A swaddling towel has a major dimension and a minor dimension and fasteners are provided on the towel for securing the towel around a neck of a caregiver so that the towel may depend from the neck of the caregiver. First and second cooperating fasteners are spaced apart along the minor dimension and third and fourth cooperating fasteners are spaced apart along the major dimension. Securing the towel using the first and second cooperating fasteners, spaced along the minor dimension, results in the towel depending from the neck of the caregiver in the direction of the major dimension, facilitating wrapping of a new-born/baby. Securing the towel using the third and fourth cooperating fasteners, spaced along the major dimension, results in the towel depending from the neck of the caregiver in the direction of the minor dimension, facilitating wrapping of an infant/toddler.

A garment designed to convert back and forth between a cover mode for nursing an infant and a carrier mode for carrying an infant or other animate or inanimate object has a first layer designed to loosely cover an attached inner layer or separate garment covering an upper torso of a wearer in the cover mode. The first layer has a neck opening, a back, a front, opposite sides, left and right arm openings, and a faux pocket slit on each side spaced below the respective arm opening and configured for insertion of a wearer's arm through the faux pocket slit and between the first layer and inner layer or garment. After inserting an arm, the wearer can turn a lower portion of the first layer inside out while moving the slit along the arm and over the shoulder to form a sling-like carrier in the carry mode.

Garments that can be worn during early stages of pregnancy and postpartum are disclosed. The garments shape or contour the stomach or abdomen regions of the wearer to give the abdomen a smoother and slimmer appearance. The garments comprise at least one shaper stitch region that is adapted to apply a compressive force to the wearer's abdomen to shape the stomach or abdomen regions of the wearer.

A baby handling device includes a removable, washable pillow cover sized and shaped to fit over and extend from an irregular star-shaped pillow and provides at least two elongated star-point shaped extensions formed of flexible material and adapted to fold over and enclose at least a portion of a baby positioned on the cover. The cover has a closeable opening sized and shaped to permit insertion and removal of the pillow which is formed of resilient material and includes a broad center section with a central depression to receive a baby's head. A central point-shaped portion of the pillow extends upwardly from the depression and is adapted to lodge under an arm of a breast feeding mother. The pillow includes first and second side portions that surround a cavity that is sized and shaped to receive the shoulders and torso of the baby. The side portions support a baby's arms.

A nursing cover for a user, the nursing cover including a closed loop band having a front portion and a top opening through which the user is allowed to penetrate and a plurality of flexible boning supports disposed on the front portion. The plurality of flexible boning supports provides structural integrity while the user nurses an infant underneath the front portion to prevent the nursing cover from interfering with the infant being nursed by the user, to allow better circulation of airflow for the infant underneath the nursing cover and to provide a better line of sight for the nursing mother to view her infant underneath the nursing cover.

A seamless, smart fetal monitoring garment and methods of using thereof. The system includes a knitted or interwoven garment having a multiplicity of conductive textile electrodes for sensing maternal and fetal electrical vital signals. The maternal and fetal electrical vital signals are selected from a group including maternal heart rate, fetal heart rate and electromyogram (EMG) activities including uterine activities. The method includes wearing the garment, acquiring electrical mixed common, maternal and fetal vital signals from surface region of a pregnant woman, using the plurality of textile electrodes, optimally weighted summing-up the acquired signals, analyzing the summed-up signals to thereby extract the maternal signal and the fetal signal, including determining their heart rates, and including detecting health hazards and in some embodiments, including detecting a uterine contraction sequence suggesting the need to be hospitalized for birth giving.

A sleeved blanket useful for holding an infant features a sleeve, and a blanket spanning to one side thereof. The blanket has an extension reaching longitudinally beyond the sleeve to enable folding of the blanket extension across a torso anterior of the caregiver from the worn sleeve on one arm and over the opposing shoulder. Unique methods of transitioning an infant from a swaddled state to a laid down position are disclosed, along with unique nursing applications for the sleeved blanket. A neck strap is worn across the backside of the neck and over the unsleeved shoulder to help balance the worn position of the sleeve, and features stimuli for the infant, fastening or toy-carrying elements, and/or a burp/split-up cloth. The sleeve includes a shoulder portion to better maintain the, worn position, and gripping elements are provided on the sleeve and/or blanket to help maintain useful positions thereof during use.

A clothing support apparatus integrated within an article of clothing and which provides ample support for expectant mothers while providing them relief from certain discomforts associated with pregnancy. The apparatus includes a set of stretchable wings which extend from a rear or back section of the apparatus to wrap around and under the expectant mother's belly, thereby providing support. Aspects of embodiments of the present invention allow for continued use of the clothing apparatus all through the expectant mother's pregnancy.

Garments, including nursing garments configured as pull-over bras and camisoles, are disclosed. Nursing garments include a frontal portion configured to provide under-breast support connected to a first breast pocket and a second breast pocket, which are each configured to cover the breasts and may provide additional breast support. At least one of the first and second breast pockets is configured to cover at least one of the wearer's breasts when the breast pocket is in a first position, and to uncover and expose at least one of the wearer's breasts when in a second position. The frontal portion, the first breast pocket and the second breast pocket are also connected to a back portion, which provides back support for the wearer whether one or both of the first or second breast pockets are in the first position or in the second position.

A nursing apparatus is configured to hold a garment in a gathered position to expose a breast for nursing. The apparatus has a strap with a first end and a second end. A fastener is disposed at the first end and is configured to connect the first end to a piece of clothing of the wearer. The fastener has a body portion attached to the strap and a movable part. A ring is disposed at the second end of the strap and configured to retain the strap in a closed loop shape to hold the garment in the gathered position. A method includes manufacturing the strap with the fastener at the first end and the ring positioned at the second end of the strap. The method includes instructing the wearer to lift the garment to form a gathered portion of the garment, form a loop shape with the strap around the gathered portion, and utilize the ring to retain the strap in the loop shape to hold the gathered portion in a fixed position relative to the wearer to expose a breast for nursing.