Daniela Knaan
UX/UI Designer at - AdobeBreastfeeding is the most natural thing! But does it feel this way in the first few weeks after birth? If you ask moms who breastfed, including me, I am pretty sure 99% of them would say that it feels like a lot of things but natural and easy at the beginning.
There is a long row of challenges to overcome and a whole process of learning to do for both mother and baby. And what is always at the top of the list of problems? Low supply. This is probably one of the main reasons why women don`t breastfeed as much as they intended, or supplement with formula. And did you know that most of the time it is really not really the supply that is the problem, but the expectation of what is normal at breastfeeding?
But that`s another topic. Today, I want to talk about those who really struggle with low supply, and something that could help, without disturbing breastfeeding, but encouraging it! The supplemental nursing system! So let’s first have a look at how lactation works…
The system of demand and supply
How does our body know what amount of milk to produce? The answer is quite simple. The more you let your baby suck, the more milk will your body produce! This works thanks to our amazing endocrine- system, which simply signals how much milk to produce- and of course also, when not to produce anymore, for example, if you are engorged! How amazing is our body?
So eating properly, drinking water to thirst, resting, etc are all important, but if you don`t put your baby at your breast, nothing will increase your supply enough.
That is why the biggest mistake is to supplement with formula if you think you don`t have enough milk. The missing meals will signal your body to produce even less. Even a pacifier is not that good to use in the beginning, because little babies have to be brought to the breast as frequently and unrestricted as possible in the first few days, to establish your supply.
What if I really struggle with supply
It is really funny, that the first options suggested to most moms are expressed milk or even formula fed in a bottle. Sucking on a bottle teat is different from breastfeeding and many babies get confused or used to the stronger flow of the bottle.
The nursing supplementer works differently. It is a small bottle, you wear around your neck, and from this bottle, a small tube goes into your baby`s mouth. You use it ONLY WHILE breastfeeding. This way you provide your baby with extra milk besides what comes out of your breast, and you encourage your baby and your own breastfeeding abilities! Because of your baby`s constant sucking, your body will establish a proper supply with time, and soon you will be able to wean off the supplementer and go on with regular breastfeeding.
How do I use the supplemental nursing system correctly?
The best is of course, if you make it possible to express some of your own milk and use it with the supplementer. Maybe while feeding from one side you can pump at the other. The let-down (reflex of the body to release milk) will make this easier.
An experienced lactation counselor may help you with getting used to the lactation aid.
Generally, the tube should be added after the baby has breastfed on both breasts and the flow has slowed down on the second breast (baby is mostly sucking with few drinks), but your Lactation Consultant may recommend something different depending on your situation.
Gently ease the breast away so the corner of the baby’s mouth is seen. Hold the tube close to the end with your index finger and thumb. Bit by bit, slide the tube under the baby’s top lip (anywhere between the middle of the top lip and the corner of the mouth). The tube should slide into baby’s mouth alongside the nipple – push the tube away from the breast and aim it toward the roof of baby’s mouth.(1)
In order to understand how the system works and see, you can take a look at the following video. (choose “inserting a lactation aid” from the list of videos)
What are the benefits of a nursing supplementer?
- The baby does not get used to the bottle
- The baby learns to latch on properly and develops good sucking abilities.
- The mom learns and gets better at feeding from her breast
- You get all the benefits from your breastfeeding relationship, besides nutrition!
What about growth spurts?
When your baby goes through a growth spurt, you may have the feeling that they want to nurse more frequently, if not even ALL the time.
But if you have had a good supply before the spurt, you don`t have to worry about not being able to meet your baby`s needs during growth spurts, and you will not be in need of the supplementing system!
Your body will adjust to your baby`s higher demand, it may just take a little time! Continue feeding on cue, that is the most important thing! And you will get through this with a little bit of patience!
Conclusion
If you are determined to breastfeed, and that is already a big accomplishment(!) but struggling with low supply, the nursing supplementer is a good solution for you! being different from other ways of supplementing, this one focuses on learning the process of breastfeeding for both mother and baby, which lays the foundation for long-term breastfeeding success!
