Skin-to-skin care garment

Abstract

A convertible garment for skin-to-skin care of an infant, the garment including a flexible panel having a panel width disposed between panel first and second ends which removably couple to one another to dispose the panel width about a torso of a wearer to define an interior space between a panel internal surface and a front torso portion of the wearer, whereby the interior space can be configured to receive an infant; a first support element coupled to the panel proximate a panel first side top portion; and a second support element coupled to the panel proximate a panel second side top portion; whereby the first and second support elements can be configured to couple to one another to support the panel about the torso of the wearer.

1 . A convertible garment for skin-to-skin care of an infant, said garment comprising:
 a flexible panel having a panel width disposed between panel first and second ends which removably couple to one another to dispose said panel width about a torso of a wearer to define an interior space between a panel internal surface and a front torso portion of said wearer, said interior space configured to receive an infant;   a first support element coupled to said panel proximate a panel first side top portion; and   a second support element coupled to said panel proximate a panel second side top portion;   said first and second support elements configured to couple to one another to support said panel about said torso of said wearer;   wherein in a garment first configuration, said first and second support elements couple to one another about a neck of said wearer;   wherein in a garment second configuration, said first and second support elements couple to one another about a shoulder of said wearer.   
     
     
         2 . The garment of  claim 1 , said panel further comprising a resiliently stretchable panel top edge configured to resiliently stretch about an upper torso portion of said wearer. 
     
     
         3 . The garment of  claim 1 , said panel further comprising a resiliently stretchable panel bottom edge configured to resiliently stretch about a lower torso portion of said wearer. 
     
     
         4 . The garment of  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of releasably matable fastener elements coupled one each to panel first and second end portions to facilitate removable coupling of said panel first and second ends. 
     
     
         5 . The garment of  claim 4 , further comprising a plurality of said pairs of releasably matable fastener elements coupled to said panel first and second end portions in spaced apart relation along corresponding panel first and second end portion lengths to provide a corresponding plurality of fastenable areas along said panel first and second end portion lengths. 
     
     
         6 . The garment of  claim 4 , wherein said pair of releasably matable fastener elements is configured to provide adjustable removable coupling of said panel first and second ends. 
     
     
         7 . The garment of  claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of said pairs of releasably matable fastener elements coupled to said panel first and second end portions in spaced apart relation along said panel width to facilitate adjustment of said panel width which disposes about said torso of said wearer. 
     
     
         8 . The garment of  claim 4 , wherein said first and second support elements are configured as flexible first and second support elements having corresponding flexible first and second support elements lengths disposed between corresponding first and second support element first ends and corresponding first and second support element second ends;
 wherein said first and second element first ends each couple to said panel proximate corresponding said panel first and second side top portions;   wherein said flexible first and second support elements are configured to removably couple to one another along portions of corresponding said flexible first and second support element lengths to support said panel about said torso of said wearer.   
     
     
         9 . The garment of  claim 8 , wherein said flexible first and second support elements are configured as first and second straps which adjustably removably couple to one another along any portion of corresponding first and second strap lengths distal from corresponding first and second strap first ends by tying. 
     
     
         10 . The garment of  claim 4 , further comprising at least one slit which communicates between said panel internal surface and a panel external surface. 
     
     
         11 . A method of making a convertible garment for skin-to-skin care of an infant, said method comprising:
 providing a flexible panel having a panel width disposed between panel first and second ends which removably couple to one another to dispose said panel width about a torso of a wearer to define an interior space between a panel internal surface and a front torso portion of said wearer, said interior space configured to receive an infant;   coupling a first support element to said panel proximate a panel first side top portion; and   coupling a second support element to said panel proximate a panel second side top portion;   said first and second support elements configured to couple to one another to support said panel about said torso of said wearer.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising providing said panel with a resiliently stretchable panel top edge configured to resiliently stretch about an upper torso portion of said wearer. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising providing said panel with a resiliently stretchable panel bottom edge configured to resiliently stretch about a lower torso portion of said wearer. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising coupling a pair of releasably matable fastener elements one each to panel first and second end portions to facilitate removable coupling of said panel first and second ends. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising coupling a plurality of said pairs of releasably matable fastener elements to said panel first and second end portions in spaced apart relation along corresponding panel first and second end portion lengths to provide a corresponding plurality of fastenable areas along said panel first and second end portion lengths. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising configuring said pair of releasably matable fastener elements to provide adjustable removable coupling of said panel first and second ends. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising coupling a plurality of said pairs of releasably matable fastener elements to said panel first and second end portions in spaced apart relation along said panel width to facilitate adjustment of said panel width which disposes about said torso of said wearer. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 configuring said first and second support elements as flexible first and second support elements having corresponding flexible first and second support elements lengths disposed between corresponding first and second support element first ends and corresponding first and second support element second ends;   coupling said first and second element first ends each to said panel proximate corresponding said panel first and second side top portions; and   configuring said flexible first and second support elements to removably couple to one another along portions of corresponding said flexible first and second support element lengths to support said panel about said torso of said wearer.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising configuring said flexible first and second support elements as first and second straps which adjustably removably couple to one another along any portion of corresponding first and second strap lengths distal from corresponding first and second strap first ends by tying. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising disposing at least one slit in said panel, said slit communicating between said panel internal surface and a panel external surface. 
     
     
         21 - 28 . (canceled)