1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparel worn by a women to simulate natural breastfeeding in the sensory experience provided to the baby and the mother. More specifically, the present invention relates to a nursing bra having an inner pocket between the front and back layers with a circular elasticized opening for holding a nurser liner pouch.
2. Description of Related Art
The prior art in the field of baby bottles, nipples and other nursing devices do not acknowledge nor resolve the physical limitations of mothers who want to experience the bonding breastfeeding brings and project the appearance of natural breastfeeding. The bonding process between a mother and baby serves as a foundation for an emotionally stable and physically secure individual. Scientific research indicates that such bonding begins immediately after birth during the feeding process, especially that of breastfeeding. Baby bottles require a mom to hold the bottle with one hand while cradling the baby with the opposite arm and hand. Breastfeeding and simulated breastfeeding allows a mother to use her free hand and arm to touch and caress her baby thus aiding in the bonding process.
Some have designed inventions in the prior art of nursing bras and infant feeding devices to overcome the mentioned shortcomings but all have failed for various reasons. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,546 is a bib like device designed for nursing an infant. The bib like device is made from a fabric and includes a mammary shaped area defining a pouch for retaining liquid. The pouch is designed to receive a container and communicates with an opening in the fabric for the nipple on the container to protrude. When worn by either parent the device is said to improve bonding between child and parent by anatomically simulating the female.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,335 suggest a nursing baby bottle holder for supporting a baby bottle with a sling that can be draped around the neck of the person feeding the baby.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,086,517 suggest a surrogate nursing bib together with a pouch and a container. The pouch is made of a latex material to give a natural looking background with snaps to secure to the bib. The bib has straps to secure to the neck and waist of the wearer. The container has a nipple and is placed in the pouch so that the nipple protrudes through the opening in the pouch.
U.S. Pat. No. 2009/0166,481 presents a device for simulating breastfeeding that is a bell shaped cup adapted to put on a human breast and a shoulder strap attached to two opposite positions on the cup. A nursing bottle is placed inside the bell shaped cup with its nipple protruding out of the opening in the bell shaped cup to act like a breast for feeding a baby.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,686 suggest a device formed from a mold taken of a nursing mother's breast so that the shape exactly replicates the mothers nipple. This nipple then can be used to feed an infant when the mother cannot feed her infant or to allow a father or caregiver to feed the infant.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,993,479 suggest an infant feeding container that endeavors to imitate a female breast in form and function.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,679 suggest a container that is breast shaped that endeavors to simulate the feeling of a mothers breast.
U.S. Pat. No. 2009/0261054A1 suggest a infant feeding pouch that is a clear bag with two sections, a middle and two side wings. The middle oval section can contain fluid. When fluid enters the pouch it enlarges and when fluid exits it collapses. It is said to provide bonding through artificial breastfeeding.
Certainly, nursing brassieres, nursing devices and infant feeding containers are available for mothers to naturally breastfeed and to simulate breastfeeding. However the prior art has not developed significantly in providing a nursing bra with a nurser liner pouch such as this invention.
Accordingly, it is the general object of this invention to provide a nursing bra with a nurser liner pouch that when combined with a commercially available nipple and retainer ring will more closely simulate natural breastfeeding contributing to mother baby bonding.
Moreover, it is the object of this invention to provide a nursing bra and nurser liner pouch that when combined with a commercially available nipple and retainer ring will provide mothers emotionally and psychologically with the desired esthetic projected appearance of breastfeeding their babies.
It is the object of the present invention to develop a nursing bra and nurser liner that will help simulate and project the appearance of natural breastfeeding thus aiding in the bonding between mother and baby. To achieve this the nursing bra and nurser liner have a number of features which will insure a significant improvement compared to previously developed designs.
The nursing bra of the present invention includes multiple layers; 1. An outer layer of a breast supporting, soft, padded and stretchable material. 2. An inner layer of a soft stretchable material with a center circular elasticized opening. 3. A back layer of a soft stretchable material.
In addition the inner layer with a circular elasticized opening creates a pocket with the back layer to hold the nurser liner pouch.
The nurser liner pouch of the present invention is of an oblate ellipsoid shape that is of a soft, pliable, transparent, silicone material with a rigid silicone pre-formed threaded cap base attached. The nurser liner pouch can contain 5.25 oz of fluid, is hand washable, re-usable and is designed so that a commercially available nipple with retainer ring can be secured to the pre-formed threaded cap base.
The primary advantage of the present invention is that of a nursing bra designed with an inner layer with a circular opening that forms a pocket with the back layer for a nurser liner pouch containing fluid secured to a commercially available nipple and retainer ring that can then be put into the inner and back layer pocket of the nursing bra. The attached nipple can then protrude through the circular elasticized opening in the inner layer for a mother to nurse her baby in the simulated art of breastfeeding.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the nurser liner will slowly deflate as the fluid is drawn out by the nursing baby. As the nurser liner deflates and pushes the fluid through the attached nipple it will eliminate air in the nurser liner and the babies stomach thus simulating an advantage of natural breastfeeding.
Still another advantage of the present invention is the mother and the baby can assume the natural breast feeding position with baby lying on the mothers arm with its face turned toward the mothers' simulated nipple.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is the inner and back layer that forms a pocket in the nusing bra can also be used to hold a prosthesis once the nurser liner is removed.
Still another advantage of the present invention is that the nursing bra with nurser liner will aid mothers who may not be able to produce their own milk, mothers who have had a mastectomy of one or both breast, adoptive mothers or mothers who simply choose not to breastfeed to be able to simulate natural breastfeeding.
The claims and many of the present inventions advantages of the nursing bra with nurser liner pouch will be more readily appreciated as this invention becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed descriptions and considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
In this description the nursing bra with nurser liner pouch refers to a bra and a nurser liner pouch which is specifically designed for a mother to simulate the art of breastfeeding. Reference is now made to the figures wherein like parts are referred to by like numerals throughout.
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From the foregoing description it can be seen that a nursing bra with a nurser liner pouch designed to simulate and project the appearance of natural breastfeeding has been described in terms of the preferred embodiment. It should be noted that the drawings are not drawn to scale and that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
This application claims benefit of my earlier filed U.S. Provisional Patent Applications Ser. No. 62/123,807 entitled “Next Best Nursing Bra”, filed Nov. 29, 2014 and my U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.62/123,808 entitled ‘Next Best Nurser Liner’, filed on Nov. 29, 2014.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62123807 | Nov 2014 | US | |
62123808 | Nov 2014 | US |