Home Forums Induced Lactation aka Adoptive Breastfeeding Medical Interventions to Induce Lactation/Increase Milk Supply Baby prefers sns flow

I am adoptive nursing. For awhile I had full supply, but then the baby stopped gaining weight and I needed to supplement with frozen milk. I think the baby is now "addicted" to the sns.

I used to nurse her and then when she got frustrated and was pulling at my nipple, I'd supplement her. Now she starts to fuss immediately upon going to the breast. If I do "make" her nurse without the sns, she complains the whole time until she's so upset that she screams and won't nurse. I think she likes the extra flow of the sns. This could explain why we've gone from 2 or 3 ounces of frozen milk to 5 or 6 ounces each day.

I want her to get as much fresh milk as possible because it's better for her, doesn't use up unnecessary frozen milk, and keeps my supply as high as possible. We're going out of town for a few days on Friday. My plan is to pump like a well...what analogy works here? Pump like a bat, whatever that means, while we're gone to try and increase my supply. My husband won't be working so he can look after our older son. I can hide away, forget the relatives, and just pump. I'll give her all the milk I pump and see what happens. I just fear we have a sns addict on our hands. Any suggestions on how to evaluate and deal with her sns preference? (I'm afraid that yet another pumping plan will go away. Every time I've made a pumping plan, something has gotten in the way.)

By the way, I have a temporary sns that I've been reusing. It seems the lactaid is a superior product but I am sticking with the sns since the lactaid seems to have higher flow. I want her to stimulate me, and hopefully milk production, as much as possible so stick with

The lact-aid actually has a lower flow. It doesn't free flow at all. Unless they have changed the sns it free flows and baby doesn't have to work so hard to get the milk.

Hi Second,

I can totally relate to your little "addict". My daughter prefered the sns because of the flow. After talking to the gals here, I decided to try the lact aid. I was really frustrated with the SNS because it would leak as well as flow WAY fast. I did the switch and it was SO much better. My daughter fussed for a while with it, but on the whole took it with the breast.
pumping sounds like a good way to up your supply, try to be committed to it.

There was a gal on this site that had the lact aid for sale, you might check it out.

hope you can get back to a good supply and a good bonding tine with your baby at the breast

They can get hooked on the Lact Aid as well. If I get to do it again; I'm going to go with the suggestions on the BFAR site www.lowmilksupply.org and bottle feed in the manner they say always keeping the bottle horizontal and tipping it occasionally so the flow stops to keep them used to an intermittent flow.
I used the Lact Aid with my first adopted dd and whenever it clogged or finished she would pop off instantly. Comfort sucking was confined to her thumb.

I would like to add that if I used a Lact Aid; I would not introduce it immediately into the feed and pinch it off occasionally too to mimic the breast.
I transitioned dd to the Lact Aid from a bottle but she was so frantic that only an immediate flow satisfied her. Now I think I would start with changing the bottle flow first (slow flow nipple plus my above mentioned method) and then move on to a Lact Aid but encourage sucking without it. It was just so sad that she was unhappy when it was finished but would never comfort suck. I think a younger baby would maybe be more flexible.

My daughter started on the lact-aid from birth and she would comfort suck. So maybe you are right with a younger baby things could be different. I lowered the lact-aid bag/bottle so she had to work harder we never had an issue.

I will say that nursing with or without the Lact Aid was superior to just bottlefeeding. Dd had a really weak suck and at the beginning would take 20 mins to drain 4 oz. I also think it brought her chin forward (as well as all the other good bonding type stuff)
At 5 1/2 she still asks for a quick nurse even though I no longer really have milk although she has never sucked long enough lately to get any of the premilk that I have since I"m on the protocol (around day 42)

hmmm...about the lactaid having a slower flow. I already have one but have never used it.

I use the temporary sns. I hold it in my hand so hold it lower than if you wear it. I could hold it lower and see what happens.

I have learned to prevent leaking by cleaning all the parts everytime I use it if it still has milk in it.

I'd like her to only drink from it when I don't have enough milk. I've never felt letdowns, so I can't judge that.

Thanks for all your advice.