The present invention relates generally to a contoured paper like device to absorb liquid and to collect small solid material from bodily discharge.
People in general, but babies in particular, are particularly subject to accumulation of gas in the stomach while feeding. This gas accumulation famously can cause considerable discomfort and/or agitation in a baby. One well-known solution for this gas accumulation is to “burp” the baby. There are many techniques, but in general the act of burping an infant involves placing the child in a position conducive to gas expulsion (e.g., holding the infant up to the caretaker's shoulder, with the baby's stomach resting on the caretaker's chest) and then lightly patting the baby on its lower back so that it burps. Burping in a baby is typically associated with vomiting. To avoid contamination of the caretaker's clothing, a burp cloth or burp pad is sometimes used on the shoulder as a barrier. Typically this used burp cloth is carried around for further later use until deemed unfit, then it is stored until it may be laundered and available to be reused. (The use of a cloth diaper is often recommended for a burp cloth.) This scenario can create an unhealthy situation for the baby and the caretaker, and in cases where the heath is not actually endangered, it can create an unpleasant environment due to the odors and requirements to maintain proper storage.
One solution sometimes used is to dispose of the burp cloth after a few uses. The caretaker typically balances trying to gain “sufficient” use from the burp cloth against development of an unpleasant/unhealthy environment resulting from storage and use of a soiled burp cloth. There is the further concern of burp cloths filling landfills or contaminating the environment because they are not designed for environmentally-friendly disposal.
Yet another concern associated with burp cloths is that, due to the very nature of burping, the timing of feeding and subsequent burping is not always convenient for the caretaker. The baby may need to be burped when the caretaker and baby are in a public setting. It is not always appropriate for the caretaker to position an unsightly, potentially unsanitary conventional burp cloth on their shoulder in some public venues.
Further, the caretaker may decide to burp the baby when the caretaker is wearing clothing that could be damaged should the baby vomit during burping, or they are burping the baby at a time when it would be inconvenient or relatively difficult to change clothing in the event that some discharge contaminates their clothing in spite of efforts to use a burp cloth.
Some burp cloths are not designed to help the caretaker adequately protect their clothing, either the size is not right, the shape leaves some at-risk areas exposed, or the baby may inadvertently reposition the burp cloth before burping.
Some of these concerns are shared in the broader context of caretakers-at-large (including medical and health care personnel and the like) that care for people, young or old.
What is needed is an environmentally-friendly disposable product and method that permits a caretaker to easily deploy and accurately position the product with confidence that the product is hygienic, effective in efficiently protecting the caretaker's clothing, and resistant to repositioning.