[blparent] using an S.N.S. when blind

[Jo Elizabeth Pinto]

I tried using the SNS in the hospital with Sarah because she had a lot of 
trouble latching on and sucking, and she was losing too much weight.  The 
blasted thing was a pain in the (insert orifice here."  It leaked where it 
wasn't supposed to and got clogged up or kinked every other second so that 
milk didn't come out where it *was* supposed to.  You have to tape the 
skinny little feeding tube part on your nipple so the baby has your nipple 
and the tube in its mouth at the same time, but you better get it exactly 
right because if too much of the nipple goes into the mouth with no tube, 
the milk doesn't get to the screaming, frustrated, toothlessly-biting baby, 
but if the tube is too long and protrudes beyond your nipple, then the baby 
tends to chew on the tube, and the bit end of your nipple, which hurts like 
a (insert swearword of choice here.)  I found the SNS cumbersome, 
complicated, frustrating, and unmanageable in every way.  I was sent home 
with one from the hospital, but I tossed it without even opening the 
package.  I couldn't see where you would bond with the baby at all using an 
SNS because you'll spend all your time making sure the hose is straight and 
the bottle is at the right level, and trying to attach it to the chair or 
your shoulder or the side of your head (yes, I tried all of those places) so 
that it stays there, and pulling tape off your breasts, which also hurts 
like a (insert another swearword here.)  In my opinion, you'll bond more 
with an adopted baby just using formula in a bottle and having lots of 
cuddles and skin-to-skin contact.  Nursing at the breast isn't the only way 
to bond.

Jo Elizabeth

"How far you go in life depends on you being tender with the young, 
compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of 
the weak and the strong.  Because someday in life you will have been all of 
these."--George Washington Carver, 1864-1943, American scientist

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Erin Rumer" <erinrumer at gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2012 12:57 PM
To: "NFB blind parent listserv" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
Subject: [blparent] using an S.N.S. when blind

> Hello list,
>
>
>
> Just out of plain curiosity and since my husband and I are interested in
> possibly adopting in the future, I was wondering if any of you have used a
> Supplemental Nursing System, (SNS) with either your biological kids or an
> adopted baby.  For those not familiar with this device, it's a neat little
> thing that allows you to feed the baby in a breast feeding position by
> putting a device over your shoulder with either breast milk or formula in 
> a
> compartment that is then distributed to the baby who is sucking on a 
> nipple
> that is attached to your chest.  They are often times used to aid babies 
> who
> have trouble with latch or for bonding purposes alone with babies who 
> cannot
> be fed by the breast alone.   I've been around women using these but
> honestly never was bold enough to ask to check it out by hand so I'm going
> off of description here.  I've even heard of fathers using them to add to
> the bonding experience with their babies.  I am wondering for those of you
> who have used them or know someone who is blind that has, if it is 
> difficult
> to use or is it no different than using a bottle and merely getting used 
> to
> position and listening out for sounds while feeling what baby is doing?
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
>
>
> Erin
>
> _______________________________________________
> blparent mailing list
> blparent at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blparent_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> blparent:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blparent_nfbnet.org/jopinto%40msn.com
>