Upper lip tie. Can anyone help.?

[StarlightMcKenzie]

My baby has no upper lip as it is folded in on itself.

BFing has been horrible but the HVs were worse so we got to 15 months.

Now ds breastfeeds with his teeth 'biting' my breast at the base of the nipple and every feed is sore.

Anyone know what on earth I can do. I can't find any NHS guidelines. Do I need to consult with a dentist? Can see a GP caring.

[AndIFeedEmGunpowder]

Ouchee! DD has one too, luckily she doesn't have many teeth yet!

A poster on another thread took their DC to have their LT lasered by a paed dentist called Dr Malcolm Levinkind, but I think they went privately. I think I book marked some stuff on lip ties in case DD's causes problems later, so will try and find links for you.

[AndIFeedEmGunpowder]

Have you read this thread Starlight?

[Monikita]

Oh man I feel your pain. Amazing for getting to 15 months!

We got DD's ULT done by Malcolm Levinkind in London. He uses a laser so doesn't need a general anaesthetic He's expensive though. Be prepared to have to do some stretching of the upper lip for 2 weeks afterwards to prevent reattachment. If you're up north there's another laser guy in Yorkshire who also trained with the American dentist Larry Kotlow (the guru of TT/LT removal) - milkmatters.org.uk recommend him I think and will know his name.

It may have been mentioned on the other thread that Gunpowder linked to but it's almost certain that those with a ULT also have a posterior tongue tie - which would explain the use of the lower teeth as your lo might not be able to push his tongue over them.

You're right, the NHS won't help as every lactation consultant I've spoken to (even private ones) feel there is no evidence to show it hinders feeding. They obviously haven't tried to bf a baby who has one!

Good luck!

[stuffthenonsense]

The northern dentist is dr John Roberts at cote Royd dental practice, in huddersfield. he is amazing, cost us a little less than £300 a year ago and we haven't looked back...made such a difference.

[Monikita]

Thanks stuffthenonsense! Couldn't remember his name and didn't want to give the wrong one.

[mawbroon]

YY to either John Roberts or Malcolm Levinkind.

And the facebook tongue tie babies support group.

[mawbroon]

And also YY to there being a tongue tie as well.

[Chottie]

GS has posterior TT which is going to be lazered on Thursday by Malcolm Levinkind. I will post again to update.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

Hello again.

Thank you so much for all of your posts. It gives me a starting point.

Yes he also has posterior tongue tie, but somehow I have managed to live with it as he is my 3rd child, and my 3rd one with posterior tongue tie.

I did go to the BF expert HV with him at 6 weeks about it but she made me cry with her incompetence and then made a desperate attempt to diagnose me with PND for telling her why I was crying.

[AndIFeedEmGunpowder]

Starlight I'm so sorry about the HV. Sounds like she doesn't get it at all. I would have cried too.