Hi,
Just wanted to share my recent experience of dealing with DS2 tongue and lip tie and trying to breastfeed throughout this complete and utter mindf&*k!
So, I had DS almost seven weeks ago. He's perfect in every way imaginable. Delivery was good too - no drugs etc and had a water birth - a far cry from the drug-fuelled birth with DD1. Anyway, thinking that everything was fantastic and natural, that breastfeeding this time round would be a breeze and that flowers and unicorns would appear every time I fed him.
Obviously, that did NOT happen. DS just like DD1 had (has?) a posterior tongue-tie and this new thing I recently found out about - a lip-tie. So, when he was 9 days old I had the TT clipped. Feeding was better for about 3 days and then went back to normal - kicking, shallow latch, falling on and off the breast. So I had it clipped a second time - as it has 'grown back'- he was about 4 weeks old. Feeding was good for one day and then back to normal.
I persevered for 2 more weeks and things just didn't feel right. He was feeding for HOURS. I have a 3 year old that needs attention too and found myself giving formula top-ups / expressed mlll whenever things got overwhelming.
During this time, I had been expressing/taking fenugreek to keep up my supply, which now seems to be established - though Im still paranoid about it.
Two days ago, I took him to see Dr Malcolm Levinkind, who is a paediatric dentist in Finchley and corrects ties using laser. He diagnosed a posterior tie - in fact DS2's tongue was asymmetrical because it hadn't been clipped properly both times! And a grade three lip -tie. He told me that he would not correct the tongue-tie after a third time and to be honest I wouldn't keep mucking about with DS mouth.
So, now we are two-days post-procedure, I have to perform some massages and stretches on the areas lasered, which are pretty upsetting, but they are meant to help with preventing any sort of reattachment. So as you can imagine I am doing them religiously. The day after DS has a cranial appt.
I am emotionally and physically exhausted. I have been consumed by this tongue-tie saga from day one and for the second time. DS is putting on weight - he is a healthy 11lbs - born at 7lbs 2oz. However, the feeds take forever and the latch is still shallow and every time I try to latch him deeply he gags and pulls back to a shallower latch.
I just want to know if anyone has had their LO 's TT and LT revised by laser and how long it took for things to get better - feeding times/latch/milk transfer etc. I just feel like I am going round in circles in my head and just need some support/reassurance that all will be ok.
Also, if you did the post-procedure exercises and stretches how you knew you were doing them right? I just want things to get a bit easier and want some peace for myself.
Sorry it's so long...but I would love to hear your experiences of TT/LT etc issues and how /if you overcame them. x
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Post laser tongue-tie and lip-tie procedure
6 replies
Chaz1210 · 06/08/2014 13:33
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