Patent Application
20120259303
The present invention relates generally to breast pads use by breastfeeding mothers to absorb breast milk from leaking breasts. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a disposable nursing breast pad having an inner cooling portion in contact with a nipple for increased healing effect and comfort and an outer portion for pulling the moisture away from the nipples.
Extensive research documents diverse and compelling advantages for infants, mothers, families, and society from breastfeeding and use of human milk for infant feeding. These advantages include health, nutritional, immunologic, developmental, psychological, social, economic, and environmental benefits. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) emphasized the importance of breastfeeding in an article called Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk.
Human milk is species-specific, and all substitute feeding preparations differ markedly from it, making human milk uniquely superior for infant feeding. The benefits of breastfeeding are countless, and only some of them may be summarized as:
However, not all the breastfeeding experiences are successful or pleasant, as almost every mother who attempts to breast feed her baby experiences some kind of sore and painful nipples. Several problems may occur, and for many women cracked, bleeding nipples and even breast infections may be involved. These problems are the main reason why many women abandon breastfeeding.
There are several treatments and procedures known in the prior art attempting to solve these problems. For example, a disposable nursing breast pad is known, contoured to fit the breast of a nursing woman, comprising a soft, highly absorbent material. Disposed adjacent the center of the pad's inner surface is a lubricating moisturizer, such as lanolin, to protect the woman's nipple and prevent dryness and cracking. The pads outer surface is provided with an adhesive for adhering to the inner surface of clothing, such as a regular or nursing brassiere, for securely maintaining the nursing pad in position on the woman's nipple when not nursing to absorb leaked milk and prevent staining of a garment worn by the woman.
Furthermore, an areola pad for use during breastfeeding is also known, comprising a flexible element composed of one or more bio-compatible polymers, where the element is breathable, and allows contact between the mother and the infant. The flexible element further includes a centrally located opening for receiving a nipple of any size, where the nipple extends through the opening and is uncovered.
Another known option is a breast pad having a wax-like medicament, such as lanolin, disposed on an exposed surface of an inner liner of the pad in only a limited region, leaving other regions of the inner liner with a permeable region free of the medicament.
In the prior art a disposable therapeutic breast pad for heating or cooling the female breast during nursing is also known comprising a generally disc-shaped, moisture impervious outer layer and an absorbent material disposed inwardly of the outer layer adapted to be soaked in hot or cold water so that the breast pad may be positioned adjacent the female breast with the absorbent material in direct contact therewith to heat or cool the female breast during nursing. Even though this solution involves a thermal treatment of the nipple, the procedure is cumbersome. In addition, soaking the material in cool water involves a very short and reduced effect on the nipple, and therefore, its results are unsatisfactory.
A nursing pad for absorbing milk leaking from a lactating user's nipple is also known. The nursing pad includes a water impermeable exterior layer with a center region, an outer perimeter, a concave inner face, and a convex outer face. The inner face of the exterior layer defines an inner space in which pluralities of coextensive generally hemispherical inner layers are disposed.
There are also several products for nipple treatment in the market. For example, Medela Incorporated commercializes a product called TENDER CARE HYDROGEL PADS as advanced soothing gel pads for a nipple therapy. These pads comprise a flexible plastic base on which a gel is applied. A plastic liner covers said gel surface before using it. To reduce stickiness and improve soothing, the gel pad must be passed under cool water before applying on the nipple. Prior to breastfeeding, the gel pad must be removed and placed on a clean surface such as the cover liner. After breastfeeding, the gel pad may be reapplied.
Another available nipple treatment device is a nipple shield commercialized under the brand name TheraShells by Medela, Inc. of McHenry, Ill. This product protects sore nipples from further irritation, and is a rigid, dome-shaped, multi-piece shell which overlies the areola and nipple to protect them from irritation, for example, from clothing. The shell includes holes which allow air to circulate around the nipple.
None of the above cited devices or treatments help to effectively ease pain and soreness usually involved during breastfeeding. Thus, there is a great need for a device which eases pain and soreness during breastfeeding, by a durable thermal treatment of the nipple, using simple and economical means.
Even though the above cited products address some of the needs of the market, a reliable and simple thermal treatment useful for soothing sore, burning and bleeding nipples is still desired.
This invention is directed to a disposable breast pad for a nursing woman, which provides an increased healing effect for soothing sore nipples and at the same time improving the wearer's comfort.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a thermal treatment for the nipple of a nursing woman to prevent discomfort caused by dryness and cracking.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a disposable breast pad to be worn by a nursing woman that creates a cooling effect lasting between 20 to 30 minutes thereby stopping the bleeding and burning of the skin of the nipples.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a disposable breast pad which adheres to the inner surface of a worn garment, such as a regular or nursing brassiere, for maintaining the pad securely in a fixed position on the woman's nipple.
Furthermore, another aspect of this invention comprises a disposable therapeutic breast pad having an internal central region and chemicals which are activated when a liquid holding bag is depressed by the user.
In a further aspect of the present invention, the purposed disposable nursing breast pad stops breast leakage and provides a cooling relief to some nipples at the same time.
In summary, the present invention is referred to a nursing breast pad, comprising a circular pad, including a front garment facing surface and a rear wearer facing surface. The space between the two surfaces includes a centrally located circular cooling means. An absorbent pad is attached to the outside wall of the wearer facing surface. The Space between the two surfaces contain a chemical powder and a liquid that, when combined, produce an endothermic cooling reaction.
These and other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the attached drawings and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments, which follow.
Referring now to
