Letters to the Editor

Indian Pediatrics 2002; 39:1169

A New Lact-aid Technique

NICU graduates and newborns separated from the mother due to operative delivery, eclampsia and due to the distance of the referral hospital, on recovery from their illness, are often unable to latch on to the mother’s breast. Re-establishing lactation in such situations is often frustrating and demanding. This communication describes a technique that I have used successfully to overcome the feeding problem.

A 5 FG infant feeding tube is fixed along the breast (taping it longitudinally) with the opening exactly near the nipple and the proximal orifice of the feeding tube having been occluded with a tape. The tube is also fixed with a tape below the clavicle (Fig. 1). Breast milk is expressed into a sterile cup and aspirated into a 5cc disposable syringe. The syringe with EBM is attached to the infant feeding tube. The baby is positioned at the breast while the milk is pushed slowly along the tube to the nipple. As the milk enters the baby’s mouth, the baby starts sucking. The procedure has to be performed with every feed for the first 2 to 3 feeds.

Fig. 1. Technique of strapping the infant feeding tube onto the breast

The tube should be cleaned with boiled, cooled water after every time it is used for feeding the baby, else there may be a small risk of tube contamination with bacterial overgrowth. Babies learn to suck and breastfeeding can be successfully established. This method is simple, safe, cheap, effective and hygienic. It also simulates the natural flow of breast milk. Mothers can also be taught to use this technique by themselves (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2. Mother using the technique

References