Supplemental nursing system

A supplemental nursing system (SNS) is used by breastfeeding mothers of newborns if they are having difficulty establishing their milk supply. The SNS consists of a container that can be filled with pumped breastmilk or infant formula and a capillary tube leading from the container to the mother's nipple. The tubing is usually attached with removable tape. When the newborn infant suckles on the breast, the infant is nourished both by fluid from the capillary tube and by the mother's breastmilk from the nipple. The mother's milk supply is stimulated by the infant suckling, and in most cases the use of the SNS can be discontinued in a few days or weeks when the mother's milk supply has risen to meet the infant's needs. Mothers usually obtain SNS supplies from a lactation consultant.