Dear all:
I've posted on this before, but maybe its a time for a refresher.  I was glad to see that Cathy Genna included this in at least one of her books.  Haven't read them all yet. 

In the beginning, when I was mentored, my mentors used feeding tubes above all other feeding devices - and now that I think about it I must have seen these feeding tubes used THOUSANDS of times with my mentors.  I got to know all but the Lact-Aid and Jack Newman's system intimately.  Once I was on my own, I explored the Lact-Aid and my own version of Jack Newman's system.

So -- I know my tapes and tubes.

For tapes, I find that the micropore tape is much softer than the surgical tape and like it much better for that reason.  There are two types of tape -- 

a) the regular white tape which stick better to the skin.  This works well on women who have "slippery" breasts where the tape pulls off.  On the other hand it can stick to the skin and irritate it when the mom pulls the tape off.

b) the hypoallergenic brown tape pulls off easier.  This tape works well for women with "sticky" breasts that become irritated by the white tape.

There are two widths -- I like the 1 inch width because it stays on the breast better.  I hardly ever use the skinny tape.


For taping -- the first rule is to tape the tape onto the the tube LENGTHWISE.  This may seem obvious to some, but moms will often try to tape the tape onto the tube and the breast at the same time and it doesn't work very well.  If you tape the tape to the tube lengthwise you have much more ability to make sure that the tube end up in the baby's mouth and is not displaced by the baby's tongue.  

Before taping the tube down to the breast, I have the mother stretch her nipple out.  This is because the nipple stretches during feeding and it can stretch long enough to BLOCK the tip of the tube.  I tape the tube so that is on the breast in the same direction and on the same side of the breast as where the tongue strokes.  So the baby's tongue is stroking along the tube in a parallel direction with the tube in the middle groove of the tongue. 

When taping the tube down to a finger -- remember the finger, unlike the breast, contains a hard bone.  If a baby compresses the tube against the finger, it will block the tube.  So I tape the tube to a finger or a thumb along the side of the finger or thumb so that it goes into the corner of the baby's mouth where it is less likely to get compressed.  Also, because the finger doesn't STRETCH like the breast, I tape the tip of the tube a tiny bit back from the tip of the finger.  

And yes I BREAK OFF the tip of the tube at the second hold in the tube so that there is only one hole.  Since I don't slip the tube in during feedings (I find the slipping in very challenging for moms) this works well.  Even when I don't use tape myself and I hold the tube against my gloved finger when inserting it and don't SLIP the tube in.

Like Laurie, I keep syringes that are used for primarily for cleaning.  Before I jerryrigged my version of the Jack Newman's device, I was taught to fill a 30 ml syringe with milk -- secure the top edge of the syringe with a rubber band or a shoelace and pin it to mom's shirt and take the plunger out and use it as a gravity system.  I had one dad who actually used a paper clip to hand the syringe from the hole in his ear for his earring, which he replaced with the paper clip for the duration of his finger feeding experience.  The problem with using a syringe for gravity feeding is spillage.  Which is why I like Jack Newman's device much better. 

Also, I buy the extra long tubes.  That way, I can let moms put the bottle on a dresser that might be too far away with the standard size tubing.

Best regards, Susan Burger

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

Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
COMMANDS:
1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail
2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome