Kathy,
I don't think it sounds like she is near "getting rid of the SNS".  I have
worked with several babies through the years who were on them for many weeks.  I
had a baby recently who was taking 16 onces of formula a day from a SNS and
by 8 weeks was off of the SNS and mom had a good supply but two weeks only
being breastfed she wasn't gaining as well as she should have.  We then had a week
where she stayed at the same weight as the previous week check up.  Mom went
back to pumping twice a day but even those two supplements weren't cutting it.
 She uses about 4 ounces of formula a day when she can't keep up enough
pumping.  At 4 months we went to natural foods.  She is doing so much better and
thriving really well now.  Mom has a Kidney disease and also was an IVF (Invitro
fertilization) Mom.  I have never had a mom work as hard as this mother has!
She is a speech therapist and now has a true interest in becoming an IBCLC.
She works for the March of Dimes and everyone there has breastfed their
children past a year, her boss did long term breastfeeding.  They would love for her
to become an IBCLC.  Her little baby had such a poor suck for a very long
time and she still isn't quick.  But she loves to nurse!  Another recent baby
with a very poor suck...Mom is from Mexico, she only wanted to breastfeed and was
so worried when her baby continued to lose weight instead of gaining.  We
used a SNS.  She would only transfer 5 ml at a time from the breast!  After about
two weeks on the SNS, the 14 oz of formula per day was gone, baby had only
EBM in the SNS but she still wasn't transferring well, maybe 15 ml at best.  At
week 5 (Friday) I saw the baby and she transferred 2 ounces at the breast!  We
were so excited!  Mom went home thrilled and by Saturday the starter SNS we
were using broke (She had only wanted to try the starter SNS first.....the real
thing overwhelmed her and her mother in law was totally confused by all of
the contraptions....she didn't understand why this baby couldn't just
breastfeed!).  She came back in Monday worried to death.  We did a weight check and she
had gained 6 ounces over the weekend!  Bye, bye SNS!  Yea!  I have a Mom with
twins at 7 weeks still using the SNS at every feeding.  Mom almost lost her
life.  She didn't make ANY milk until week 3.  And only because she pumped
religiously and tried to nurse 8 times a day once she was stable in ICU.  This mom
is pumping more milk now and her formula volume has decreased somewhat but
still is the majority of their food.  I see her on Friday.  She lives in my
neighborhood so I keep close tabs on her when she can't come to see me at the
hospital.  Wish I had my own scale!  The babies are lazy feeders.  But certainly
have improved.  I don't know how she does what she does.  Another amazing woman.
 And then I remember the ones I spend half a day working with and I go back
to their bedside the next day only to find out "they stopped....it was just too
difficult and tiring."  Today was one of those days but I also saw a Mom as
an outpatient who WILL succeed.  Her baby has lost way too much weight, he was
ravenous.  But I know she will succeed.  And that is why I go back each and
everyday.  In my experience it takes close watching, careful weaning of the
formula, weight checks to get off of the SNS, and most importantly a mom who is
willing to work hard to succeed.  All of my mothers had the loving support of
their partners.  What a difference these men can make!

Pam Hendrix, RN, IBCLC
S. Florida Hospital Based

             ***********************************************

To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest)
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
All commands go to [log in to unmask]

The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(R)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html