My Honest Take on Medela SNS: How It Helped Me Get Back on Track with Twin Feeding

Medela on demandMy Breastfeeding Journey

I'd already had two boys, aged 3 and 5, and I was determined to breastfeed both of my twins. My first experience with breastfeeding was a disaster - I had no idea what I was doing, and the babies just wouldn't latch on. The doctor suggested using nipple shields, but they didn't work either. After three weeks, the first baby wasn't gaining weight, and we were told to introduce formula. I ended up mixed-feeding him until he was three months old, then switched to formula full-time.

With my second son, I really wanted to breastfeed, but everyone kept reminding me of my first experience, and we ended up buying formula 'just in case.' The grandparents were great, but they'd get the baby used to a bottle while I was out with the older child, and I'd have to come home and give him a top-up with a syringe.

For the first four months, I was doing a mix of breastfeeding and formula, with nighttime feedings and daytime formula. But when the colic kicked in, and I was struggling to produce enough milk, I had to switch to formula full-time again.

When we found out we were having twins, I really wanted to breastfeed at least one of them. But everyone around me was saying, 'Don't even bother.'

Feeding in the Hospital

In the hospital, one of the twins was put straight to my breast, but the other was taken away to get oxygen and didn't get any breastfeeding at all. The next morning, the pediatric nurse came in, looked at how the babies were latching on, and said, 'We'll give them some formula, it's better for them.' She told me to bring some bottles, preferably the Kurinski ones, so the milk would flow easily.

For the whole 10 days I was in the hospital, the feeding schedule was like clockwork: every three hours, the pediatric nurse would come in, wake up the sleeping babies, and I'd feed them for 10 minutes or so. Then she'd give them the prescribed amount of formula. I think the formula was way too much, and it was harder on their tummies than breast milk, so they'd just fall asleep again.

I Wasn't Even Woken Up for Feeding

Sometimes, I wasn't even woken up for feeding. The pediatric nurse would say, 'You were sleeping, I gave them formula.' Like, let the milk 'accumulate' or something...

The pediatrician, a neonatologist, probably thought my breasts were too small to produce enough milk, because every day he'd increase the formula dose.

Only one of the nurses said, 'Good on you, give it a go.'

I Was Waiting for the Nurses to Leave, and Then I'd Pour Out the Formula

When they brought me the formula, I'd say, 'I haven't fed them yet.' They'd leave it with me, and I'd pour it down the drain, risking getting in trouble.

When the staff found out I wasn't giving them top-ups, they'd look at me disapprovingly and say, 'The babies need to gain weight.'

When I Got Home from the Hospital

By the time I got home, we were already at 40ml of formula per feeding, and it was hard to cut back. I tried to reduce the amount myself, but the babies would cry and demand to be fed. They were sleeping poorly, and I was exhausted.

Would a Breastfeeding Consultant Have Made a Difference?

I reached out to the lactation consultants twice. I'd rate their help a solid 3+. The first thing they asked for was a video of me feeding my babies breastmilk on my phone, which I had to send over. I found it really awkward to do in the hospital, and at home with no one around, it was even harder.

Our conversation with the consultant was more like a dialogue where I was coming up with ways to establish breastfeeding, and she'd say 'try this.'

How I Learned About the Medela Feeding System

As a result, I armed myself with a phone and started searching online for ways to give my babies a bottle without using a bottle.

Before Medela, I'd tried feeding with a cup, a spoon, and even a syringe. With two babies, nothing seemed to work.

When I told the lactation consultant about the Medela system I'd seen online, she replied 'try it, but it's probably cheaper on Avito.'

How Much Does the Medela System Cost?

If you're buying a new system, it'll cost you around 4,000 to 7,000 rubles.

I bought it twice on Avito - once for 800 rubles and another time for 1,000 rubles.

What's Included in the Medela System?

The set includes the following components:

- 150ml bottle;

- neck strap;

- bottle cap;

- valve;

- bottle cap seal (prevents leaks);

- three double capillaries with different flow rates (red, white, and transparent)

- instruction manual;

- adhesive tape for attaching capillaries to the breast (may not be included when buying on Avito).

How the Medela System Works

Medela bottleYou fill the bottle with pre-diluted formula according to your baby's age and the lactation consultant's recommendations.

It's not very easy to mix the formula and water in the Medela bottle itself (narrow neck, hard to mix).

The yellow screw-on cap is where you insert the capillaries with the desired flow rate (depending on the baby's age and strength). Another thing to note about flow rate: the wider the capillaries and the higher the flow rate, the faster the baby will eat the formula, but it won't stimulate the breast for long.

I usually chose the middle flow rate.

I was a bit nervous about putting the valve on and screwing the lid into the bottle, but it's actually pretty straightforward. The bottle fits onto the neck, and the tubes are attached with adhesive strips to the breast. It's a bit fiddly, but once you get the hang of it, it's easy to use.

broken thread on Medela bottleThe bottle fits onto the neck, and the tubes are attached with adhesive strips to the breast. It's a bit fiddly, but once you get the hang of it, it's easy to use. If you're not feeding, you can stick the tubes into the special slots on the lid, and the milk won't leak out.

It's also worth noting that the higher up the bottle is, the faster the flow will be. The lower down, the slower it will be.

Feeding from the Breast

breastfeeding with Medela systemWhen you're not producing enough milk, you can use the Medela system to supplement. The bottle with the milk is attached in such a way that the baby can suck on the breast and the tube at the same time.

What happens?

- the baby forms an association between food and breast;

- the baby's sucking stimulates the breast, and the milk starts to flow in response to the baby's demand;

- you can relax, knowing the baby is getting the right amount of supplement, without the risk of them rejecting the breast;

- when your milk comes in, the tube is fixed in the lid, and the milk doesn't flow. When it's finished, you can easily release the tube with your free hand.

flow control system (right - stop, left - start)How Long Do You Need to Use Medela to Get Your Milk Back?

I used Medela for about 3 months (from 3 months to 6 months). Since I had twins who were used to formula from birth and had almost stopped feeding by 2.5 months, I needed to use Medela to supplement. I would have liked to stop using formula altogether as soon as possible, but my main goal was to keep breastfeeding until we introduced solid food.

By around 6 months, I noticed that the babies were managing without Medela and formula during the day, only feeding from the breast. I stopped using Medela on outings first, and then at home.

What Were the Difficulties with the Medela System?

1. Confusing to Use for the First Time

When I first got the Medela system, I was a bit overwhelmed and didn't know how to use it. It took me a while to figure it out, and I had to read the instructions and practice a few times.

2. Time-Consuming to Assemble and Clean

It takes a bit of time to put everything together and clean it. First, you need to mix the formula in a separate bottle, then pour it into the Medela bottle, attach the tubes, and stick the adhesive strips onto the breast. It's not the most efficient process.

3. The Tubes Can Break When Cleaning

A broken capillary after cleaningA whole capillaryI have to admit, the tubes themselves are super thin. After using them, there are always some leftover mixture residue. To prevent bacterial growth, you need to clean the capillaries thoroughly. I still haven't figured out a good way to do it - I just squeeze the tubes with my fingers and try to remove the residue. But, unfortunately, a few capillaries got damaged in the process, so I had to order a replacement system from Avito.

What I Liked

1. I was able to fully recover my milk supply with a newborn. We eventually phased out formula altogether (we left some in the bottle for a while, around 90ml before bedtime, but then stopped).

2. Having free hands (I can feed two babies at once, although our girls only started eating together around 8 months old, once they'd given up on formula).

3. The baby doesn't overeat the formula and only eats what they need, without interfering with breastfeeding.

4. I can control the flow rate.

5. The baby doesn't reject the breast, but actually stimulates milk production and gets used to breastfeeding.

6. I can quickly feed the baby the right amount of formula (unlike with bottles, spoons, or syringes).

7. I can track how much formula the baby has consumed and try to reduce the amount.

What I Didn't Like

1. It takes a few attempts to get the hang of it

2. It's hard to clean the fragile capillaries

3. The bottle can leak (in my case, the one I got from Avito had a loose thread, and I didn't know what the original thread should look like, so I was dealing with a mess for a while).

4. You can't feed the baby lying down - the formula won't flow into the capillaries.

5. The babies started pulling out the capillaries and grabbing them with their hands. Without the original adhesive tape, everything else (scotch tape, painter's tape, band-aids) doesn't stick well and leaves a residue on the breast, which is annoying to remove.

My Experience with Medela

Despite all the hassles, I'm grateful to Medela for helping me recover my milk supply with my 0-sized breast, especially with a newborn.