Fashionable nursing garment

The invention may be embodied in a finely styled, fashionable dress, nightgown, blouse, jumpsuit or other article of clothing without sacrificing functionality, convenience or modesty. A single large front panel hinged generally at the top of the garment covers an open breast area in the frontpiece of the bodice so that when buttons, ties or other fasteners are released along the bottom and sides of the panel, the baby may be inserted up and under the loosened panel to nurse without exposing the woman's breasts.

This invention relates to wearing apparel, and, more particularly, to a 
woman's nursing garment that incorporates important functional features 
without detracting from styling or aesthetic considerations. 
Nursing garments per se are quite old in the art, but none has apparently 
been totally commercially acceptable, owing at least in part to the fact 
that none has been able to satisfactorily accommodate the conflicting 
factors of functionality on the one hand, and styling or fashion on the 
other. Additionally, prior garments have typically been unable to provide 
the wearer with the confidence that her modesty would not be jeopardized 
when nursing, such garments being unable to permit the mother to both 
nurse and keep her breasts substantially fully covered at the same time. 
Accordingly, one important object of the present invention is to provide a 
nursing garment that may take on any one of countless attractive styles 
and be embodied in any number of different types of wearing apparel 
without inhibiting the freedom of the woman to nurse as frequently as may 
be required and without removing the garment. 
An additional important object of this invention is to achieve the 
foregoing object, but with the additional benefit of giving the wearer the 
peace of mind that she may nurse her baby without risking exposure of her 
breasts. 
A further important object of the invention is to obtain the foregoing 
objects while making it a relatively simple matter for the woman to 
prepare the garment for nursing and to return the same to its normal 
condition upon completion of nursing. 
Other important considerations and features include providing a way of 
substantially covering a baby while nursing so as to eliminate the need 
for additional blankets and the like around the baby; retaining the 
woman's body heat to avoid exposure to cold, ambient temperatures during 
winter months; and providing the convenience of having both breasts 
prepared for successive nursing through only one initial preparational 
procedure.

The garment 10 of FIGS. 1-3 is illustrated as taking the form of a dress, 
although it is to be understood and will become apparent that the 
principles of this invention are not limited to any one specific type of 
women's apparel and, indeed, may be embodied in many different types of 
dresses, gowns, jumpsuits and the like. The garment 10 has a bodice 12 
intended to extend generally from the neck of the wearer to the waist 
thereof and comprising a front-piece 14 that is normally hidden from view 
and a backpiece 16 that is normally exposed. The frontpiece 14 and the 
backpiece 16 are connected together along their marginal extremities, such 
as side seams 18 (only one being shown) and shoulder seams 20, so as to 
give the bodice 12 an overall tubular configuration that enables it to 
receive the upper portion of the woman's body during use. The bodice 12 
may, of course, be provided with sleeves 22 in communication with armholes 
24 (only one being shown) in the bodice 12. Similarly, the bodice 12 may 
be provided with any type of collar 26, skirt 28, or pantlegs (not shown). 
The frontpiece 14 has opening means therein in the form of a large opening 
30 disposed symmetrically with respect to a medial axis 32 extending 
vertically from the waist to the collar 26 so that a pair of open areas 34 
and 36 on opposite sides of the axis 32 are located in position for the 
woman's breasts to project therethrough. Although the open areas 34 and 36 
are illustrated herein as intersecting one another along the axis 32 so as 
to present the opening means in the form of a single large opening 30, it 
is to be understood that it is within the scope of the present invention 
to separate the open areas 34 and 36 by a central vertically extending 
strip (not shown) along the axis 32 if desired. 
The frontpiece 14 is illustrated by way of example as being generally 
U-shaped, having a pair of opposite side stretches 38 and 40 extending 
upwardly from the waist along the side seams 18 and separated by the 
opening 30. Furthermore, a transverse stretch 42 of the frontpiece 14 
extends between and interconnects the side pieces 38, 40 generally below 
the opening 30 and slightly above the waist. If desired, the frontpiece 14 
may be rendered generally box-shaped by the addition of a second 
transverse stretch (not shown) interconnecting stretches 38, 40 above the 
opening 30. The side stretches 38, 40 extend upwardly from the waist, 
around the armholes 24, and terminate along the shoulder seams 20. 
A single panel 44 (shown flipped up in FIG. 3) is common to both opening 
areas 34, 36, covering the entire opening 30. The panel 44 extends 
transversely of the axis 32 in opposite directions therefrom across the 
frontpiece 14 and terminates in a pair of laterally extreme side edges 46 
and 48 that are disposed beyond the areas 34, 36 when the panel 44 is 
fully closed, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. A lower edge 50 of the 
panel 44 interconnects the side edges 46, 48 and is disposed below the 
areas 34, 36 when the panel 44 is closed. If desired, the panel 44 may be 
constructed in two parts, e.g., side-by-side parts 52 and 54 fastened down 
the front by any suitable fastening means (not illustrated), all as may be 
required or desirable in accordance with styling trends and other 
considerations. 
The panel 44 is attached generally along the top thereof to the bodice 12 
in a hingedly suspended manner so that the lower edge 50 and side edges 
46, 48 thereof may be swung a short distance outwardly away from the 
frontpiece 14 when it is time to nurse. The specific means for 
accomplishing such attachment and the length of the panel 44 that is to 
swing may vary, it being necessary only that the lower portion of the 
panel 44 be swung outwardly a sufficient distance to permit the nursing 
baby to be inserted up under the panel 44, between the latter and the 
frontpiece 14. In FIGS. 1-3, the panel 44, while extending the full length 
of the bodice 12 from the waist to the shoulder seams 20, is nonetheless 
so affixed to the frontpiece 14 that only that portion of the panel 44 
below the bustline swings outwardly while the upper portion along the 
shoulder seams 20 and the armholes 24 remain in place. It is to be 
understood, however, that the panel 44 could swing more completely, such 
as would be the case if it were hingedly attached only along the shoulder 
seams 20 or neckline and not also along the seams around the armholes 24. 
Regardless of the selected manner of swinging, it is important to note 
that the transverse dimensions of the panel 44 are such that those 
portions of the side edges 46, 48 below the bustline wrap under and are 
disposed below the armholes 24 so as to substantially overlap the side 
stretches 38, 30 of the frontpiece 14. Similarly, the lower edge 50 of the 
panel 44 is disposed sufficiently far enough below the bustline to 
substantially overlap the transverse stretch 42 of the front-piece 14. 
The panel 44 may be held in its fully closed position, as illustrated in 
FIGS. 1 and 2, by any number of means, such as, for example, buttons, 
zippers, ties, snaps and other fasteners. An additional example is 
illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 wherein the edges of the panel 44 and 
corresponding regions of the frontpiece 14 are provided with mating strips 
56 and 58 respectively, of hook and eye curly pile material sold under the 
trademark "VELCRO." The strips 56, 58 provide a secure way of holding the 
panel 44 in place when nursing is not desired, and yet, such holding force 
can easily be overcome by simply stripping the panel 44 loose from the 
frontpiece 14 when it is time to nurse. 
An alternative embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 wherein the 
garment 110 is illustrated in the form of a nightgown. The principles of 
construction are similar to those for the garment 10, with the exception 
that the front panel 144 covering opening 130 has side edges 146 and 148 
that do not extend back underneath the armholes (not shown) of the gown 
110. Moreover, side margins of panel 144 are not sewn into the armhole 
seams and the means selected to hold the panel 144 in its closed position 
takes the form of a two-part strap or belt 160 that may be tied at the 
back. 
FIG. 6 shows another alternative arrangement in which the gown 210 has wide 
extensions 244a and 244b on its front panel that wrap around the bodice 
212 beneath the sleeves 222 for additional security against exposure 
during nursing. Extensions 244a and 244b may tie at the back if desired. 
FIG. 7 illustrates yet another garment 310 in which the front panel 344 is 
held in place by tabs 362 that overlap the backpiece 316 and have eyelets 
364 that receive buttons 366. 
The manner of preparing any of the above-described garments for nursing and 
then subsequently returning things to their initial condition should be 
readily apparent from the foregoing detailed description. Using the dress 
10 as an example, note that when the panel 44 is securely held in place by 
the strips 56 and 58, the outward appearance is such that no clue is given 
that the dress 10 is especially conducive to breast feeding. With any 
attachment points for the panel 44 being disposed along the shoulder seams 
20 or the seams surrounding the armholes 24, and with the side edges 46 
and 48 of the panel 44 being located below the armholes 24 and normally 
covered by the sleeves 22, the dress 10 will appear to all concerned to be 
simply an attractive piece of apparel entirely in step with contemporary 
styles and fashion trends. 
When it is time to nurse, the woman need only loosen the panel 44 from the 
frontpiece 14 along the strips 56, 58 and then allow the panel 44 to hang 
freely from its points of connection to the frontpiece 14 in the manner 
illustrated by the panel 144 in FIG. 5. This allows the woman to slip the 
baby up underneath the panel 44, while the latter continues to hang loose, 
so that the baby can gain access to the mother's breasts in the opening 
30. 
It is most important to recognize that the panel 44 need not be flipped up 
or folded back, such being illustrated in FIG. 3 only to reveal details of 
construction. By virtue of the fact that the panel 44 extends clear across 
the area normally occupied by both breasts, and by virtue further of the 
fact that it is hinged at the "top" rather than along the bottom, the 
breasts need not be uncovered for nursing, it being necessary only to 
provide for access thereto by the baby. This is accomplished quite 
sufficiently by the space created between the panel 44 and the frontpiece 
14 when panel 44 is loosened along its edges 46, 48 and 50. Note further 
that because of the substantial overlapping nature of the panel 44 with 
the stretches 38, 40 and 42 of the frontpiece 14, little opportunity for 
exposure is created. 
As a result of this special construction, a number of distinct and quite 
significant advantages are achieved. First, in addition to the blending of 
both style and function in a garment of the character described, the 
modesty of the mother is, of course, well preserved and peace of mind is 
promoted because her breasts need not be exposed during feeding. 
Moreover, note that depending on where the panel 44 hinges, i.e., along the 
shoulder seams 20, the neckline, or lower at the bustline or armholes, the 
panel 44 may be of such size as to allow the baby to be covered for warmth 
during nursing. Further, the fact that the baby is between the panel 44 
and the mother's body permits the baby to gain the advantage of the 
mother's own body heat at such time. 
Additionally, the mother herself is prevented from getting chilled during 
nursing because her breasts remain fully covered throughout the nursing 
procedure, a factor that can be quite significant in winter. This is 
especially true in the instance where the principles of the present 
invention are incorporated into a long nightgown such as illustrated in 
FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, wherein without the special front panel it would be 
necessary for the mother to shed her gown, lower the top of the gown or 
raise the skirt portion thereof sufficiently to expose her breasts. 
Substantial body heat could be lost in those circumstances, to the 
detriment of both the mother and the baby. 
An additional attribute lies in the convenience that is afforded by the 
fact that a single panel 44 covers both breasts. It is normally the 
practice for babies to nurse from both breasts in succession and, 
therefore, by making one initial preparation, i.e., by loosening the panel 
44 initially, conditions are set for nursing to be carried out on both 
breasts without additional manipulation of the garment being required. 
When nursing has been completed, it is only necessary to press the panel 44 
against the frontpiece 14 along edges 46, 48 and 50 so as to interlock the 
strips 56 and 58. Thereupon, the panel 44 will be returned to the initial 
condition illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. 
As is apparent, all of the foregoing attributes apply equally as well to 
the embodiments of FIGS. 4-7, it being necessary in the embodiment of 
FIGS. 4 and 5 to simply untie the straps 160 and allow the panel 144 to 
hang loosely as in FIG. 5 when it is time to nurse. Simply retying the 
straps 160 will once again return the panel 144 to its original condition. 
Similarly, untying the extensions 244a and 244b in FIG. 6 readies the gown 
210 for nursing, and by keeping the loose extensions 244a and 244b under 
sleeves 222, no side exposure is possible. Retying returns gown 210 to its 
initial condition. 
Alternatively, removing the tabs 362 of FIG. 7 from the buttons 366 through 
the eyelets 364 will place the garment in condition for nursing, while a 
rebuttoning will once again return things to their initial condition.