Infant wedge sleep positioner

Abstract

An infant wedge sleep positioner comprising a cushion, a covering means for the cushion, one supporting pillow that is fixedly secured to the covering means, and another opposed supporting pillow that is releaseably secured to the covering means for laterally moving this pillow in relation to the other pillow. This combination creates a cradle for positioning an infant within the device and accommodating a growing infant or different sized infants. In an alternate embodiment, the infant wedge sleep positioner further provides ventilating channels in one or both of the supporting pillows for regulating the temperature of the infant while the infant rests or sleeps, thereby, further reducing the risk of the infant becoming overheated.

1 . A device for holding an infant, comprising: 
 a cushion having a top surface, a bottom surface, a back surface, and opposed side surfaces, the top surface and the bottom surface sharing an edge at one end of the cushion;    means for covering the cushion;    two opposed pillows placed adjacent to one another,    means for fixedly securing the one opposed pillow to the means for covering the cushion; and    means for releasably securing the other opposed pillow to the means for covering the cushion for providing lateral movement of the pillow between the opposed side surfaces in relation to the other opposed pillow, the lateral movement of the pillow covering less than one-half of the distance between the opposed side surfaces.    
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the cushion separated into a first section and a second section with the first section situated on top of the second section, the first section forming the entire top surface and part of the back surface and opposed side surfaces, the second section forming the entire bottom surface and part of the back surface and opposed side surfaces.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the cushion has a cross sectional shape that is substantially triangular in shape.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the top surface and the bottom surface form an angle with respect to one another at the edge of the cushion.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the first section is made of a memory foam material.  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the second section is made of a firm foam material.  
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 1  wherein each opposed pillow is situated adjacent to the edge of the cushion.  
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the means for releasably securing the other opposed pillow to the means for covering the cushion comprises hook and loop fasteners.  
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the means for covering the cushion is a cover.  
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 10  wherein the cover is made from a material selected from the group consisting of flannel and terry cloth.  
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 1  wherein one of the opposed pillows has a cross sectional shape that is selected from the group consisting of a circle, oval, ovid, square, triangle, rectangle, hexagon, rhombus, trapezoid, and octagon.  
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 11  wherein the shape of one of the opposed pillows is curved.  
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the other of the opposed pillows has a cross sectional shape that is selected from the group consisting of a circle, oval, ovid, square, triangle, rectangle, hexagon, rhombus, trapezoid, and octagon.  
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 13  wherein the shape of the other of the opposed pillows is curved.  
   
   
       15 . A device for holding an infant on their back or side, comprising: 
 a first wedge shaped section having a top side, a bottom side, a back side, and a proximal end and a distal end, the first wedge shaped section made of a first material;    a second wedge shaped section having a top side, a bottom side, a back side, and a proximal end and a distal end, the second wedge shaped section made of a second material that is different from the first material;    the bottom side of the first wedge shaped section engagedly situated adjacent to the top side of the second wedge shaped section with the proximal ends and distal ends of each being aligned for forming a unified wedge shaped cushion having an inclined surface and opposed side surfaces;    means for covering at least one of the wedges;    two opposed pillows placed adjacent to one another, one opposed pillow fixedly secured to the means for covering at least one of the wedges, the other opposed pillow releasably secured to the means for covering at least one of the wedges for providing lateral movement of the pillow between the opposed side surfaces in relation to the one opposed pillow; and    a cradle formed between the combination of the unified wedge and the opposed pillows, the cradle engagedly holding the infant.    
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 15  wherein the unified wedge shaped cushion has an incline from the proximal end to the distal end.  
   
   
       17 . The device of  claim 15  wherein the incline in the cushion is formed by an acute angle between the top side of the first wedge and the bottom side of the second wedge.  
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 15  wherein the first wedge shaped section is substantially identical to the second wedge shaped section.  
   
   
       19 . The device of  claim 15  wherein the first material is made of a memory foam material.  
   
   
       20 . The device of  claim 15  wherein the second material is made of a firm foam material.  
   
   
       21 . The device of  claim 15  wherein the means for covering the cushion is a cover.  
   
   
       22 . The device of  claim 21  wherein the cover is made from a material selected from the group consisting of flannel and terry cloth.  
   
   
       23 . The device of  claim 15  wherein the lateral movement of the other pillow covers less than one-half of the distance between the opposed sides.  
   
   
       24 . The device of  claim 15  and further comprising a ventilation channel in at least one of the opposed pillows for providing air flow through the opposed pillow to and from the infant held in the cradle.  
   
   
       25 . A device for holding an infant, comprising: 
 a cushion having a top surface, a bottom surface, a back surface, and opposed side surfaces, the top surface and the bottom surface sharing an edge at one end of the cushion;    means for covering the cushion;    means for positioning the infant in a position relative to the cushion; and    a ventilation channel formed in the means for positioning the infant, the ventilation channel enabling the transfer of air through the means for positioning the infant to and from the infant held by the device.    
   
   
       26 . The device of  claim 25  wherein the cushion is separated into a first section and a second section, the first section situated on top of the second section, the first section forming the entire top surface and part of the back surface and opposed side surfaces, the second section forming the entire bottom surface and part of the back surface and opposed side surfaces.  
   
   
       27 . The device of  claim 25  wherein the means for positioning the infant in a position relative to the cushion comprises two opposed pillows placed adjacent to one another, one opposed pillow fixedly secured to the means for covering the cushion, the other opposed pillow releasably secured to the means for covering the cushion for providing lateral movement of the pillow between the opposed side surfaces in relation to the other opposed pillow.  
   
   
       28 . The device of  claim 27  wherein the means for releasably securing the other opposed pillow permits lateral movement of the pillow for less than one-half of the distance between the opposed side surfaces.  
   
   
       29 . The device of  claim 27  wherein the ventilation channel is formed in one of the opposed pillows and extends through the pillow from the interior side to another side.