Lactation aid and soothing garment
A hands-free lactation aid and soothing garment can be used for simultaneous warm and cool therapy. Therapeutic cozies can be used in conjunction with a camisole or nursing camisole, bra, or nursing bra or apparel, can be inserted into a cozy cover for use with an adjustable neckband. With the appropriate breast cozies, breast pumping or nursing can occur simultaneously with warm/cool therapy, and a privacy shield attaches easily. An additional neck therapy insert can be used to sooth a sore neck, while an additional nipple soother can be attached to the center of the cozies to provide simultaneous warm and cold therapy to the effected area.
1. A therapeutic breast garment to be worn over the shoulders and around a user's neck like a scarf, comprising:
at least one microwavable and freezable breast cozy configured in an egg-shape, having an inner concave face and an outer concave face, with both faces sharing a circular, central stitched region with a series of thermal mass holding compartments radiating out 360° about a perimeter of said central stitched region;
an aperture ( 40 ) formed through said inner concave face and said outer concave face of said cozy near a perimeter joining said inner concave face of said cozy to said outer concave face of said cozy;
a first one-half mating strip of a hook-and-loop fastener ( 22 ) affixed adjacent said aperture ( 40 ) on said inner concave face;
a first means for fastening affixed adjacent said hook-and-loop fastener ( 22 ),
a fastening strap ( 46 ) having a proximate end affixed near the perimeter joining said inner concave face of said cozy to said outer concave face of said cozy and a second means for fastening adapted for mating engagement with said first means for fastening affixed to a distal end of said fastening strap,
wherein said thermal mass holding compartments that radiate out 360° about a perimeter of said central stitched region are defined by stitch lines extending normally from said perimeter of said central stitched region to a stitched circle about the perimeter of said inner concave face and said outer concave face of said cozy;
wherein said central stitched region further comprises a circular one-half mating strip of hook-and-loop fastener;
each at least one microwaveable and freezable breast cozy is placed in a washable cozy cover comprising an inner lobe-shaped fabric half cozy cover and an outer lobe-shaped fabric half cozy cover stitched about a portion of their exterior perimeter to form a pocket capable of retaining said cozy, said inner lobe-shaped fabric half cozy cover having at least one garment fastener affixed thereto, and a first aperture and a second aperture formed therethrough said outer lobe-shaped fabric half cozy cover, and a third aperture formed therethrough both said inner lobe-shaped fabric half cozy cover and said outer lobe-shaped fabric half cozy cover adjacent a side perimeter;
a second one-half mating strip of a hook-and-loop fastener affixed to said inner lobe-shaped fabric half cozy cover for mating engagement with said first one-half mating strip on said inner concave face of said breast cozy;
an adjustable neck strap having a distal end configured for mating engagement with said at least one garment fastener of a first cozy cover and a proximate end configured for mating engagement with said at least one garment fastener of a second cozy cover;
wherein said second cozy cover has a pairing strap affixed to a side perimeter thereof, wherein said pairing strap has a distal end connectable to a proximate end of said pairing strap, said pairing strap sized for passing through said third aperture formed therethrough a first cozy cover; and
the therapeutic breast garment having no fastening strap suitable for securing behind a user's back, and further comprising
a thermal nipple soother constructed as a polymer disk comprising at least one polymer disk face containing a microwaveable and freezable thermal mass, and
one-half of a hook-and-loop fastener attached to said at least one polymer disk face of the thermal nipple soother for mating attachment with said circular one-half mating strip of hook-and-loop-fastener of said central stitched region.
2. The therapeutic breast garment of claim 1 further comprising:
two garment fasteners; and
at least one connection strap removably connectable to said garment fasteners, so as to form a loop above said top of said cozy cover.
3. A therapeutic breast garment to be worn over the shoulders and around a user's neck like a scarf, comprising:
at least one microwavable and freezable breast cozy configured in an egg-shape, having an inner concave face and an outer concave face, with both faces sharing a circular, central stitched region with a series of thermal mass holding compartments radiating out 360° about a perimeter of said central stitched region;
an aperture ( 40 ) formed through said inner concave face and said outer concave face of said cozy near a perimeter joining said inner concave face of said cozy to said outer concave face of said cozy;
a first one-half mating strip of a hook-and-loop fastener ( 22 ) affixed adjacent said aperture ( 40 ) on said inner concave face;
a first means for fastening affixed adjacent said hook-and-loop fastener ( 22 ),
a fastening strap ( 46 ) having a proximate end affixed near the perimeter joining said inner concave face of said cozy to said outer concave face of said cozy and a second means for fastening adapted for mating engagement with said first means for fastening affixed to a distal end of said fastening strap,
wherein said thermal mass holding compartments that radiate out 360° about a perimeter of said central stitched region are defined by stitch lines extending normally from said perimeter of said central stitched region to a stitched circle about the perimeter of said inner concave face and said outer concave face of said cozy;
wherein said central stitched region further comprises a circular one-half mating strip of hook-and-loop fastener;
each at least one microwaveable and freezable breast cozy is placed in a washable cozy cover comprising an inner lobe-shaped fabric half cozy cover and an outer lobe-shaped fabric half cozy cover stitched about a portion of their exterior perimeter to form a pocket capable of retaining said cozy, said inner lobe-shaped fabric half cozy cover having at least one garment fastener affixed thereto, and a first aperture and a second aperture formed therethrough said outer lobe-shaped fabric half cozy cover, and a third aperture formed therethrough both said inner lobe-shaped fabric half cozy cover and said outer lobe-shaped fabric half cozy cover adjacent a side perimeter;
a second one-half mating strip of a hook-and-loop fastener affixed to said inner lobe-shaped fabric half cozy cover for mating engagement with said first one-half mating strip on said inner concave face of said breast cozy;
an adjustable neck strap having a distal end configured for mating engagement with said at least one garment fasteners of a first cozy cover and a proximate end configured for mating engagement with said at least one garment fasteners of a second cozy cover;
wherein said second cozy cover has a pairing strap affixed to a side perimeter thereof, wherein said pairing strap has a distal end connectable to a proximate end of said pairing strap, said pairing strap sized for passing through said third aperture formed therethrough a first cozy cover; and
the therapeutic breast garment having no fastening strap suitable for securing behind a user's back, and further comprising
a thermal nipple soother constructed as a fabric disk comprising at least one fabric disk face containing a microwaveable and freezable thermal mass; and
one-half of a hook-and-loop fastener attached to said at least one fabric disk face of the thermal nipple soother for mating attachment with said circular one-half mating strip of hook-and-loop fastener of said central stitched region.
4. The therapeutic breast garment of claim 3 further comprising:
two garment fasteners; and
at least one connection strap removably connectable to said garment fasteners, so as to form a loop above said top of said cozy cover.