When a baby has a weak suck, the sns is probably not the optimal device
to use for fingerfeeding, to put it mildly.  I would prefer something
more active, like a syringe with a feeding tube.  For full term babies,
I generally use a 5 french, though there are thinner ones available too
which other LC's prefer.
With the syringe and tube, mom or dad can push some milk to baby upon
each tiny sucking effort.  As baby gets stronger, he will eventually be
able to pull the milk himself, even with the plunger still in the
syringe, but by then he should do a better job at breast.  A Haberman
feeder can be helpful as well, especially the one with the longer teat.

Slurping sounds could be caused by tongue sucking or uncoordinated
tongue movements.  If the baby has a short lower jaw, he has probably
learned to keep his tongue tip plastered against the roof of his mouth
in front.  Fingerfeeding for a day or two is a great way to help him
learn to keep his tongue down.  Usually a nipple shield at the breast
works the same way, but one has to be careful to get the baby very very
deeply on the breast in an asymetrical latch.  The dancer hand position
(cheek and jaw support) can also be useful if the slurping sound is
caused by baby "losing" the nipple and moving his tongue around to try
to find it again.  By stabilizing and slightly compressing the cheeks,
one provides a better border for the tongue.

This little one is probably weak too.  After the awful headache from a
vacuum extractor (which might have started the whole problem, it's
awfully hard to learn a new skill like eating when you are in pain) then
not getting enough food, this poor little guy probably does not have
much strength.  Pumping some food in with the syringe and tube can do
wonders.  If that's not enough, then we want to refer the baby on to the
speech, occupational and physical therapists for evaluation, just in
case his poor feeding has a neurological component, or was caused by a
birth injury.

The main role for the lips in proper sucking are to maintain a seal
around the breast.  If the inferior labial frenulum is so tight that the
baby's lip is pulled off the breast, then that certainly might be the
problem, but they are rarely that tight.  Try taking a good look at what
happens to that lower lip when the baby tries to suck.
--
Catherine Watson Genna, IBCLC  New York City  mailto:[log in to unmask]

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