The present invention relates generally to a nipple protection device for breastfeeding mothers and, more particularly, to a nipple shield for covering a nipple and at least a portion of the breast surrounding the nipple during breastfeeding.
Nursing mothers are known to experience some discomfort during breastfeeding, particularly due to sensitive, sore and/or irritated nipples. Such discomfort can effect and sometimes hinder suitable nursing of a baby, as well as detract from the maternal experience in providing care to her baby. To alleviate at least some of the discomfort, some nursing mothers will wear a nipple shield during breastfeeding. Conventional nipple shields are typically smaller than a breast and fit over the nipple and surrounding area. A nipple portion of the shield may partially or fully enclose the mother's nipple. The baby then latches onto the nipple shield and feeds as normal, with the nipple shield at least inhibiting some of the discomfort that may otherwise be experienced upon direct contact of the baby with the mother's nipple.
However, conventional nipples shields have some disadvantages due to inadequate configuration. For example, currently available nipple shields have generally rounded ends so that they do not fit tight against the end of the mother's nipple. This can lead to pooling of breast milk within the nipple shield and can also result in additional discomfort for the breastfeeding mother due to pinching or rubbing of the nipple shield against the nipple. The cylindrical shape of the nipple portion of conventional nipple shield can also result in pooling and additional discomfort.
Additionally, the base portion of current nipple shields (i.e., the part that seats against the mother's breast) covers too much of the breast, resulting in the baby's face and in particular the baby's nose to press against the base portion of the nipple shield during feeding. This is a less natural feeling for the baby and may inhibit proper latching, or cause the baby to not want to feed while the mother is wearing the nipple shield.
In one aspect, a nipple shield for shielding a nipple and a portion of a breast that surrounds the nipple of a nursing mother while breastfeeding a baby generally comprises a base portion having a cutout for allowing a nose of the baby to contact the mother's breast during breastfeeding and a nipple portion that extends outward from the base portion. The nipple portion comprises a sidewall and a generally flat end wall that has a plurality of openings therein. The nipple portion is configured for receiving the nipple therein and to be placed in the baby's mouth during breastfeeding.
In another aspect, a nipple shield for shielding a nipple and a portion of a breast that surrounds the nipple of a nursing mother while breastfeeding a baby generally comprises a base portion having a generally dome shape for cupping the portion of the breast that surrounds the nipple and a nipple portion extending outward from the base portion and defining a chamber configured to receive the nipple. The nipple portion includes a sidewall and a generally flat end wall having a plurality of openings therein. At least some of the openings are arranged in a hexagonal pattern.
In still another aspect, a nipple shield product line generally comprises a small nipple shield that comprises a base portion and a nipple portion extending outward from the base portion, a medium nipple shield that comprises a medium base portion and a medium nipple portion extending outward from the medium base portion, and a large nipple shield that comprises a base portion and a nipple portion extending outward from the base portion. Each of the small, medium, and nipple portions have a diameter, a height, and thereby a diameter-to-height ratio. The diameter-to-height ratios of each of the small, medium, and nipple portions are substantially similar.
Other features of the invention will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
The illustrated nipple shield 100 is fabricated from a thin, pliant material for enabling the baby to stimulate at least one of the breast and the nipple while the nipple shield 100 is covering the nipple and surrounding portion of the breast during feeding. In one suitable embodiment, the nipple shield 100 is fabricated from a substantially pliable material such as at least one of a rubber material, a silicone material, and a latex material. One exemplary material suitable for fabricating the nipple shield 100 includes LIM 6030 liquid silicone rubber available from Momentive Performance Materials of Albany, N.Y., U.S.A. It is contemplated, however, that the nipple shield 100 may be fabricated from any suitable material without departing from the scope of this invention.
The illustrated nipple shield 100 is suitably transparent or translucent to enable the mother and the baby to see the mother's breast including her nipple through the nipple shield. It is understood, however, that the nipple shield 100 may instead be opaque.
As seen in
With reference to
The base portion 110 includes two rounded edge segments 140 that transition from the cutout 130 to remaining circumference of the outer edge 122. One of the edge segments 140 are disposed on one side of the cutout 130 (e.g., the left side as viewed in
The nipple portion 120 extends outward from the crest of the dome shaped base and defines a chamber 122 (
The sidewall 160 of the nipple portion 120 is tubular and tapers slightly inward as it extends from the base portion 110 to the end wall 170. As a result, a first diameter D1 of the sidewall, which is proximate to the base portion 110, is greater than a second diameter D2, which is proximate to the end wall 170. In the illustrated embodiment, the first diameter D1 is about 18 mm and the second diameter D2 is about 16 mm. Suitably, the ratio between the first diameter and second diameter (i.e., a first diameter-to-second diameter ratio) is between about 1.05 and about 1.2. Thus, it is understood that the first and second diameters of the tubular sidewall can be different than 18 mm and 16 mm, respectively.
Additionally, the nipple portion 120 has a height H such that a diameter-to-height ratio of the nipple portion is between about 1.15 and about 1.4. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the height is about 13 mm. The nipple shield 100 illustrated in
The nipple portion 120 includes a second transition portion 210 transiting the tapered sidewall 160 to the generally flat end wall 170. The end wall 170, which is slightly convex, has a radius (not shown) of about 50 mm. It is contemplated that the end wall 170 can be flat or have any suitable radius without departing from the scope of this invention.
In the illustrated embodiment, the nipple portion 120 includes thirteen openings 180. As seen in
During use and as illustrated in
With the nipple shield 100 properly placed on the mother's breast, the baby is able to nurse in a conventional manner. To feed (i.e., express milk from the mother's breast), the baby closes her mouth on the nipple shield 100 about the nipple portion 120 such that the baby is able to compress milk sinuses in the breast through the nipple shield 100. As the baby sucks on the nipple shield 100, the mother's nipple is drawn up into the chamber 122 of the nipple portion 120. The nipple shield 100, as a result of the material from which it is fabricated from and its thickness (e.g., 0.4 mm), does not significantly effect the baby's ability to stimulate the mother's breast and/or nipple.
The openings 180 in the end wall 170 of the nipple portion 120 allow milk to flow from the mother's nipple to the baby's mouth during feeding with little or no pooling within the chamber 122 in the nipple portion. The chamber 122 of the nipple portion 120 is suitably sized to reduce any area therein where milk can pool.
As mentioned above, the nipple shield 100 illustrated in
As seen in
The large nipple shield 500 includes a base portion 510 and a nipple portion 520 extending outward from the base portion (
The nipple portion 320 of the small nipple shield 300 is sized to fit a small nipple, the medium nipple portion 120 of the medium nipple shield 100 is sized to fit a medium nipple, and the nipple portion 520 of the larger nipple shield 500 is sized to fit a large nipple. Each nipple portion 320, 120, and 520 has a first diameter proximate to the base, a second diameter proximate to the end wall, and a height. In the exemplary embodiment, the nipple portion 320 of the small nipple shield 300 includes a sidewall 360 having a first diameter of about 14 mm and a second diameter of about 13 mm. As described above, the sidewall 160 of the medium nipple shield 100 has a first diameter of about 18 mm and a second diameter of about 16 mm. In the exemplary embodiment, the nipple portion 520 of the large nipple shield 500 includes a large sidewall 560 having a first diameter of about 26 mm and a second diameter of about 22 mm.
As such, the sidewalls 360, 160, and 560 have a substantially similar first diameter-to-second diameter ratio. In the illustrated embodiment, the first diameter-to-second diameter ratios of the small, medium, and large nipple portions 320, 120, and 520 are between about 1.05 and 1.2. Additionally, the small, medium, and large nipple portions 320, 120, and 520 have a substantially similar diameter-to-height ratio. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the diameter-to-height ratio is between about 1.15 and about 1.4.
The base portions 310, 510 of the small and large nipple shields 300, 500 are substantially the same size as the base portion 110 of the medium nipple shield 100. The base portion 110 of the medium nipple shield 100 is described above.
When introducing elements of the present invention or the preferred embodiment(s) thereof, the articles “a”, “an”, “the”, and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including”, and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.
As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/241,685 filed Sep. 11, 2009 and U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/245,542 filed Sep. 24, 2009, which are both incorporated herein in their entireties.
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