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. mailto:[log in to unmask] "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 LACTNET archives http://library.ummed.edu/lsv/archives/lactnet.html