Tongue Tie

[EmmyG83]

DS2 has a tongue tie which was divided at 5 days (anterior) and then 3 weeks (posterior), he is now almost 8 weeks old.

Feeding has improved with each cut but there will be a few days in every week or two when he will click again on one side (at first), then both sides. He gets frustrated and so do I trying to improve my latch. He then goes into breast refusal which I find soul destroying after 8 weeks of perseverance. Im not toping up for fear or nipple confusion and reduced milk supply but worry I’ll have to go over to bottle in the end. I ended up giving up with DS1 12 years ago (which I regretted everyday and now realise was probably due to some level of tie).

My question is... would the tongue tie cause bad feeds at every feed or can this cluster to good and bad days? The private practitioner tells me its my latch but all the professionals locally say my latch is perfect and a referral to have a surgeon review the tie has been made.

My confidence with feeding has gone and I dont know what to do for the best. The second cut was painful for my little guy the day after and im fearing if they have to cut again. I dont feel that my latch is any different on different days.

I think all this is making me depressed and missing out on enjoyment with my son. Has anyone experienced anything similar? Or had their childs
Tie cut more than twice?

I can't help with the questions you have about tongue tie - and I'm sorry that it is so upsetting and difficult (for both of you). I can, however, share a positive story about tongue tie and giving up breast feeding. My DS had a tongue tie that was not cut until 5 months old - when it was finally done you could tell immediately (much better at feeding and he even sounded different). However, I had given up breastfeeding by this point - there were positives to this though. The biggest one being that my DH could now take an active part in feeding. I think that the positive effects of the father feeding a baby are seriously underestimated. It helped change our whole dynamic into a much more equal one. And we could share the night-time feeds as well! Good luck and there is nothing wrong with bottle feeding. Please don't feel that you are not being either a good mother or doing it right. You ARE doing it right for your family. Take care and look after yourself.

Thanks for your reply member212711, its nice to get some perspective on things. All I’ve focused on for 8 weeks is feeding feel its taken over. I think I had my heart set on feeding for the first year. I guess that serves me right for making plans with a baby lol. Did you start bottle feeding due to latch problems? Its not painful for me anymore but some days my little guy seems so frustrated with feeding and unsettled in himself.