Episode 308

Today we are talking about at breast supplementers. The two most popular ones are called the SNS or Supplemental Nursing System or the Lact-aid. I am first going to describe to you exactly what this breastfeeding tool is, the differences between the two and who can benefit from using one.

The SNS is a hard plastic container which allows moms to supplement your baby at the breast with breast milk, donor milk or formula. The advantage of using an SNS is that your baby is breastfeeding at the same time as they are receiving milk via the supplemental device. The company that makes the SNS makes two types. One is the full SNS which is intended for long term use and the other is a starter SNS which is a disposable system intended for a 24 hour use when short term help is needed. Both systems use gravity to promote the flow of milk from the container to the baby.

This plastic container is filled with milk and is connected to a length of flexible feeding tube. Picture an IV bag that is hung upside down. One end of the tube is connected to the container of milk and the other end of the tube is taped to moms breast and runs alongside the mother’s nipple and extend just a tiny bit over the tip of the nipple. When the baby latches on to breastfeed, the tube goes into his mouth. With a good latch and suction, the baby can get the milk to flow through the tube and into their mouth. Some SNS’s stay in place because they hang around the neck with a lanyard attached to it, as if it were a necklace. Some have a clip which is attached to your shirt or bra strap.

The SNS comes in a starter size which holds almost 3 oz and is meant for a one time use. The SNS that is a full size holds about 5 oz and can be used hundreds of times.

One company has a container that is a soft plastic bag called a Lact-aid. This tube feeding system sits upright against the moms chest and the tubing comes out of the top of this container. Some like the Lact-aid over the SNS because the flat bag makes it easier to use in public as you can place the bag inside your shirt and breastfeed your baby without the Lact-aid being visible. Some moms say the Lact-aid is easier to clean than the SNS

While both of these at breast supplementers are designed for the same purpose, to help moms breastfeed when they might have otherwise been unable to do so, there are differences between the two. The Hard plastic container can be reused hundreds of times. The plastic bags that you throw away after use and you have to keep replacing and purchasing new bags. The hard plastic container makes it more difficult to breastfeed without others seeing the container and the plastic one makes it doable to breastfeed without others knowing you have a bag resting against your chest. I have spoken to many users during my years as an IBCLC and moms and dads seem to have their strong preferences, just like we would any other product. These products comes with tubings and the ability to change sizes and ease of using the tubing plays into their preference. The Full SNS has a choice of 3 tubings and the Lact-aid has just one. Also how easy it is to clean creates someone to favor one over the other. With both products, you need to be careful when using formula becuase if you do not strain the formula or it is too thick, it clogs up the tubing making feedings incredibly frustrating for mom and baby. Both are excellent products that I am grateful to share with parents when their use is appropriate.

Not all parents choose to use this tool and the reasons vary. Comments I have been told range from: It just seems so unnatural to it seems like a lot of work, or its just one more thing to clean, or perhaps the mom is interested in using it but her partner is not. Their are enough times when parents are excited and open to use this tool and we try it and their baby absolutely refuses to suck with this tube in their mouth. So moms wants, but baby doesn’t.

The benefits of using an at breast supplementer is that a mom can breastfeed her baby and ensure her baby can have a full feeding at the breast. For moms who are unable to produce a full supply for their baby, this eliminates the need for other feeding devices such as spoons, syringes, cups or bottles to give their baby a full feeding. Why would a mother want to avoid these other feeding methods. The more a baby gets fed by a bottle, for instance, the less time the baby is spending at the breast. A baby suckling motion at breast, causes a hormonal reaction in her body to stimulate the milk production. This activity helps a mother to increase her supply. While you can use a pump to stimulate your supply, this means that the mother is missing out on something she so desperately wants to do, and that is breastfeed her baby. The supplemental nursing system means that she can breastfeed, ensure her baby gets a good feeding, all while stimulating her supply.

Their is a wide range of reasons why and when you would want to supplement a baby at the breast.

Let’s begin with the starter SNS. It is also called a disposable system because it is meant for short term use – about 24 hours. The company states that this is just meant as a temporary tool and they do not recommend using this for longer than 24 hours as it cannot be adequately cleaned and is not intended for use beyond 24 hours. It comes with only one tubing.

It is easy to use, and typically used during the first day or two of life when moms need to feed their baby and stimulate their milk supply as they are experiencing a delay in her milk production perhaps because of birth trauma or a medical issue. If there is not enough milk for the baby to get at breast, they will become easily frustrated and not want to breastfeed. By putting the baby to the breast with a supplementer, this keeps the baby happy and sucking and stimulating the breast tissue. If your supply is not meeting your babies needs and you want to keep using a supplemental nursing system, after the first 24 hours, you will want to switch to either the hard plastic container – Full Size SNS or switch to the Lact-aid – the soft plastic bag.

The Full SNS is a double system that has 3 tubing sizes. This allows you to help individualize the flow based on what breastfeeding challenges you are experiencing. Placing the container higher also helps in controlling the flow. Keeping the bottle higher to increase the flow and the lowering it helps to decrease the flow. The different tubing sizes, along with the ability to place the container higher or lower can be of great help as your baby becomes a stronger breastfeeder and/or as your supply increases. Another advantage to this double system is that you an hang the container around your neck and tape the tubing to both breasts before you begin feeding. This allows for a smoother feeding as you move your baby from the first breast to the second breast, without having to take your baby off and place the tubing on the other breast. It holds more milk, has several tubing sizes and is convenient to enable you to breastfeed from both sides easily.

The reason you would use either one of these are numerous. Some of the most common reasons are:

It enables adoptive moms to breastfeed
It help to induce lactation
Use for babies who have been diagnose with too much weight loss
Helps moms with low supply
Helps relactating mothers

a FEW OTHER, REASONS WHY i TELL MOMS THAT AT BREAST SUPPLEMENTERS ARE WONDERFUL –

1. Babies learn to breastfeed by breastfeeding
2. Mothers learn to breastfeed by breastfeeding
3 Mothers and babies enjoy breastfeeding – it is warm, it is comfortable, you are building a relationship with your baby. A baby at the breast is getting so much more than just the food

I will give you a link to supplementer nursing systems where you can pictures of them, watch videos and see how they work as this will help to support the information I have given you in this show. Learning how to use one can be quite cumbersome. Having an experienced IBCLC help you is recommended. Your IBCLC can help you decide which supplemental nursing system is best for your needs, help get you started and be available to ask questions as they come up. You will also be able to ask questions and get help when you are ready to wean from the SNS and transition to all breastfeeding. Figuring out where to place the container, how to use the tubing, where to place it in your babies mouth, all takes some finagiling. Rather than stumbling around on your own and frustrating you and your baby, ask for help. I have had quite a few consults with moms who were about to throw the darn thing in the garbage as they were so frustrated with it. Often times just a few very specific tips changed a frustrating not working situation into a “Hey, we can do this feeding session.

Please be sure to visit the show notes which you can find by going to: aabreastfeeding.com/podcast and look for Episode # 308. Click on the graphic and you will be able to access the show notes with the links. That’s it for today, Until the next show, bye bye

Links

https://www.lact-aid.com/

https://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/products/794/supplemental-nursing-system-sns