Swaddling blanket

Technical Field

0001The present invention relates to garments for swaddling babies.

Background Art

0002The swaddling of babies has been practiced since antiquity by people around the world. Swaddling protects a baby from the surrounding environment, allows a baby to be handled and carried more easily, and has long been thought to comfort and quiet a baby.

0003This is especially true of babies suffering from colic, generally defined as those who cry at least three hours a day, three days a week, for at least three weeks in a row. Although no specific cause for colic has been identified and many potential remedies have been offered, research has shown that effective swaddling often has a calming effect on crying babies. Research also shows that a swaddled baby tends to be more willing to sleep on her back, which significantly reduces her vulnerability to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

0004The key to effective swaddling appears to reside in a combination of factors. Loosely-swaddled babies tend to be more restless than snugly-swaddled babies, but excessively tight swaddling may inhibit breathing. A baby is comforted by having her arms held snugly against her midsection and by having even pressure applied around her torso. Limitations on leg movement help also, but complete immobilization of the legs may promote hip dysplasia. Pressure against the head may arouse a baby. Too thin a wrap may provide inadequate restraint, but too heavy a wrap may overheat the baby.

0005It is thought that gentle, even pressure around a baby's torso and immobilization of her limbs may simulate the pre-birth environment. Additionally, or alternatively, immobilization of the limbs may keep a baby from startling herself awake by reflexively flailing her limbs in her sleep and striking nearby objects. Pressure against the head is thought to awaken a baby by stimulating the "rooting" response, where the baby reflexively seeks a nipple.

0006<patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="US5852827A"><text>US-A-5,852,827</text></patcit> discloses a swaddling blanket, comprising: a back panel, the back panel having a first side and a second side; a leg pouch, the leg pouch attached to the back panel, a short blanket arm, operable to wrap over a baby, the short blanket arm having a wide end and a narrow end, the wide end of the short blanket arm integrated with the first side of the back panel to form a continuous sheet, the short blanket arm tapered so that a first portion thereof covers only a first portion of the baby's body between the baby's ankles and the base of the baby's neck when wrapped over the baby; and a long blanket having a wide end and a narrow end, the wide end of the long blanket arm integrated with the second side of the back panel to form a continuous sheet, the long blanket arm tapered so that a first portion thereof covers only a second portion of the baby's body between the baby's ankles and the base of the baby's neck when wrapped around the baby, the second portion overlapping the first portion.

Disclosure of Invention

0007In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a swaddling blanket, comprising: a back panel, the back panel having a first side and a second side; a leg pouch, the leg pouch attached to the back panel, a short blanket arm, operable to wrap over a baby, the short blanket arm having a wide end and a narrow end, the wide end of the short blanket arm integrated with the first side of the back panel to form a continuous sheet, the short blanket arm tapered so that a first portion thereof covers only a first portion of the baby's body between the baby's ankles and the base of the baby's neck when wrapped over the baby; and a long blanket having a wide end and a narrow end, the wide end of the long blanket arm integrated with the second side of the back panel to form a continuous sheet, the long blanket arm tapered so that a first portion thereof covers only a second portion of the baby's body between the baby's ankles and the base of the baby's neck when wrapped around the baby, the second portion overlapping the first portion; characterised in that the long blanket arm is long enough to wrap entirely around the baby at least twice.

0008A baby swaddled with the present invention is placed on her back on the back panel, with her legs in the leg pouch and her shoulders just below the top edge of the back panel. Her arms are placed along her sides. The short blanket arm is wrapped over and across the baby and its tapered end is tucked under the armpit on the side of the long blanket arm. The long blanket arm is then wrapped snugly and repeatedly around the baby in the opposite direction until desired pressure is obtained. The taper of each blanket arm is such that when both blanket arms are wrapped around the baby, most of the blanket's bulk and pressure surround the baby's torso.

0009A preferred embodiment of the present invention additionally includes two arm restraints. Each arm restraint is a tapered flap attached to the back panel with a seam that is beneath and parallel to a baby's arms when she is laid on her back on the back panel. Each arm restraint is positioned so that it may be wrapped inward around the adjacent arm.

0010A baby swaddled with this preferred embodiment of the present invention is placed on her back on the back panel, with her legs in the leg pouch and her shoulders just below the top edge of the back panel. Her arms are placed along her sides. An arm restraint is wrapped around each arm from the outside of each arm, first passing over an arm, then inward to be tucked under the arm. The short blanket arm is wrapped over and across the baby and its tapered end is tucked under the armpit on the side of the long blanket arm. The long blanket arm is then wrapped snugly and repeatedly around the baby in the opposite direction.

0011When a baby is swaddled in the present invention manner, her legs are contained without being immobilized and she is comforted by having her arms and torso snugly wrapped. Nothing contacts her head to provoke a rooting response. The blanket material may be light, so that she does not overheat, or it may provide insulation for colder weather.

0012A baby may be quickly and securely wrapped with the exact amount of pressure desired, without having the swaddling unravel when the baby moves.

0013All of these features and advantages of the present invention, and more, are illustrated below in the drawings and detailed description that follows.

Brief Description of Drawings

0014<ul id="ul0001" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li><figref idref="f0001">Fig. 1</figref> shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention.</li><li><figref idref="f0001">Fig. 2A</figref> shows the embodiment of <figref idref="f0001">Fig.1</figref> with a baby whose legs are in the leg pouch.</li><li><figref idref="f0002">Fig. 2B</figref> shows the embodiment of <figref idref="f0001">Fig.1</figref> with arm restraints wrapped around a baby's arms.</li><li><figref idref="f0002">Fig. 2C</figref> shows the embodiment of <figref idref="f0001">Fig.1</figref> with a short blanket arm wrapped around a baby's torso and tucked beneath an armpit.</li><li><figref idref="f0003">Fig. 2D</figref> shows the embodiment of <figref idref="f0001">Fig.1</figref> with a long blanket arm wrapped repeatedly around a baby.</li><li><figref idref="f0003">Fig. 3</figref> shows an alternate embodiment of the present invention with an extended leg pouch and a hook-and-loop attachment patch.</li><li><figref idref="f0004">Fig. 4</figref> shows an alternate embodiment of the present invention with a leg pouch divided to accommodate a car seat strap.</li></ul>

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

0015<figref idref="f0001">Fig.1</figref> shows an embodiment of the present invention having a back panel <b>100,</b> a leg pouch <b>110,</b> a first arm restraint <b>120,</b> a second arm restraint <b>125,</b> a short blanket arm <b>130,</b> and a long blanket arm <b>135.</b> In this embodiment the back panel <b>100</b> is approximately as long and wide as the combined torso and legs of a typical baby. The back panel <b>100</b> and other parts of the invention can be scaled to fit a person of any size. The parts of the present invention are made from sheet material, usually fabric. The present invention may be made of a single material or parts may be made of different materials. Flexible, non-fabric materials may also be used to provide special characteristics.

0016A short blanket arm <b>130</b> extends from a first side <b>102</b> of the back panel <b>100.</b> The short blanket arm <b>130</b> tapers away from the back panel <b>100</b> to a first end point <b>133</b> and is long enough to wrap once over a baby with enough excess length to tuck into the baby's armpit. The long blanket arm <b>135</b> extends from a second side <b>104</b> of the back panel <b>100.</b> The long blanket arm <b>135</b> tapers away from the back panel <b>100</b> to a second end point <b>138</b> and is long enough to wrap around the baby at least twice.

0017The blanket arms <b>130, 135</b> may be separate pieces sewn, bonded, electrically welded, or attached by other means known in the art to sides <b>102, 104</b> of the back panel <b>100,</b> or the blanket arms <b>130,135</b> and the back panel <b>100</b> may be of a single, continuous piece of material. The positions of the blanket arms <b>130, 135</b> may be reversed in any embodiment of the present invention without impairing the utility of the invention.

0018In this embodiment of the present invention, the lower edge <b>131</b> of the short blanket arm <b>130</b> tapers at a more acute angle with respect to the back panel <b>100</b> than the upper edge <b>132</b> of the short blanket arm <b>130,</b> so that the first end point <b>133</b> is horizontally aligned with the center of the baby's torso. Also, the lower edge <b>131</b> of the short blanket arm <b>130</b> may curve toward the interior of the arm, eliminating excess material that might bunch and place unwanted pressure on the leg pouch <b>110.</b> The short blanket arm <b>130</b> therefore wraps smoothly and securely around the baby's torso without interfering with leg movement.

0019The upper edge <b>137</b> and the lower edge <b>136</b> of the long blanket arm <b>135</b> taper at approximately the same angle with respect to the back panel <b>100,</b> so that the second end point <b>138</b> is horizontally aligned with the baby's navel. Therefore, when a baby is laid on her back upon the back panel <b>100</b> with the tops of her shoulders approximately even with the upper edge <b>106</b> of the back panel <b>100,</b> a straight line between the first end point <b>133</b> and the second end point <b>138</b> of the extended blanket arms <b>130, 135</b> would pass slightly above the baby's navel. In other embodiments of the present invention the upper and lower tapers of the blanket arms <b>130,135</b> may be changed as necessary to effect desired pressure distributions.

0020The leg pouch <b>110</b> is formed from a roughly rectangular piece of fabric that is sewn to the back panel <b>100</b> along a first edge <b>112,</b> a second edge <b>114,</b> and a bottom edge <b>118.</b> The bottom edge <b>118</b> of the leg pouch <b>110</b> is sewn to the lower edge (not visible) of the back panel <b>100,</b> leaving the top edge <b>116</b> of the leg pouch <b>110</b> open. Alternatively, the leg pouch <b>110</b> may be an extension of the lower edge of the back panel <b>100</b> folded upward and sewn along its vertical edges <b>112,114.</b> The vertical edges <b>112,114</b> may also curve inward and outward to form an hourglass profile, allowing somewhat greater restriction of the baby's legs.

0021The arm restraints <b>120, 125</b> are in an alternate embodiment tapered flaps attached to the back panel <b>100</b> at seams <b>121, 126</b> that lie beneath and parallel to a baby's arms. Each arm restraint <b>120, 125</b> tapers to a lobe <b>122,127</b> and is positioned so that it may be wrapped inward around a baby's adjacent arm. The downwardly-tapering lobes <b>122, 127</b> relieve pressure on the baby's shoulders while providing an easily-used means for securing her arms. The lobe shape minimizes fabric bunching and optimizes pressure distribution, but the arm restraints <b>120, 125</b> may also be triangular, rectangular, or any of a variety of other shapes as desired.

0022<figref idref="f0001 f0002 f0003">Figures 2A through 2D</figref> illustrate a preferred method for employing the present invention. <figref idref="f0001">Fig. 2A</figref> shows a baby lying on the back panel (not visible) with her shoulders aligned with the upper edge <b>106</b> of the back panel, her arms along her sides, and her legs in the leg pouch <b>110.</b>

0023<figref idref="f0002">Fig. 2B</figref> shows how the arm restraints <b>120, 125</b> are each wrapped around the outside of an adjacent arm, then inwardly so that the arm restraint lobes <b>122, 127</b> can be tucked between the baby's arms and torso, thereby holding the baby's arms in an optimum position while subsequent steps are performed.

0024<figref idref="f0002">Fig. 2C</figref> shows how the short blanket arm <b>130</b> is wrapped over and across the baby and secured by tucking the first end point <b>133</b> between the baby's torso and the proximate arm restraint <b>125</b> and armpit, securing both the top edge (not visible) of the leg pouch <b>110</b> and the baby.

0025Finally, <figref idref="f0003">Fig. 2D</figref> shows how the long blanket arm <b>135</b> is wrapped over the baby, then repeatedly around the baby until the second end point (not visible) is reached. Tension on the long blanket arm <b>135</b> is adjusted as arm is wrapped to obtain the desired pressure on the baby, with the taper of the long blanket arm <b>135</b> tending to concentrate increased pressure under the regions wrapped with the most layers. The second end point <b>138</b> may be secured by tucking it under a layer of the long blanket arm <b>135,</b> or by a hook-and-loop or other fastener as is known in the art.

0026<figref idref="f0003">Fig. 3</figref> shows an alternate embodiment of the present invention is which the top edge <b>316</b> of the leg pouch <b>310</b> arcs upward. The extra fabric allows the leg pouch <b>310</b> to be better secured by the short blanket arm <b>330.</b><figref idref="f0003">Fig. 3</figref> also shows an optional hook-and-loop fastener <b>350</b> attached to the inner end of the long blanket arm <b>335</b> near the second end point <b>338.</b>

0027<figref idref="f0004">Fig. 4</figref> shows an alternate embodiment of the present invention in which the lower portion of the leg pouch <b>410</b> is divided into a right leg pouch <b>411</b> and a left leg pouch <b>413,</b> with a gap <b>415</b> between to accommodate the buckle of a child's car seat. <figref idref="f0004">Fig. 4</figref> also shows a variation on the blanket arm <b>430, 435</b> tapers, where the upper edges <b>432, 437</b> have very slight tapers and the lower edges <b>431, 436</b> have more pronounced tapers, shifting the end points <b>433, 438</b> and the corresponding area of maximum pressure upward. This and other variations may be combined with other feature variations described herein.

0028The principles, embodiments, and modes of operation of the present invention disclosed herein should be interpreted as illustrating the present invention and not as restricting it. Numerous variations and changes can be made to the foregoing illustrative embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention.