""I think we tend to fight harder for the breastfeeding when we've had a
good
breastfeeding experience under our belt -- I know that if my Tim had been my
first baby, I'd probably given up within the first week, and not tried again
(that's how hard HE was).  But I'd had two other good bf experiences, and
KNEW it could work w/ perseverence.  But if you don't have that -- it's all
head
knowledge and not heart knowledge....  ""

I think that is a profound statement!  I know it is certainly true in my
case.  I always had challenges, having not given birth to any of my babies,
but some were much more that way than others.  I am quite certain that, if
I'd gotten my Julia, who was six months old, tube fed, gaggy, antisocial,
etc., before Thomas, who had been nursing for two years by then, I would not
have been able to get her nursing.  However, having seen how wonderful it
was, I just couldn't give up and kept trying until I finally made it, five
months later.

That is also why I risk being a nuisance if I see a case where I think I
might know something that could possibly help.  I am confused as to why this
little baby can't feed with the SNS at the breast, because the SNS does not
require suction from the baby in order to flow, unless only one tube is
open.  With both open, the fluid will drip or run out of one side and vent
through the other.  With the device held high, so that one tube can be
pointed down (doesn't have to be straight down), and the other tube open, it
will keep dripping, even with the smallest tubing.  With the largest,
regular formula will run out of the open tube in a constant stream.  I would
think that would keep it coming much better than using a syringe.  In fact,
a mother using it like that, especially with the large tubing,  would need
to keep an eye on it to make sure her baby didn't get overwhelmed, , if he
stopped swallowing.

Kittie Franz also says that it is possible to feed with both tubes taped
side by side, for an even faster flow.  However, I have never been able to
figure out how to get it to keep flowing from both tubes.  They will flow
for a while but then a vacuum forms inside the bottle and air will start
coming in one of the tubes.   The SNS is supposedly vented, somehow, around
the cap, but I have never been able to get it to do that, without leaving
the cap on so loosely that it leaks.  So I think having both tubes open but
only one on the breast is the way to get it to keep flowing the fastest.
However, if that still wasn't fast enough, for some reason, a little
pressure on the bottle will speed it up more.  I wish I'd had the SNS with
my second son, who had a terribly weak suck.  I could at least have kept him
at the breast that way, even if his suck never did improve.

Darillyn

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