Barb asked about test weighing with the SNS.

I start by putting a soft receiving blanket on the scale and a clean diaper
of the same kind that the baby is wearing - and then zero the scale.  That
way I can weigh the baby with a diaper on and not have to do any math
(having been impaired by overuse of calculators and computers).  I always
have the mom use skin to skin and, if needed, a receiving blanket wrapped
around the outside of her and the baby.

Then I weigh the SNS (or whatever supplementing device I'm using) on the
scale.  Since I can't admit that I'm actually old enough to really need
reading glasses, I find I have trouble really reading the small lines on
bottles and supplementers.  Plus I find those lines are not that accurate.

If the baby can do breast alone, I do a weight check after the baby is no
longer effective on the breast alone.  Then I weigh the baby after
finishing with the supplementer and I weigh the supplementer as well.

Thus, I get:

1) an intake from the breast alone = baby's weight after completing breast
alone - baby's weight before starting on the breast.

2) total intake while using the SNS = baby's weight after using the SNS -
baby's weight before using the SNS (and after breast alone - if the baby
can do it)

3) intake from the SNS = weight of the SNS before feeding from it - weight
of the SNS after feeding from it

4) intake from the breast while using the SNS = total intake while using
the SNS - intake from the SNS

With baby's that seem to have trouble with flow - I may do several test
weighings with different tube sizes.  That can get tricky to evaluate
because the baby is usually less vigorous as the feeding progresses.

The starter SNS is a pain because it can't be sterilized and you don't have
a vent tube. We find moms take it home and don't understand why it isn't
working any more and it has become gummed up with old milk - or sterilized
and warped.  They used to sell the SNS bottle with just the medium size
tubes at a lower cost and then you could be the other tube sizes if
needed.  The regular SNS comes with three tube sizes - and each size tube
set actually is a set of two tubes that can both be clamped off.  The two
tubes hang down from a cap-like portion that fits over a hard piece that
fits into the SNS bottle.  You can tape one of the tubes up on the bottle
so it doesn't dribble down if you unclamp the tube. Or you can use a fat
large rubber band around the SNS bottle and stick the tube up through the
rubber band.

I think Medella's idea was to use one tube for each breast.  Usually its
such a pain to tape up the SNS that we usually (not always) just have the
mom tape it to one breast.  As a baby starts to do more breast alone time,
we may have the mother do breast alone on one bresat and then switch to the
2nd breast with the tube on the 2nd breast.  You can clamp off the feeding
tube and then open it up when the baby tires on the second breast.

Best, Susan

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

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