Abstract:
An infant positioner positions an infant in a supine position for sleeping and reduces the risk of developing positional plagiocephaly. The infant positioner includes a mat for supporting the torso of an infant. A first body pillow is attached to the mat, and a second body pillow is attached to the mat in spaced relationship with the first body pillow. A head positioner is attached to the mat for supporting the head of the infant lying supine on the mat between the first and second body pillows. The head positioner has at least one upper surface that slopes transversely such that the infant&#39;s head is caused to rotate to the side while sleeping in the supine position.

Description:
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 29/127,112 filed Jul. 31, 2000, now U.S. Design Patent No. D446,675 issued Aug. 21, 2001. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This application relates generally to devices for positioning an infant while sleeping, and relates more particularly to an infant positioner for reducing the risk of sudden infant death while also reducing the risk of positional plagiocephaly, i.e., a flattened or misshapen region of the skull. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Medical studies have shown that infants who sleep on their backs or sides have a reduced risk of dying suddenly from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), compared to infants who sleep on their stomachs. Efforts by the American Academy of Pediatrics to disseminate this information to pediatricians and parents has resulted in an increase in the practice of placing infants in a supine position, i.e., on their backs for sleeping. A decrease in the incidence of SIDS has been observed in recent years. 
     An unanticipated effect of the increasingly widespread practice of placing infants in a supine position for sleeping has been an increase in the number of infants developing positional plagiocephaly, i.e., a flat or misshapen area on the back of the skull. A newborn infant&#39;s skull is relatively deformable due to flexibility of the bone plates and non-fusion of the sutures between adjacent bone plates. This property of deformability permits the child&#39;s head to pass between the bones of the mother&#39;s pelvis during birth. As the infant matures, however, the bone plates of the skull become increasingly rigid and the sutures eventually fuse. 
     When an infant spends many hours daily sleeping exclusively on its back, the bones at the back of the skull tend to flatten from pressure against the sleeping surface due to the weight of the child&#39;s head. If the practice of sleeping exclusively on the back is continued through the critical period during which the bones of the skull become rigid, the flat or misshapen area on the back of the skull can become permanent. 
     It would be desirable to provide a structure that maintains the position of an infant on its back during sleep to gain the benefit of reducing the risk of dying from SIDS, but that also reduces the risk of the infant developing positional plagiocephaly. This and other desirable benefits are provided by the present invention described below in terms of a preferred embodiment. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An infant positioner is provided for positioning an infant in a supine position for sleeping. The infant positioner also reduces the risk of developing positional plagiocephaly in an infant sleeping in a supine position. The infant positioner includes a mat, a first body pillow attached to the mat, and a second body pillow attached to the mat in spaced relationship with the first body pillow. The spacing accommodates an infant&#39;s torso lying in a supine position on the mat between the first and second body pillows. A head positioner is attached to the mat for supporting the head of an infant lying supine on the mat between the first and second body pillows. The head positioner has at least one upper surface that slopes transversely such that the infant&#39;s head is caused to rotate to the side while sleeping in the supine position. 
     Other advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the description of preferred embodiments, made with reference to the drawings, that follows. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings, 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of an infant positioner configured in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the infant positioner of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is an opposite side elevational view of the infant positioner of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a foot end view of the infant positioner of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a head end view of the infant positioner of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the infant positioner of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the infant positioner of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of an infant positioner configured in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the infant positioner of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 10 is an opposite side elevational view of the infant positioner of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 11 is a foot end view of the infant positioner of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 12 is a head end view of the infant positioner of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 13 is a top plan view of the infant positioner of FIG. 8; and 
     FIG. 14 is a bottom plan view of the infant positioner of FIG.  8 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-7, there is illustrated a first embodiment of an infant positioner  10  constructed in accordance with the present invention. 
     The infant positioner  10  includes a mat  12  comprising a woven or non-woven fabric. As preferred, mat  10  is constructed of cotton terry cloth or cotton flannel which, advantageously, is soft, liquid absorbent, sewable, conventionally washable, low in cost, and has a non-slip surface. All of these advantages make this material well suited for use with an infant. Mat  12  has a body portion  14  that is generally rectangular in shape, and a head portion  16  that is of lesser width than body portion  14  and that extends therefrom. 
     Overall, mat  12  is somewhat T-shaped with head portion  16  forming the stem of the T and with body portion  14  forming the cross-bar of the T. Body portion  14  is defined by a top surface  18 , an opposite bottom surface  20 , opposite side edges  22  and  24 , foot edge  26 , and shoulder edge  28 . Head portion  16  is defined by top surface  18  and bottom surface  20  shared with body portion  14 , by opposite side edges  30  and  32 , and by head edge  34 . 
     Shoulder edge  28  is interrupted by head portion  16  and side edges  30  and  32 , which extend therefrom. Each of edges  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32  and  34  is generally straight, whereas edge  22  is slightly curved concavely. Edges  22 ,  24 ,  30  and  32  are generally parallel to each other. Edges  26 ,  28  and  34  are generally parallel to each other and generally perpendicular to edges  22 ,  24 ,  30  and  32 . Edges  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32  and  34  together form a continuous perimeter edge  36  of mat  12  that is bound against ravelling by a single length of binding tape  38 . The perimeter edge  36  is overlapped by binding tape  38  which is folded lengthwise and stitched to mat  12  at stitch line  40 . Binding tape  38  preferably comprises a woven fabric of synthetic material such as polyester or the like. 
     Infant positioner  10  also includes a pair of body pillows  42  and  44 . First body pillow  42  is permanently attached to mat  12 , whereas second body pillow  44  is movably attachable to mat  12  in a range of positions to facilitate adjusting the fit of infant positioner  10  to an individual infant, as described further below. First body pillow  42  is elongated, resilient, elastomeric, compressible and shape-retaining. Lengthwise, first body pillow  42  is slightly curved in a curvature that substantially matches the curvature of side  22  of mat  12 . In transverse cross-section, first body pillow  42  preferably has the configuration of an equilateral triangle. Other triangular configurations can be used, if desired. Also, first body pillow  42  can have alternative cross-sectional configurations, if desired, including other polygonal shapes such as, for example, a trapezoid, or rounded semi-circular, semi-elliptical, or semi-oval configurations. It is preferred to use a cross-sectional configuration for first body pillow  42  having at least one flat side adjacent mat  12  to achieve a desired stable relationship with mat  12 . 
     First body pillow  42  has two exposed, longitudinal upper faces  46  and  48 , a triangular foot end  50  and a triangular shoulder end  52 . The third longitudinal face of pillow  42  lies adjacent mat  12 . Upper faces  46  and  48  and triangular ends  50  and  52  are covered with the same or similar fabric material, preferably terry cloth or cotton flannel, from which mat  12  is constructed. The core of body pillow  42  is preferably polyurethane foam. Other materials are also contemplated such as, for example, polyester fiber fill. When a polyurethane foam is used, a conventional hot water and detergent washing procedure for infant positioner  10  may not be desirable because of the heat sensitivity of foams in common use. Washing in cold or warm water would be more preferred. 
     The fabric covering faces  46  and  48  and ends  50  and  52  of first body pillow  42  is preferably sewn to the fabric of mat  12  to retain first body pillow  42  in a fixed location and orientation with respect to mat  12 . More specifically, first body pillow  42  is disposed with one longitudinal apex closely adjacent concavely curved side edge  22 , with body pillow  42  also being curved concavely as viewed from a point offset away from side edge  22  of mat  12 . Viewed from the opposite direction, i.e., from a point near the center of body portion  14  of mat  12 , body pillow  42  would appear to be curved convexly. 
     Second body pillow  44  is substantially similar in shape to first body pillow  42 , and is likewise elongated, resilient, elastomeric, compressible and shape-retaining. Lengthwise, second body pillow  44  is slightly curved in a curvature that substantially matches the curvature of first body pillow  42 , but the direction of curvature is opposite to that of first body pillow  42 . In transverse cross-section, second body pillow  44  preferably has the configuration of an equilateral triangle. Other cross-sectional configurations, as described above with respect to first body pillow  42 , can be used if desired. Second body pillow  44  has at least one flat side adjacent mat  12  for stability, similar to first body pillow  42 , but is not permanently attached in a fixed position to mat  12 , as described further below. 
     Second body pillow  44  has two exposed, longitudinal upper faces  54  and  56 , a triangular foot end  58  and a triangular shoulder end  60 . The third longitudinal face of pillow  44  lies adjacent mat  12 . As with first body pillow  42 , upper faces  54  and  56  and triangular ends  58  and  60  are covered with the same or similar fabric material, preferably terry cloth or cotton flannel, from which mat  12  is constructed. Like first body pillow  42 , the core of second body pillow  44  is preferably polyurethane foam, but other materials are also contemplated such as, for example, polyester fiber fill. 
     The fabric covering upper faces  54  and  56  and ends  58  and  60  of second body pillow  44  is preferably sewn to fabric of like kind that covers the third longitudinal face of body pillow  44  that lies adjacent mat  12 . In other words, the core material of second body pillow  44  is covered on all five faces with fabric, preferably terry cloth or cotton flannel. 
     Second body pillow  44  is not attached in a fixed location and orientation with respect to mat  12 , but rather is removably attached thereto in a range of positions. Generally speaking, second body pillow  44  is disposed with one concavely curved longitudinal apex generally parallel to and adjacent side edge  24 . Second body pillow  44  is curved concavely as viewed from a point offset away from side edge  24  of mat  12 . Viewed from the opposite direction, i.e., from a point near the center of body portion  14  of mat  12 , body pillow  44  would appear to be curved convexly. 
     To permit the location of second body pillow  44  to be adjusted relative to mat  12 , a well-known hook and loop fabric fastener system  62  is employed. Fastener system  62  includes a first elongated strip component  64  having a plurality of fiber loops on the face thereof. Preferably, loop component  64  is attached to the top surface  18  of mat  12 , with the loops facing upwardly. This arrangement is preferred because the loop component of the hook and loop fastener system is less scratchy than the hook portion, and the infant is more likely to come in contact with the portion attached to mat  12 . Elongated loop component  64  is oriented transversely relative to the intended orientation of second pillow  44  and therefore lies generally parallel to and about halfway between edges  26  and  28 , while extending inwardly from edge  24  toward the central area of body portion  14  of mat  12 . Stitches  66  secure loop component  64  to mat  12 . 
     Fastener system  62  further includes a second elongated strip component  68  having a plurality of hooks suitable for releasably engaging the loops of component  64  in well-known fashion. Hook component  68  is attached to the lower longitudinal face of second body pillow  44  with the loops facing downwardly toward mat  12  and toward loop component  64 . Elongated hook component  68  is oriented transversely relative to second body pillow  44  and is affixed thereto by stitching about halfway between triangular ends  58  and  60 , so as to overlie loop component  64  in normal use. Hook component  68  has a length equal to or less than the width of the face of second body pillow  44  to which it is affixed. Loop component  64  has a length greater than that of hook component  68 , thereby permitting second body pillow  44  to be removably attached to mat  12  in a range of lateral positions relative to first body pillow  42 . 
     Associated with mat  12  and comprising a further component of infant positioner  10  is a head positioner  70  that, in this first embodiment, is generally wedge-shaped. Head positioner  70  has a substantially rectangular base face  72  defined by opposite side edges  74  and  76 , a shoulder edge  78 , and a head edge  80 . Edges  74  and  76  are generally parallel to each other and generally perpendicular to edges  78  and  80 . Head positioner  70  has a first upper face  82  and a second upper face  84  extending upwardly from side edges  74  and  76 , respectively, to meet at an apex  86 . Head positioner  70  has a transverse cross-sectional configuration, i.e., in a direction generally parallel to edges  78  and  80 , that is triangular. Foot end face  88  and head end face  90 , which connect base face  72  to upper faces  82  and  84  are likewise triangular in configuration. In this first embodiment, the apex  86  is disposed substantially closer to one side edge  76  than to the other side edge  74  such that upper face  82  is substantially longer in the transverse direction than is upper face  84 . In general, head positioner  70  can be described as wedge shaped with one upper face  82  sloping from near side edge  76  to side edge  74 . 
     Base face  72 , upper faces  82  and  84 , and end faces  88  and  90  of head positioner  70  are all covered with a fabric material that preferably is the same as or similar to the fabric of which mat  12  is constructed, namely terry cloth or cotton flannel. The fabric covering faces  72 ,  82 ,  84 ,  88 ,  90  is preferably sewn together at the mating edges to form a continuous terry cloth covering surface. Edges  74 ,  76 ,  78  and  80  together form a continuous perimeter base edge  94  of head positioner  70  that is bound against ravelling by a single length of binding tape  96 . The perimeter base edge  94  is overlapped by binding tape  96  which is folded lengthwise and stitched to head positioner  70  at stitch line  98 . Binding tape  96  preferably comprises a woven fabric of synthetic material such as polyester or the like, the same as or similar to the binding tape  38  used with mat  12 . 
     Head positioner  70  is attached to head portion  16  of mat  12 . Preferably, the shoulder edge  78  of head positioner  70  overlaps the head edge  34  of head portion  16 . The amount of overlap is a relatively small fraction of the length of head positioner  70  as defined by the distance between shoulder edge  78  and head edge  90 . Preferably, the amount of overlap is about one inch. In this first embodiment, head positioner  70  is secured to head portion  16  of mat  12  by stitching the overlapping portions together. 
     Alternatively, head positioner  70  could be removably attached to head portion  16  by a hook and loop fabric fastener system similar to that used to removably attach second body pillow  44  to mat  12 . If a hook and loop fastener system is employed, the hook component and the loop component would be affixed to respective ones of the overlapping portions of head positioner  70  and head portion  16  of mat  12 . Preferably, the loop portion would be affixed to head portion  16  of mat  12 , as the loop portion is less scratchy and the portion of the hook and loop fastener affixed to head portion  16  would be more likely to be contacted by the infant. 
     As a further alternative, a loop portion of the hook and loop fastener system could be affixed to head positioner  70  in two locations, one location being adjacent to edge  78  and the other being along edge  80 . With such an arrangement, the orientation of head positioner  70  could be reversed so that the direction of slope of upper surface  82  could be reversed. By periodically removing, reversing the orientation, and reattaching head positioner  70  to mat  12 , it can be assured that the infant will not sleep with its head turned in one direction more than the other. 
     In use, an infant  100  is placed on its back upon infant positioner  10  for sleeping. The infant&#39;s torso is disposed upon body portion  14  of mat  12 , while the infant&#39;s head is disposed upon head positioner  70 . Second body pillow  44  is moved closer to or farther away from first body pillow  42 , as required to hold the infant snugly. The sloping upper face  82  of wedge-shaped head positioner  70  causes the sleeping infant&#39;s head to rotate sideways under the force of gravity such that the infant&#39;s head is facing toward the base of the slope. This rotation, or turning, of the infant&#39;s head prevents the infant from developing a flat spot on the back of the skull, since the weight of the head is borne on the side of the head rather than on the back of the head. 
     Referring to FIGS. 8-14, there is illustrated an infant positioner  10 ′, comprising a second embodiment of the present invention. Infant positioner  10 ′ is in many respects substantially identical to the first embodiment of the present invention embodied in infant positioner  10  shown in FIGS. 1-7. To avoid unnecessary duplication, those elements of the second embodiment that are identical to the elements of the first embodiment described above will not be described again. To facilitate reference to and application of the description of the first embodiment above to the second embodiment, like elements are designated with like primed reference numerals. Those elements of the second embodiment that differ from but generally correspond to elements of the first embodiment are designated with like reference numerals in the 200 series. 
     Again referring to FIGS. 8-14, associated with mat  12 ′ and comprising a further component of infant positioner  10 ′ is a head positioner  270  that, in this second embodiment, is generally pyramid-shaped. Head positioner  270  has a substantially rectangular base face  272  defined by opposite side edges  274  and  276 , a shoulder edge  278 , and a head edge  280 . Edges  274  and  276  are generally parallel to each other and generally perpendicular to edges  278  and  280 . Head positioner  270  has a first upper face  282  and a second upper face  284  extending upwardly from side edges  274  and  276 , respectively, to meet at an apex  286 . Head positioner  270  has a transverse cross-sectional configuration, i.e., in a direction generally parallel to edges  278  and  280 , of an isosceles triangle. Foot end face  288  and head end face  290 , which connect base face  272  to upper faces  282  and  284  are likewise configured as isosceles triangles. In this second embodiment, the apex  286  is disposed substantially midway between side edge  276  and side edge  274  such that upper face  282  is substantially the same length in the transverse direction as upper face  284 . In general, head positioner  270  can be described as pyramid-shaped with both. upper faces  282  and  284  sloping equally from apex  286  to side edges  274  and  276 , respectively. 
     Base face  272 , upper faces  282  and  284 , and end faces  288  and  290  of head positioner  270  are all covered with a fabric material that preferably is the same as or similar to the fabric of which mat  12 ′ is constructed, namely terry cloth. The fabric covering faces  272 ,  282 ,  284 ,  288 , and  290  is preferably sewn together at the mating edges to form a continuous terry cloth or cotton flannel covering surface. Edges  274 ,  276 ,  278  and  280  together form a continuous perimeter base edge  294  of head positioner  270  that is bound against ravelling by a single length of binding tape  296 . The perimeter base edge  294  is overlapped by binding tape  296  which is folded lengthwise and stitched to head positioner  270  at stitch line  298 . Binding tape  296  preferably comprises a woven fabric of synthetic material such as polyester or the like, the same as or similar to the binding tape  38 ′ used with mat  12 ′. 
     Head positioner  270  is attached to head portion  16 ′ of mat  12 ′. Preferably, the shoulder edge  278  of head positioner  270  overlaps the head edge  34 ′ of head portion  16 ′. The amount of overlap is a relatively small fraction of the length of head positioner  270  as defined by the distance between shoulder edge  278  and head edge  290 . Preferably, the amount of overlap is about one inch. Head positioner  270  is removably attached to head portion  16 ′ of mat  12 ′ by a hook and loop fabric fastener system similar to that used to removably attach second body pillow  44 ′ to mat  12 ′. The hook component and the loop component are affixed to respective ones of the overlapping portions of head positioner  270  and head portion  16 ′ of mat  12 ′. Preferably, the loop portion is affixed to head portion  16 ′ of mat  12 ′, as the loop portion is less scratchy and the portion of the hook and loop fastener affixed to head portion  16 ′ would be more likely to be contacted by the infant. Alternatively, head positioner  270  could be removably attached to head portion  16 ′ by stitching the overlapping portions together as in the first embodiment. 
     In use, an infant  100 ′ is placed on its back upon infant positioner  10 ′ for sleeping. The infant&#39;s torso is disposed upon body portion  14 ′ of mat  12 ′, while the infant&#39;s head is disposed upon head positioner  270 . Second body pillow  244  is moved closer to or farther away from first body pillow  242 , as required to hold the infant snugly. The sloping upper faces  282  and  284  of pyramid-shaped head positioner  270  cause the sleeping infant&#39;s head to rotate sideways under the force of gravity such that the infant&#39;s head is facing toward the base of one or the other of the slopes. The symmetrical configuration of head positioner  270  does not provide a bias toward one side or the other, and the caregiver can alternate placement of the infant&#39;s head to one side or the other at each use of infant positioner  10 ′. This rotation, or turning, of the infant&#39;s head prevents the infant from developing a flat spot on the back of the skull, since the weight of the head is borne on one side of the head or the other, rather than on the back of the head. 
     While the present invention has been described in detail in terms of preferred embodiments, the description is illustrative only and no limitation of the scope of the invention is intended thereby. The scope of the invention in which applicant is claiming exclusive rights is defined by the claims below.