Tips and Tricks for At-Breast Supplementers
How to Use the Lact-Aid Nursing Trainer and Medela SNS
Nov 23, 2008
Veteran users of the Lact-aid Nursing Trainer or Medela Supplemental Nursing System (SNS) for recommend understanding some basics about these units and offer suggestions for coming to terms with and simplifying the use of these valuable breastfeeding aids.
Latching With the Tube
An important part of mastering the at-breast supplementer (ABS) is being able to latch the baby properly with the tube in her mouth. If the tube is improperly placed, the baby will not be able to draw milk from the device while nursing. Here are some suggestions for latch problems.
- Baby won’t latch with tube. Some babies take to the tube with no problem, but others fight it. It may help to try different nursing positions (football versus cradle) or different tube positions. Try putting the tube on the underside of the breast so that it falls between the baby’s tongue and the nipple, or a little to the side. Another good strategy for a recalcitrant or upset baby is to walk around while latching. Sometimes that extra bouncing comforts and distracts the baby enough to get him to latch.
- Baby pulls at tubing. Older babies tend to grab at the tube, pulling it out of their mouths or breaking it. Try latching with the tube on the underside of the breast where baby can’t see it. Longtime SNS user Polina Bryson recommends swaddling a baby during feeding or giving him something else to occupy his hands. If using the SNS, use only one tube and clamp the other one out of the way so baby doesn’t have another “target” to rake at. [Interview, 2008]
- Taping the tube. Some moms prefer taping the tube to their breast to keep it in place either with tape or a band aid, which reduces skin irritation. Other mothers never tape the tube. It’s really a matter of preference. In place of tape, Bryson suggests that a small glob of lanolin cream can be used to “glue” the tube to the breast.
Managing Flow
Some common flow problems can be addressed as follows:
- Milk doesn’t flow when baby is latched. The tube is probably not far enough inside the baby’s mouth or is stuck a place where it does not receive suction. Make sure the tube is just sticking out past the nipple when latching. Also ensure it is not situated in the corner of baby’s mouth, where a vacuum may not be present to draw out the milk.
- Can’t tell if supplement is flowing. It can be very frustrating watching a baby nurse with an at-breast supplementer and wondering if she’s really getting the milk. The Medela SNS generally flows without much need of a vacuum, but the Lact-aid, which only flows when milk is not flowing freely from the breast, can simply lie dormant if proper suction is not applied. A trick of veteran Lact-aid users is to put cold supplement in the Lact-aid bag. Moms can feel the cold tube against their breast as supplement is flowing. If the tube stops feeling cold, they know they need to re-latch. (The cold liquid does warm up as it travels through the tube and does not seem to bother babies.)
- Supplement flows too fast or too slow. These units, especially the SNS, work on the principle of gravity. If the container or bag is below the baby’s chin, forcible sucking will be required to draw liquid out. If the receptacle is raised higher, gravity will allow the fluid to flow more easily. The SNS also comes with different sizes of tubing; the larger tubes will allow for faster flow for a baby who desperately needs calories, while the thinner tube will teach a baby that he gets a reward for good nursing technique.
Learning to use an ABS can be especially difficult considering it comes at a time when women are at their most vulnerable and emotional – right after the birth of a child. Finding out she has a low milk supply can be devastating for a new mom, but many times the problem is temporary, and an at-breast supplementer can be the best way to keep the baby nursing until the issues are resolved. It helps to have a good support system in place. Also, read some additional tips on cleaning the ABS, minimizing leakage, finding support and maintaining a positive attitude.
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