03-15
Anticipated expiration: 2035-09-08
Also published as: GB201515924D0; GB2542145B

Abstract

A nipple protection device in the form of nipple shield 1, 100 which is of shape generally known per se. The Nipple shield 1, 100 is provided with peripheral indication means 2 to enable the periphery of the device 1, 100 to be seen in the dark or in dial light conditions (e.g. glow in the dark), to aid a mother breast feeding a baby at night time. The peripheral indication means 2 may be in the form of a fluorescent material pigment 2 which may be integrated into the periphery of the nipple shield 1 during the molding process. The indication means may be located on the shield 1, 100 in a variety of locations covering up to all of the shield 1, 100. The indication means may also include a touch indicator such as a textured surface. The indicator means may be heat resistant/ resistant to sterilization. The nipple shield 1, 100 may also be coloured. An illuminated container (figure 4) is also claimed.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO HEALTH CARE

This invention relates to improvements in or relating to health care and is particularly concerned with nipple protection devices for breast feeding mothers, which devices are commonly referred to as ‘nipple shields’.

It is well known that nursing mothers may experience some discomfort dining breast feeding more particularly due to sensitive, sore or irritated nipples caused by breast feeding their baby. Nipple shields have been developed to fit on the breast over the nipple to at least alleviate some of the discomfort that can be encountered by the mother when feeding their baby, whilst suffering with painful nipples. Such nipple shields are usually smaller than the breast and fit over the nipple and surrounding area. A central outwardly projecting portion of the shield covers the nipple in use and is provided at the end with a number of small holes to allow the baby to extract milk from the breast through the nipple whilst sucking on the nipple covering portion of the shield. Nipple shields may also be used for medical reasons (infection control) or to ease a transition from breast feeding to bottle feeding or simply to cater for a baby’s preference, in addition to other reasons.

Various shapes of nipple shields have been proposed. One shield is a complete circular dome shape whilst another has an upper part cut away to allow the baby’s nose to contact the mother’s breast, whilst feeding on the breast fitted with the nipple shield.

Whilst various designs of nipple shield have been proposed it is believed that they may be disadvantageous in some respects and, that, in event such designs can be improved. t

Designs of nipple shield are clear/transparent, thin, soft and flexible so that there may be some difficulty in practice in ensuring that the shield is comfortably maintained in its correctly aligned position on the breast during feeding. The shield is seated on the skin of the breast without the aid of any adhesive and so can move or even fall off the breast whilst positioning the baby for feeding with both mother and baby comfortable.

Such shields are generally clear, soft and flexible to mimic the most natural feeding experience for the baby.

Importantly, handling of the nipple shield needs to be kept to a minimum in order to reduce risks of the baby being infected and should, preferably, be limited to manual contact only around the periphery of the shield, well away from the nipple covering portion of the shield that fits in the baby’s mouth. Nipple shields can be re-used and are subject to sterilisation in the same way as bottles and teats for the baby are sterilised. Such shields may be housed in a purpose made container once sterilised and ready for use.

Since the nipple shields are thin and transparent and stacked in overlying relationship in a purpose-made container, sometimes it can even be difficult to see if there is still a nipple shield left in the container. In order to alleviate this problem, coloured nipple shields have been proposed but it is believed that a transparent nipple shield will provide a better, more natural feeding experience for the baby who may be disturbed or distracted by the colour.

Owing to the general design of nipple shields and the requirement for careful handling of the shield in order to avoid contamination there is a tendency for breast feeding using the nipple shield to be much more awkward at night time in the dark. Once again, once the shield has been located on the breast in the dark it may be difficult to ensure the shield has been maintained in its correct position during feeding and it may be difficult to see if the baby is feeding correctly or, indeed, if the baby is sucking or swallowing part of the shield surrounding the nipple covering portion.

Artificial light (such as an electric light source or e.g. night light) could be used in a dark room (more particularly at night time) to help locate and handle a nipple shield correctly (whether the shield is in or out of the container). Such an artificial light source may help the mother to see to ensure that the shield remains in the correct position during feeding, without the baby coming into contact with a possibly contaminated part of the shield e.g. by sucking on or swallowing a peripheral part of the shield.

However, the use of such artificial light in this manner may be disadvantageous in several respects. Such light may wake the baby further because the baby will be much more likely to settle if artificial light is kept off or to a minimum. Also, the artificial light source may not illuminate the area of the room sufficiently to see clearly to breast feed the baby or might be too strong that it disturbs or temporarily blinds the mother (who may be irritated and very tired) and/or a sleeping partner. Furthermore, an additional operation of switching on and off the light may be required that may in turn further disturb the mother who may have to rise from her bed in order to accomplish the operation.

Overall, it is believed that there is no available convenient and reliable method of breast feeding a baby using a nipple shield at night time, whilst exercising the necessary caution to ensure the baby feeds properly and safely with seemingly minimum risk of contamination/infection

Accordingly, it is an object of some embodiments of the present invention to provide a nipple protection device/shield which at least alleviates the aforementioned, or other, disadvantages associated with such devices/shields, or which is improved in at least some respect and/or to provide a container for a nipple protection device/shield which is improved in at least some respect

According to the present invention there is provided a nipple protection device/shield provided with peripheral indication means, in use, enabling at least a part of the periphery of the device to be seen in the dark or in dim light conditions.

Such peripheral indication means may comprise any suitable ‘glow-in-the-dark’ or fluorescent material/pigment.

The peripheral indication means may extend around all or a part of the periphery of the nipple protection device/ shield.

Preferably, the peripheral indication means will be heat resistant/ resistant to sterilisation(without breakdown of its indication property) as it is envisaged the nipple shield will be re-usable after sterilisation, which may involve heat The peripheral indication means will, preferably, be able to withstand dishwater temperatures. It is envisaged that the peripheral indication means should meet safety standards.

Preferably, the peripheral indication means is embedded into the material of the nipple shield during manufacture (moulding) rather than comprising a coating that may possibly wear off or be ingested by the baby should the baby’s mouth accidentally come into contact with said indication means.

Generally, it will be preferable for only the periphery or part-periphery of the shield to be provided with the said indication means in order to disturb the baby the least amount during feeding but in an alternative embodiment other part/s of the nipple shield may be provided with such indication means. For example, such indication means may be provided on the whole of the shield possibly with the exception of the nipple covering portion. 1

Further according to the present invention there is provided a container for nipple shields, said container being provided with indication means enabling, in use, the container to be seen in the dark or in dim light conditions, and thus enabling a nipple shield or shields in the container to be seen in the dark.

The container may be designed so that the indication means is (switch) activated when the container is opened for example by using an LED light source, which is, preferably, built into the underside of the lid of the container. Such an LED may be detachable from the container and/or may be fitted to the outside of the container. Thus, advantageously, the LED need not be subject to any sterilisation process.

Further according to the present invention there is provided the combination of the container as specified in the penultimate paragraph with at least one nipple shield as specified in statement of invention on page 4 of this specification.

Many other advantageous features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings.

Embodiments of a nipple protection device/shield in accordance with the present invention and nipple protection device shield container in accordance with the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which : FIGURE 1 shows a plan view of a first embodiment of the nipple shield overlying the edge of a slightly modified embodiment of the nipple shield; FIGURE 2 shows a perspective view of the shape of the nipple shield of the first or modified embodiment looking in the direction of arrow A or B in FIGURE 1; FIGURE 3 shows a second embodiment of the nipple shield, and FIGURE 4 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the nipple shield container.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings, a nipple protection device in the form of nipple shield 1,100 is of a shape generally known per se (see e.g. International Patent Specification No. WO 2011/031984 A2) and as shown generally in FIGURE 3.

Nipple shield 1 has a central outwardly projecting nipple covering portion N which is generally cylindrical and has four holes H through which a breast feeding baby can extract milk from the mother’s breast when sucking on the nipple covering portion N, when the nipple shield is fitted to the breast.

Nipple shield 1 is provided with peripheral indication means 2 to enable, in this instance, all the periphery of the device 1 to be seen in the dark or in dim light conditions, to aid a mother breast feeding a baby at night time, as previously explained. The peripheral indication means 2 is in the form of a fluorescent material pigment 2 integrated into the periphery of the nipple shield 1 during the moulding process. The fluorescent material 2 is provided both around the lower convex curved portion 2a of the shield 1 and on the top peripheral portion 2b which has been cut away in known manner to allow a baby’s nose (not shown) to contact the mother’s breast, (not shown), during feeding.

Nipple shield 100 is identical in shape to nipple shield 1 but in this embodiment only the lower convex peripheral portion 101a of the shield 100 is provided with the peripheral indication means 101 with the top peripheral portion 101b being free of said indication means, to be even less distracting for the baby. FIGURE 3 shows a further embodiment of nipple shield 200. Once again the shape of the nipple shield 200 is known per se, being of a complete circular, dome shape. In this instance, indication means 201 is provided extending radially from the periphery of the shield by a substantial amount and may be provided throughout the whole of the shield 200 or the whole of the shield with the exception of the nipple covering portion Ν'.

Similarly, additional selected portions of the nipple shield 1,100 could be provided with such indication means, as required. FIGURE 4 shows a container 300 of generally known shape, for nipple shields.

Advantageously, the container 300 is provided with indication means in the form of LED 301 allowing the container (and any nipple shields contained therein) to be seen in the dark or in dim light conditions.

The LED is activated on opening of the container in a manner which should be readily apparent.

It is possible that part of the nipple shield 1,100 may be coloured to help in detecting and positioning the nipple shield, in use, in addition to said peripheral indication means being provided.

Once again, such colouring should be safe, resistant to heat/sterilisation and meet safety standards.

It is possible that the indication means additionally or alternatively consists of a touch indicator (perhaps a textured surface designed to be away from e.g. on the underside of the shield, or not irritating a baby’s skin).

It is to be understood that the scope of the present invention is not to be unduly limited by the particular choice of terminology and that a specific term may be replaced or supplemented by an equivalent or generic term. E.g. ‘Peripheral indication means’ may be replaced by ‘edge indication means’ or ‘boundary/rim indication means’ or any like term or ‘peripheral detection means’ or ‘edge glow/see -in -the -dark means’. Further it is to be understood that individual features, method or functions relating to the nipple shield or container per se might be individually patentably inventive. The singular may include the plural and vice versa. Additionally, any range mentioned herein for any parameter or variable shall be taken to include a disclosure of any derivable sub-range within that range or of any particular value of the variable or parameter arranged within, or at an end of, the range or sub-range.

Claims

1. A nipple protection device/shield provided with peripheral indication means, in use, enabling at least a part of the periphery of the device to be seen in the dark or in dim light conditions.

2. A device/shield as claimed in claim 1 in which the peripheral indication means comprises a ‘glow-in-the-dark’ or fluorescent material/pigment.

3. A device/shield as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the peripheral indication means extends around all or a part of the periphery of the device/ shield.

4. A device/shield as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the peripheral indication means is heat resistant/ resistant to sterilisation.

5. A device/shield as claimed in claim 4 in which the peripheral indication means is able to withstand dishwater temperatures.

6. A device/shield as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the peripheral indication is embedded into the material of the nipple shield during manufacture.

7. A device/shield as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which only the periphery or part-periphery of the shield is provided with the said indication means.

8. A device/shield as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 in which the indication means is provided on the whole of the shield with the exception of the nipple covering portion.

9. A device/shield as claimed in any one of the preceding claims which is coloured in addition to the peripheral indication means.

10. A device/shield as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the peripheral indication means alternatively consists of or includes a touch indicator. '11. A device/shield as claimed claim 10 in which the touch indicator is a textured surface.

12. A device/shield as claimed claim 10 or 11 in which the touch indicator is on the underside of the device/shield.

13. A nipple protection device/shield substantially as herein described with reference to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings or substantially as herein described with reference to FIGURE 3 of the accompanying drawings.

14. A container for nipple shields, said container being provided with indication means enabling, in use, the container to be seen in the dark or in dim light conditions, and thus, in use, enabling a nipple shield or shields in the container to be seen in the dark.

15. A container as claimed in claim 14 in which the indication means is (switch) activated when the container is opened.

16. A container as claimed in claim 15 in which the indication means is activated by using an LED light source.

17. A container as claimed in claim 16 in which the LED light source is built into the underside of the lid of the container. 1¾. A container as claimed in claim 16 or 17 in which the LED light source is detachable from the container and/or is be fitted to the outside of the container.

19. A container for nipple shields substantially as herein described with reference to FIGURE 4 of the accompanying drawings.

20. The combination of the container as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 19 with at least one nipple device/shield as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13.