Infant support system for nursing mothers

Abstract

The infant support system provides a method for enabling a nursing mother to breastfeed a baby without using her hands to hold the baby. In one embodiment of the invention the mother is seated on a chair or rocker and a support pillow is placed across the mother's lap. A relatively small pillow is placed on the support pillow below the mother's nursing breast. The baby is then positioned on its side on the support pillow such that its head is supported on the relatively small pillow in alignment with the mother's nursing breast. Another relatively small pillow is placed behind the baby's back to stabilize the position of the baby while the baby is nursing. In another embodiment of the invention the mother is in a reclining position on a mattress and a relatively small pillow is used to support the baby's head in alignment with the nursing breast of the nursing mother, and another relatively small pillow is placed behind the baby's back to stabilize the position of the baby while the baby is nursing. In this manner whether the mother is seated or in a reclining position the nursing session can be accomplished without the mother having to hold the baby.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for enabling a nursing mother to breastfeed a baby without using the mother's hands to hold the baby comprising,
 a) positioning the nursing mother in a seated position on a chair or rocker such that the mother's legs are bent to define the mother's lap,   b) placing a support pillow across the mother's lap, the support pillow having a length that is sized to span the mother's lap and extend slightly beyond the extremities of the mother's chest,   c) providing a first relatively small pillow having a length of approximately 8 to 20 inches, a width of approximately 3 to 8 inches, and a thickness of approximately 1 to 4 inches on the support pillow below one of the nursing breasts of the nursing mother such that the length of the first relatively small pillow extends toward and away from the nursing breast of the nursing mother when the nursing mother is in the seated position,   d) positioning a baby on its side on the support pillow such that one facial side of the baby's head faces downwardly, and the opposite facial side of the baby's head faces upwardly, and the downward facial side of the baby's head rests on top of the first relatively small pillow and the baby's mouth is opposite the nursing breast of the nursing mother,   e) fluffing or shaping the first relatively small pillow to adjust the thickness of the pillow and the elevation of the baby's head relative to the nursing nipple of the seated nursing mother, such that the baby's mouth is aligned with the nursing nipple for a proper latch-on of the baby's mouth to the nursing nipple, and,   f) placing a second relatively small pillow similar in size to the first relatively small pillow on the support pillow against the baby's back to help stabilize the position of the baby while the baby is latched-on to the nursing mother's nursing nipple.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  including placing more than one of the first relatively small pillow on the support pillow below one of the nursing breasts of the nursing mother. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  including placing a third relativity small pillow similar in size to the first relatively small pillow below the support pillow and on the mother's lap and in line with the baby's head. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  including placing more than one of the second relatively small pillows one behind the other against the baby's back. 
     
     
         5 . A method for enabling a nursing mother to breastfeed a baby without using the mother's hands to hold the baby comprising,
 a) positioning the nursing mother in a reclining position on a mattress such that the mother is lying on her side on the mattress,   b) positioning a first relatively small pillow having a length of approximately 8 to 20 inches, a width of approximately 3 to 8 inches, and a thickness of approximately 1 to 4 inches on the support pillow below one of the nursing breasts of the nursing mother such that the length of the first relatively small pillow extends toward and away from the nursing breast of the nursing mother when the nursing mother is in the reclining position,   c) positioning a baby on its side on the mattress such that one facial side of the baby's head faces downwardly, and the opposite facial side of the baby's head faces upwardly, and the downward facial side of the baby's head rests on top of the first relatively small pillow and the baby's mouth is opposite the nursing breast of the nursing mother,   d) fluffing or shaping the first relatively small pillow to adjust the thickness of the pillow and the elevation of the baby's head relative to the nursing nipple of the seated nursing mother, such that the baby's mouth is aligned with the nursing nipple for a proper latch-on of the baby's mouth to the nursing nipple, and,   e) placing a second relatively small pillow similar in size to the first relatively small pillow on the mattress against the baby's back to help stabilize the position of the baby while the baby is latched-on to the nursing mother's nursing nipple.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  including placing more than one the first relatively small pillows on the mattress below one of the nursing breasts of the nursing mother. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  including placing more than one on the second relatively small pillows one behind the other against the baby's back.