Medela Starter SNS is a specialized nursing device crafted to facilitate breastfeeding/chestfeeding for parents. Engineered for 24-hour use, it seamlessly supplies milk to the baby while they feed at the breast/chest. Complete with a versatile tray that serves as an inpatient wash basin, it ensures convenience and cleanliness. Ready to use and sterile, it simplifies the feeding journey for caregivers and nurtures bonding between parent and baby.

Features

• Volume: 80 mL
• Sterile and Ready to Use.
• For short-term 24-hour use.
• Facilitates bonding and skin-to-skin contact.
• Provides milk supplementation without the use of bottles and teats.
• Supports the baby’s oral development of sucking skills to create a vacuum.
• Promotes milk supply by stimulating the breast through sustained sucking.
• Supports adoptive, surrogate, same sex, transgender, and non-binary parents to create a breastfeeding / chestfeeding experience.

What's included

• 1 x Disc
• 1 x QuickClip
• 1 x Tape strip
• 1 x Elastic ring
• 1 x Membrane
• 1 x Tubing clamp
• 1 x Starter SNS assembly
• 1 x 80 mL Collection container

Instructions for Use

• Place the elastic ring with the Quick Clip around the bottom. (Container included with #0097003S, #20903). Use a Medela Collection and Storage Container or other graduated feeder. Have extra paper tape available if necessary.
• Fill the container with the supplement recommended by your physician. Normally, your body will heat the supplement as it passes through the tubing. However, if the supplement was taken from the refrigerator, warm it to approximately body temperature before pouring it into the container.
• Press the white membrane onto the upper side of the disc so that the stud goes completely through the center hole.
• Screw the Teat/Tubing assembly onto the container
• To prime the system, hold the unit in the upright position and, while gently squeezing the teat, invert the tubing assembly. Allow a small amount of the supplement in the teat. Next, gently squeeze the teat a second time to fill the tubing to help prevent the infant from swallowing air. Only a small amount of the supplement should be in the teat. Do not fill the teat completely
• Close off tubing using a Tubing Clamp to avoid milk flow.
• Clip the container to the shoulder of the gown or bra. The bottom of the teat should be level with the mother’s nipple.
• Place tubing on the top of the nipple, making sure it extends about 1/4 inch beyond the nipple, and secure it vertically with a piece of tape extending down to the base of the areola. Another piece of tape may be placed horizontally at the base of the areola if necessary. Make sure the tubing is positioned so the baby keeps the tube in the center of its upper lip and not in the corner of its mouth.
• Position the baby at the breast. Place all your fingers underneath the breast away from the areola. To begin milk flow, lift the tubing off the Tubing Clamp.
• Tickle the baby’s lower lip with your nipple and wait until the baby opens wide. Place the tube under the baby’s upper lip and gently but quickly pull the baby onto your breast. If you have difficulty, don’t worry, as this may take a little practice. Remove the baby and start again.

Cleaning Instructions

After each use:

• Fill the container full of warm, soapy water and force water through the tubing, teat, and disc/membrane assembly by squeezing the teat (making sure the disc/membrane assembly is inside the teat lid while cleaning).
• Refill with clean water and again force water through the tubing, teat, and disc/membrane assembly.
• Squeeze the empty teat a few times to remove water droplets from the tubing.
• Completely disassemble and clean remaining parts with soapy water. Squeeze the eat tubing assembly until the disc/membrane assembly falls out. Use the fingernail of the forefinger and thumb to remove the membrane from the disc.
• Rinse well and drain dry on a clean towel.
• Reassemble.

Flow Regulation:

One way to adjust the flow is by the height of the device. When the bottom of the Starter SNS is above the level of the nipple, the supplement will flow more quickly and will continue to flow into the baby’s mouth even when sucking has stopped. Such a non-stop flow can be uncomfortable, so use extreme caution when the device is above the level of the nipple, especially if the baby seems to gulp loudly or choke. Most babies will stop and pull away if this should happen.

Similarly, when the SNS is placed below the level of the nipple, the baby must suck against gravity. It could be difficult for the baby to suck the supplement in this case. Your healthcare professional may suggest this to promote a stronger suck. Make sure the baby swallows with every suck or every other suck if this technique is used. The flow can also be increased by very gently squeezing the teat. This could be used when the infant has a very weak suck or needs extra assistance, such as with the reluctant nurser.

Some mothers have found that warming the supplement in the Starter SNS will increase the flow. It is usually not necessary to do this. However, it is an additional way to increase flow.

CAUTION: You are using your Starter SNS to assist you in breastfeeding your baby. Your baby should gain weight each week.

If your baby is not gaining weight or is losing weight, consult your healthcare professional immediately. Visit your healthcare professional throughout the time you use your Starter SNS as often as he/she wish to check the baby. Please make sure you read this manual well, for it contains information you need to know.

Note: This device is intended for short-term use and should be discarded after 24 hours.