Nursing sling pillow

#Nursing pillows are cushioned devices used or worn by caretakers when feeding or nursing an infant. Such pillows are generally put on the caretaker's lap during feeding to support an infant so that the caretaker can rest his or her hands from time to time. Some nursing pillows wrap around a caretaker's body, but such pillows are large and therefore are not easily portable. Although nursing pillows may support an infant, they don't orient a baby's head toward a caretaker's chest, so the baby needs to be pushed towards the caretaker.

#Infant sling-type carriers are devices used to carry an infant from birth up until the infant weighs approximately 30 pounds. Such carrier-type slings are typically fabricated from a flexible fabric and comprise a carrier panel terminating at one or both ends in a tail portion, which serves as a sling tie. The sling is formed by securing the ends of the carrier panel. While sling carriers may generally orient an infant toward the chest of a caretaker, an infant's head and body must be further supported in order for breast feeding to be successful.

#Considering the fact that an infant may nurse 10 to 15 times every day for sometimes between 15 and 30 minutes, caretakers are faced with the very real possibility that the act of nursing may result in pain and even injury. Wrist and/or back injuries caused at least in part by nursing may persist for years after a child's infancy, for example. Such injuries are more likely when a pillow is not easily available to support the weight of a nursing infant. The prospect of pain and injury may shorten the time that a child is breast fed by the caretaker, which may be disadvantageous for the child.

#FIG. 1 is a left side perspective view of one embodiment of the present nursing sling pillow.

#FIG. 2 is a right side perspective view of the nursing sling pillow of FIG. 1.

#FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of a caretaker using the nursing sling pillow of FIG. 1 to support an infant.

#The reference numbers in the figures designate the following components of the present nursing sling pillow:

#Reference Component Subcomponent Number Nursing sling pillow 10 Adult user, caretaker 20 Infant user 30 Loop 60 Loop inner 61 surface Loop outer 63 surface Loop proximal 66 end Cover 70 Outer surface 71 Panel 75 Cushion portion 100 Right side 102 Left side 104 Cushion cover 105 Seam 106 Medial portion 107 Side panel 110 Proximal end 126 Distal end 128 Inner surface 130 Inner panel 131 Outer surface 140 Outer panel 143 Arm hole 150 Right side 152 opening Left side 154 opening Proximal end 156 Distal end 158 Inner surface 151 First inner 153 surface Second inner 155 surface Fastener 200 Straps, strap portion 300 Strap outer 301 surface Strap inner 303 surface First strap 330 First strap 332 proximal end First strap 334 distal end Second strap 350 First strap 352 proximal end First strap 354 distal end

#As used herein, the following terms and variations thereof have the meanings given below, unless a different meaning is clearly intended by the context in which such term is used.