Parent-Child Bonding Bib

This invention relates to a device for improving bonding between a parent and a child. More particularly, this invention relates to a bib for either parent having a pouch for holding a container of liquid for the child wherein a nipple on the container protrudes through an opening in the pouch for nursing the child.

Young children, and especially infants, having traditionally supplemented mammary suckling with water or nourishment from a nipple-bearing container. Such nourishment in the earliest period usually comprises a formula which is changed to or supplemented by whole milk and juice when the infant is about six or eight months old. The availability of bottles, caps, and nipples for sterilization by a parent to deliver the formula or milk through the nipple from the bottle is well known. Usually, a parent cradles an infant in one arm while holding the bottle in the other hand so that fluid, such as water, formula, or milk, is provided from the bottle through the nipple to the child. Such a traditional practice has not readily been accompanied by the use of a device to free the bottle-holding hand of the parent.

While maternal parents had in the past borne the major burden for care and feeding of infants, recently male parents have assumed a greater share of that function, for a number of reasons. Studies have shown the positive influence of bonding between parent and child which occurs as a result of the holding and feeding functions. Such studies have confirmed that bonding is improved between the male parent and the infant if the male parent participates more significantly in the nursing procedures. Moreover, even for non-nursing mothers, it has been important to create the bonding contact between parent and child by holding the child during bottle-nursing.

However, it is a shortcoming in the art that few devices are available to both parents to facilitate such nursing and its resulting bonding. Certainly, nursing brassieres are available for the convenience of the mother to nurse a child. However, the art has not developed significantly in providing devices intended for use by the male parent to assist in the nursing function, or other devices for use by the female parent to free the bottleholding hand, while maintaining bonding contact between a parent and the child.

Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to provide a device for aiding bonding contact between a parent and the infant while nursing.

It is another object to this invention to provide a bib-like fabric device which anatomically stimulates the female anatomy to be worn as a bib by the male parent.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a device for assisting either parent in nursing a child which holds the bottle in a way which frees both hands of the parent to support and caress the child.

It is still another object of this invention to provide such a device with novelty features to encourage its use by both parents.

It is another object of this invention to provide a nursing aid which may also function as a tote for carrying nursing paraphernalia.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a method for nursing a child which is convenient yet maintains or improves bonding contact between parents and a child, and especially between a male parent and a child.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from a detailed description of the invention which follows taken in conjunction with accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective top view of a nursing bib according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top cutaway view showing the device of FIG. 1 and the pouches therein for receiving nippled bottles;

FIG. 4 is a rear-interior view of the device of FIG. 1 showing its interior stuffing for shaping the device for anatomical simulation; and

FIG. 5 is an alternative fastener for securing the bib about the neck of its user.

FIG. 1 is a perspective top view of a nursing bib according to the invention, which is designated generally by the reference numeral 10. The bib 10 includes a body portion 11 terminating at its rearward end portion 11b in a pair of extending members 12a and 12b which are secured at the nape of the neck of its wearer. When so positioned, the bib 10 rests on the chest portion of its user and, as such, is particularly adapted for use by either parent, but especially the male member.

The bib 10 is preferably made from an upper fabric member 14 stitched along a stitching line 15 to a lower member 16 to form an interior space 17. Both the upper member 14 and the lower member 16 are preferably made from cloth for the convenience of the user, and the upper member 14 is preferably made from a cloth which is comfortable and familiar to the infant, such as terry cloth. The bib 10 shown in FIG. 1 functions as a device for assisting the nursing of an infant by containing, as best seen in FIG. 2, a bottle 18 having a cap 19 terminating in a nipple 20 within a pouch 22 defined by the interior 17 of the bib 10. Preferably, a pair of such pouches 22a and 22b are formed in the bib 10, which will be sometimes referred to herein as a "bonder", so that its function of improving bonding between a parent and child is respected. As indicated, the bonder 10 is preferably worn by the male parent but also may be utilized by the female parent because of its convenience.

Each of the pouches 22a and 22b terminates at the forward portion 11b of the bonder 10. An opening 24a, 24b communicates between the exterior of the bib 11 and each pouch 22a, 22b and is sized to permit a nipple to extend therethrough when a bottle 18 is secured in either pouch 22a, 22b. A bottle 18, a cap 19, and a nipple 20 are appropriately sterilized and a suitable fluid, such as, water, formula, juice, or milk is placed in the bottle and secured therein by the nipple 20 and the cap 19. As needed, the temperature of the liquid 26 may be adjusted as suitable for nursing a baby. The closed, sterilized bottle 18 is then manually inserted from the rearward end portion 11b into a sized pouch 22a, 22b in the interior space 17 so that the nipple 20 protrudes from the opening 24a, 24b. The device is then placed on the chest of its user, and the aft-extending portions 12a and 12b tied to free both hands of its user for caressing, holding, or supporting the nursing child. Thereafter, the child nurses on the bottle contained within the bonder 10 in a fashion which simulates actual nursing.

Preferably, the area 28 about the opening 24 is brightly colored not only to simulate anatomically the presence of the areola but also to attract and maintain the attention of the nursing child. The device may be provided in any suitable contrasting color, such as white, and the area 28 may be colored with a rainbow pattern.

The bonder 10 is given its quasi-anatomically-true shape by the presence of suitable stuffing 32 located intermediate the upper member 14 and lower member 16 within the interior 17 of the bonder 10. As best seen in FIG. 4, the stitching line 15 intermediate the aft-extending members 12A and 12B is not sewn completely closed so that the user has ready access to either pouch 22a, 22b as well as to insert and remove of the stuffing 32 so that the fabric upper members 14 and 16 may be easily laundered. The interior stuffing 32 may take a variety of shapes and forms so long as the pouches 22 are defined in the interior of the bonder 10 in a way which accommodates a bottle 18 of suitable size.

On occasion, the parent interested in bonding may prefer to utilize merely a pacifier having a nipple 20 so that the infant may suckle on the pacifier as is currently known. In that case, a pacifier is inserted into a pouch 22 so that the nipple of the pacifier protrudes from an opening 24.

The device is useful, not only for the male parent, but for the non-nursing female parent who cannot nurse for typical reasons, such as the injection of medication antithetical to the well-being of the baby.

In FIG. 4, ribbon-like structures 38 and 39 are secured to the portions 12a and 12b of the bonder 10 to facilitate tying about the neck of its user. Such fasteners may take other forms, such as clips, buttons, and other tieback devices, among which is a VELCRO brand fastener as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 5. The fastener of FIG. 5 has the convenience and advantages in securing the members 38 and 39 which are inherent in the use of such VELCRO brand fasteners.

When made of a suitable attractive outer member 14, such as white terry cloth, highly colored in the areola area 24 as described above, the device has a novelty characteristic as well. Moreover, it acts because of the small size of the nipple opening as a attractive tote bag or carrier for nursing paraphernalia within the pouches intended for use during nursing for housing the bottle 18. Thus, the device has a tote characteristic, wholly aside from its nursing and bonding functions. When so used, the members 38 and 39 are secured to act as handles for the tote bag, or for hanging the device 10 on a suitable fastener.

It will clearly be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing description has been made in terms of the preferred embodiments and various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is to be defined by the appended claims.