While preparing for my baby’s arrival, I spent a lot of time on internet forums (I still do!) trying to get a sense of what kinds of problems people have and how to solve them. Something that came up a few times, often accompanied by an exclamation of how few people know about it (including lactation consultants), is a supplemental nursing system (SNS). I didn’t have to buy one, so I’m just going to steal a couple of pictures from Medela (they won’t mind the free publicity right?).
What this is is a bottle with a long skinny tube that you attach to your boob with surgical tape. Who it is for is women who have low milk supply and need to bottlefeed formula but want to breastfeed. This way, baby gets food, and the breast gets the stimulation it needs. There is also no nipple confusion. Hopefully after some use, your supply will increase and you can ditch the SNS.
I found a good youtube video explaining how to use the Medela SNS with tips. For people waiting for their milk to come in, the starter $20 system is probably sufficient.