Pumping/ nursing bra

Abstract

A garment (e.g., a bra) can include an inner pumping panel with layers of material. A first portion of the layers of material of the inner pumping panel may be situated on a left side of the bra to cover a portion of the wearer's left breast and can be fastened together and define a first opening. A second portion of the layers of material of the inner pumping panel may be situated on a right side of the bra to cover a portion of the wearer's right breast, and can be fastened together and define a second opening. The first and second openings are each disposed at an oblique angle relative to a bottom edge of the bra and are sized and positioned so as to help support at least a portion of a breast pump disposable through the first and/or second opening.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 an inner panel including a first portion of material coupled to a second portion of material such that the first portion of material and the second portion of material collectively define an opening configured to provide support for at least one of a wearer's breast or a portion of a breast pump inserted through the opening, the inner panel configured to be removably coupled to a first end of a shoulder strap; and   a back panel coupled to at least one of the inner panel and the outer panel, the back panel including an inner back panel layer, an outer back panel layer, and a length of material coupled between the inner back panel layer and the outer back panel layer, the length of material defining a plurality of openings disposed along a top edge portion of the back panel, each opening of the plurality of openings configured to removably receive a second end of the shoulder strap.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an outer panel coupled to the inner panel such that a portion of the outer panel overlaps the opening, a portion of the outer panel configured to be moved relative to the inner panel to expose the opening such that a portion of a breast pump can be inserted through the opening;   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the opening defined by the first portion of material and the second portion of material of the inner panel is disposed at an oblique angle relative to a bottom edge of the inner panel. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising the shoulder strap, wherein the shoulder strap includes a hook disposed on the second end that is configured to be received within a select opening of the plurality of openings of the back panel to removably couple the shoulder strap to the back panel. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a pad removably disposable between the inner panel and the outer panel.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the first portion of material overlaps at least a portion of the second portion of material at the opening. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein an edge of the first portion of material and an edge of the second portion of material are aligned across the opening in an abutting relationship. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the inner panel is formed with a first material and the outer panel is formed with a second material different than the first material. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus, comprising:
 an inner panel including a first portion of material coupled to a second portion of material such that the first portion of material and the second portion of material define an opening configured to provide support for at least one of a wearer's breast or a portion of a breast pump inserted through the opening, the second portion of material of the inner panel including an inner layer, an outer layer, and a length of material coupled between the inner layer and the outer layer, the length of material defining a plurality of attachment openings disposed along a top edge portion of the inner panel, each of the attachment openings of the plurality of attachment openings configured to be removably coupled to at least one of a first end or a second end of a neck strap.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 an outer panel coupled to the inner panel such that a portion of the outer panel overlaps the opening, a portion of the outer panel configured to be moved relative to the inner panel to expose the opening such that a portion of a breast pump can be inserted through the opening.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the opening defined by the first portion of material and the second portion of material of the inner panel is disposed at an oblique angle relative to a bottom edge of the inner panel. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising the neck strap, wherein the neck strap includes a first hook disposed on the first end configured to be received within a select first opening of the plurality of openings of the inner panel and a second hook disposed on the second end configured to be received within a select second opening of the plurality of openings of the inner panel to removably couple the neck strap to the inner panel. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a pad removably disposable between the inner panel and the outer panel.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein at least a portion of the first portion of material overlaps at least a portion of the second portion of material at the opening. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein an edge of the first portion of material and an edge of the second portion of material are aligned across the opening in an abutting relationship. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the inner panel is formed with a first material and the outer panel is formed with a second material different than the first material. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the neck strap has a width that varies between the first end and the second end of the neck strap. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus, comprising:
 an inner panel including a first portion of material coupled to a first portion of a center portion of material such that the first portion of material and the center portion of material define a first opening, and a second portion of material coupled to a second portion of the center portion of material such that the second portion of material and the center portion of material define a second opening, the first opening configured to provide support for at least one of a wearer's breast or a portion of a breast pump inserted through the first opening, the second opening configured to provide support for at least one of a wearer's breast or a portion of a breast pump inserted through the second opening; and   a neck strap having a first end coupleable to the inner panel at a first select location on the inner panel and a second end coupleable to the inner panel at a second location different than the first location on the inner panel.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein an edge of the first portion of material and an edge of the center portion of material are aligned across the first opening in an abutting relationship and an edge of the second portion of material and an edge of the center portion of material are aligned across the second opening in an abutting relationship. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a back panel coupled to at least one of the inner panel and the outer panel, the back panel including a plurality of openings defined along a top edge portion of the back panel; and   a shoulder strap having a first end removably coupleable to the back panel via a select one of the plurality of openings, and a second end removably coupleable to the inner panel.