Has anyone ever used a supplemental nursing system?

[firstontheway]

I'm just wondering whether it is worth me getting one. Without going into my whole breasfeeding saga, I'm 'mixed' feeding (but I'd say it was pretty much 95:5 to formula) but putting my 6wk DD to the breast before each feed, and between for comfort/ drops of milk.

Was wondering how easy it is to use as I like the idea of DD nursing more and having that feeling of getting milk 'from me'.

But on the other hand, I wonder if it's a step too far- have tried everything else in the book, pumping, constant feeding, domperidone, fenugreek etc etc and after 6 weeks of it not working, I feel more than a bit disheartened and humiliated. Is it really embarrasing/ obvious in use?

TIA

bump

Hi first

can't offer any advice but am watching with interest for any replies as I was looking at possibly doing the same as I am hoping to re-introduce breastfeeding to my dd age 14days

hope someone with experience of this gives you some advice

Dr Jack Newman has some stuff on using SNS. He actually suggests making one using a length of serile naso-gastric tubing (obtained from MW/HV/GP or whoever!) and simply putting one end into a bottle of supplement, latching the baby on and then slipping the tube into the corner of their mouth after they are happily attached. The commercially available lactation aids suggest taping the tube to your breast, but it can be hard to achieve a good latch and get the tube in simultaneously sometimes, so sliding it in afterwards is often easier. If you scroll down this page then there is a link to a video clip called "lactation aid" on the right hand side showing how it works. On the left is also a factsheet on "using a lactation aid".

Having said all of that, this may not be the best solution for you particular circumstances at this time. But, without knowing more about how things are at the moment and how you came to be where you are now it is difficult to say (and that applies to nicsnigsnags too). Have you tried phoning one of the helplines to get some 1-2-1 support ?