Patent Publication Number: US-6711770-B1

Title: Nursing pillow

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a nursing pillow having a strap to keep a baby from rolling off during nursing. 
     2. The Prior Art 
     While nursing an infant, the mother&#39;s arms and back can often become sore due to holding the infant in an awkward position for prolonged periods of time. There have been many different devices that have been developed to make nursing more comfortable for both the mother and infant. 
     One of the most common devices is a nursing pillow. This pillow is generally U- or C-shaped and fits around the mother&#39;s waist. The infant then lies across the pillow during nursing. The pillow supports the infant&#39;s weight, thus relieving stress on the mother&#39;s back and arms. 
     While these pillows have been helpful, the infant is not secured to the pillow and can roll off of the pillow if the mother inadvertently lets go of the infant during nursing. This can be especially risky during feedings in the middle of the night, when the mother may fall asleep during nursing. 
     Another drawback of the common nursing pillow is its large width. Many nursing pillows are so wide that it becomes impossible for the wearer to sit in a conventional armchair or rocker while wearing the pillow. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a nursing pillow that prevents the baby from rolling off during nursing. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide a nursing pillow that has a narrow profile to enable the wearer to sit in narrow chairs. 
     These and other objects of the invention are accomplished by a support pillow comprising a generally U-shaped base having two free ends, a top surface and a bottom surface, and an infant securing strap attached at one end to the bottom surface of the base. The strap is adapted to be wrapped over an infant resting on the top surface of the base. The free end of the strap is removably securable on the base to secure the infant on the base during nursing. In an alternative embodiment, the strap is a two-part strap, each part of the strap being secured at one end to the base. The other end of each part is securable to each other to keep the infant secured to the base. This is especially useful late at night when the mother and/or the infant may fall asleep during nursing. 
     The free end is preferably securable to the base or to the other part of the strap in the two-part variation via a hook-and loop type fastener such as Velcro®. Other types of fasteners, such as snaps, hooks, etc, could also be used. The hook and loop fastener preferably comprises a strip of fastener across the free end of the strap and two strips of fastener along the base. The two strips are positioned perpendicular to the strip on the free end, so that the strap can be attached to the base along a defined area to accommodate infants of different sizes. 
     The strap is preferably made of a breathable mesh fabric so that the infant can breathe through it in the event that the infants head may slip under the strap. The base is preferably made of a fabric shell filled with a soft filler. However, other arrangements could be used as well, such as a solid foam base. 
     The two ends of the base are preferably attachable to each other via a buckle. Other attachment devices could also be used, such as tying the ends together, a button, a hook, etc. 
     The top surface of the base is slanted so that when the pillow is worn around the waist of the mother the infant is tilted so that its head faces the mother, placing it in an optimal position for nursing. The base has a larger cross section in a central area than at its two ends so that the ends are easily deformed to wrap around the waist of the mother. The central area is preferably wide and thick, to provide ample room for supporting the infant and to raise the infant to a sufficient height so as to enable nursing without elevation by the mother&#39;s arms. 
     The nursing pillow according to the invention provides a safe, comfortable environment for nursing an infant. It is simple to use and comfortable to wear. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed as an illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention. 
     In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views: 
     FIG. 1 shows a top view of the nursing pillow according to the invention with a baby resting thereon; 
     FIG. 2 shows a bottom view of the nursing pillow with the strap unattached; 
     FIG. 3 shows a close-up view of the strap attaching mechanism of the nursing pillow; and 
     FIG. 4 shows a side view of the nursing pillow. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now in detail to the drawings and, in particular, FIGS. 1-4 show the nursing pillow  10  according to the invention. Pillow  10  comprises a U-shaped base  11  having a central area  12  and two arms  13 . Base  11  is preferably made of a fabric shell filled with a soft filling. Arms  13  terminate in ends that are secured together by a buckle  14 , for securing pillow  10  around a user&#39;s waist. Arms  13  have a smaller cross-section than central area  12  to allow arms  13  to deform to wrap around the user&#39;s waist. 
     A strap  15  is attached at one end to the bottom surface of central area  12 , to wrap around and secure an infant  20  to base  11 . Strap  15  is wide and made of a breathable mesh material. Strap  15  has a free end  16  that contains a strip  17  of hook and loop-type fastener. Base  11  comprises two strips  18  of hook and loop-type fastener that are disposed perpendicular to strip  17 , so that strip  17  can be placed anywhere along strips  18  to secure strap  15  to base  11  in an adjustable manner. 
     As shown in FIG. 4, base  11  has a slanted profile, so that an infant resting on the top surface of central portion  12  of base  11 , is always facing toward the wearer, placing the infant in an optimal position for nursing. 
     Accordingly, while only a single embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it is obvious that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.