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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Supplementary feeding system

13 replies

Coupleofdaysandcounting · 19/12/2020 20:23

Hi, has anyone used one? I ordered tubing and have just tried for the first time and it was a complete failure. Struggled to get bay latched on well and tube kept coming out of his mouth. Eventually I accidentally caught the tube which made everything fall on the floor so I gave up with this feed. Anyone got any success stories with using one to get baby back to exclusive breastfeeding from having bottle top ups for poor weight gain? Or any tips on using it?

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itsausername · 19/12/2020 22:03

I'd never heard of this so no advice but had a quick google and looks like it could be really helpful if you can get it to work. The images I saw the tube was taped onto the breast, would this help with dropping it if you've not already tried this. Good luck, hope it works out for you.

JingleJohnsJulie · 21/12/2020 20:00

I've not tried one either but I do think it might be worth phoning one of the BFing Helplines and talking to a BFC.

Do you have the Helpline numbers?

Original poster
Coupleofdaysandcounting · 21/12/2020 20:43

I’ve contacted the BFC that advised trying it. Was hoping I’d hear back from her today but haven’t yet. Tried it again since with more success so think it’s just a bit fiddly until you get the hang of it and I guess baby has to get used to it too. Really hope it works to get to exclusive breastfeeding

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june2007 · 21/12/2020 20:52

Would have loved to try one but when it came to it I knew more then most of the health profs. But yes how do you get the tube to stay in one place it seems you need a few pairs of hands hence why I would have loved someone to go through it with me. (I had to supplement with bottles of expressed and formula but did anage to drob the bottles.)

ablisha · 24/12/2020 04:57

@Coupleofdaysandcounting I have used one! Definitely did help however the biggest change for me was having a bath and feeding my LO which was suggested by my breastfeeding clinic

addler · 24/12/2020 05:06

I use one for every feed, with formula as I have insufficient glandular tissue and make almost no milk. Only two weeks in but so far so good. It definitely takes some practice. Have you got a DIY one? I have the Medela version. Currently feeding DS with it.

There are some YouTube videos and if you Google SNS tips there's loads from women who have used them for months.

The flipple technique helped me as DS sometimes tries to just suck on the tube like a straw and spit my nipple out Hmm

Original poster
Coupleofdaysandcounting · 24/12/2020 09:25

@june2007 did you manage to stop using it and just breastfeed? How long did it take you?

@addler the firsts couple of times I tried to use it I could have cried as I’d been really hoping it would be what turned his feeding round but it was a disaster. He seems to have got used to it now and generally will feed with it there but he does try to use it like a straw sometimes like you said and I have to stop him an relatvh through the feed. I’ve just looked up flipple technique and will try it thanks

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Original poster
Coupleofdaysandcounting · 24/12/2020 09:28

I was so lucky to be able to breastfeed my first 2 despite issues with being premature and tongue tie so it never crossed my mind that this one would be any different. I feel so disappointed/ upset by how it’s going. Trying to stay relaxed about it all but easier said than done and having a few cries about it

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addler · 24/12/2020 09:38

I've just joined a Facebook group called 'supply line breastfeeders support group Australia'. It's international despite the name and kept being recommended to me as the best place for tips and advice for different SNS versions

addler · 24/12/2020 09:40

Also I know the emotion side of things too, I was devastated when my milk didn't come in and my baby lost 11.9% of his birth weight on day three. I know in my case nothing I can do will increase my supply so it's SNS or bottle feeding for me.
I've come to terms with it mostly, DS needs to be fed and I don't make enough milk to keep him alive. But I still cry about it most days, that I never got the choice.

I hope things improve for you Thanks

june2007 · 24/12/2020 14:23

I dinmt use a suplementer.I expressed a lot as well as fed to keep milk surply up. Always offer boob first. Then bottle. Think it was about 6- 8 wks with dD to get off bottles. 9she had syringe and tube in scbu.) Son was more like 2-3 wks. But I new what I was doing with my son and he hadn,t been tube fed so had, had to wake up to be fed.

Keha · 26/12/2020 00:34

I appreciate this is not what you are asking. However we got to the point of being able to drop top ups over about 2 months by just very slowly increasing the spacing of them and BF/expressing as much as possible. We actually did keep giving the odd bottle for convenience by then but she could go several days without one. I just wanted to give some reassurance in case the sfs doesn't work out and also because I wish someone could have told me whether it would take days, weeks or months. Good luck

Original poster
Coupleofdaysandcounting · 26/12/2020 10:06

@Keha that’s great thanks. I have got the hang of the sfs now so my next question would definitely be about gradually stopping them to get to exclusive bf. He is 4 weeks old now so I was worrying about what point it’s too late. I’m hoping that over the next 3-4weeks we’ll get there and that sounds like about the time it took for you

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