There are lots of reasons why breastfeeding doesn’t always come easily. When that happens, a supplemental nursing system (SNS) may help ensure your baby gets the nutrition she needs until your milk production is fully up and running.
Here’s how these devices work, where to buy one and whether a supplemental nursing system might be right for you and your baby.
What is a supplemental nursing system?
Also called a nursing supplementer, a supplemental nursing system helps caregivers breastfeed while also supplementing with pumped milk or formula. These devices allow a baby to be fed pumped breast milk or formula while simultaneously sucking at the breast, giving a mom’s breasts the stimulation they need to produce milk while making sure baby gets enough nutrition to grow and thrive.
The term "supplemental nursing system" has been popularized by Medela's nursing supplementer device. While there are other nursing supplementers on the market, the Medela product is the most widely available in the U.S.
An SNS usually consists of a bottle filled with either pumped breast milk or formula that’s attached to your breast and may hang around your neck, along with one or two narrow, flexible tubes that extend outwards. The tubes are taped to your breasts so they may reach slightly past your nipples, which lets your baby to suck from the breast while getting milk or formula from the tube at the same time.
What are the benefits of a supplemental nursing system?
Sometimes a mother and baby’s breastfeeding relationship needs a hand getting started or becoming re-established. A supplemental nursing system is a tool that can help make that happen.
By sucking at the breast and drinking from a tube at the same time, a baby can get the nourishment she needs while stimulating your breasts as well as practicing her sucking skills.
Read This Next
You might opt to try a nursing supplementer if:
- You're trying to increase your milk supply. If your baby isn’t able to get the nutrition she needs from breast milk alone, but you still hope to encourage or support a breastfeeding relationship, a supplemental nursing system may help. This might be the case if you're struggling with a very low supply or have undergone breast surgery, which can sometimes make it harder for breasts to produce an adequate supply of milk.
- You're trying to induce lactation. Manual stimulation, like encouraging a baby to suck while using a supplemental nursing system, can potentially prompt your body to start lactating even if you weren't pregnant, like in the case of adoption or if you're welcoming a baby via surrogate. It can make you feel more emotionally and physically close to your baby, too, which can also encourage milk production.
- Your baby was initially bottle-fed because she was a preemie or had another health problem. Using a supplemental nursing system can help encourage or preserve your breastfeeding relationship even if your baby isn’t yet strong enough to suck on her own or was given formula after birth for a problem like low blood sugar.
How to use a supplemental nursing system
Nursing supplementers are relatively straightforward to use once you get the hang of them. But if you’re trying one for the first time, a board-certified lactation consultant can help you get started and make the process a little smoother.
Here’s how to start feeding your baby with your supplemental nursing system (make sure to review any specific instructions on your device):
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Pour formula or pumped breast milk in the container and close the lid tightly.
- Ensure that the tube is threaded through the clamp and completely closed.
- Turn the supplemental nursing system upside down and squeeze the bulb once. This helps to “prime” the bulb so milk will start flowing once you open the tube.
- Put the bottle around your neck or attach it to your shirt. If you’re attaching the bottle to your shirt, try to clip on top of the breast that you’re not feeding from.
- Use paper tape to attach the tube (or tubes, if your nursing supplementer has two) to your breast(s). The tube should reach the tip of your nipple and may need to extend past it a little depending on the system you are using.
- Put your baby in your arms and position her for breastfeeding. Encourage her to take a deep, wide latch just as she would for breastfeeding without a nursing supplementer.
- Release the flow of pumped milk or formula from the bottle by lifting the tube out of the clamp so your baby can suck.
Where to buy a supplemental nursing system
You can buy a supplemental nursing system from major retailers. Moms who are still in the hospital may be able to get one from the hospital itself. If you’re working with a lactation consultant, they may also be able to provide you with one.
No matter where your supplemental nursing system comes from, like all breastfeeding support and equipment, it should be covered by your insurance provider. Check with your provider to find out if you need to buy a supplemental nursing system through a specific retailer in order to get coverage, or if you can submit your purchase for reimbursement.
Nursing supplementer devices can give some moms and babies the support they need to build a better breastfeeding relationship. And while using an SNS might seem a little intimidating at first, like so many aspects of new parenthood, you’ll come to learn quickly that it’s nothing you can’t handle.
Yes 
No 
Trending On What to Expect
