I have to disagree with Becky Krumwiede, who suggested that an SNS would
not work with a 4 mo old who is failing to thrive.  I have been the "last
resort helper" for a number of babies who were failing to thrive.  Some
have been as old as 4 mo!  And I have had no trouble whatever getting the
baby to use an SNS on breast AFTER they were first finger-fed to get the
food into them when they had progressed to the point of NOT EATING AT ALL!
This is probably a reflection of their extreme weakness and lethargy
(associated).  Once the babies start getting fed regularly, and enough to
really help them grow, they DO accept an SNS elsewhere, as in on the
breast.

The key here is knowing how to get the baby going.  Obviously, a given tool
will probably not be the best choice for ALL babies, but to say that it
will NOT work (implying never) is also a mistake.

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"We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly
disguised as impossible situations."
Kathleen G. Auerbach,PhD, IBCLC (Ferndale, WA USA) [log in to unmask]
WEB PAGE: http://www.telcomplus.net/kga/lactation.htm
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