Clipped Tongue tie and BFing help.

[Iwish]

Hi lovely ladies.

Hope you are all well. I am after a bit of advice.

My DS is 17 days old. I have always wanted to bf but he was born with quite a bad Tongue tie which stopped him from latching on. I have been expressing all his milk since he arrived apart from a couple of times where he has had formula at the hospital because he was hungry and I didn't have any milk expressed - this is when we found out about his Tongue tie.
So anyway yesterday he had the Tongue tie clipped so he now has a free Tongue. I tried him on the breast strait away but he wouldn't latch on. I have tried again and again but still he won't feed so have had to give him his bottle. He did suck twice this morning but not enough to get milk.
Has anyone ever had the same issue and successfully breastfed? Or anyone have any advice?

Thanks In advance xx

He will probably need some time to get used to a mobile tongue. If you keep going with the exercises you (should) have been given for him, this will improve. He'll be used to sucking on a bottle and the latch to the breast is different so can you get to a breastfeeding group who can see if they can help you get the latch right?

It can certainly be done - happens all the time. My DS was snipped at 9 months and we had to re-learn then! That was a challenge... :)

Hi organic thanks so much for your response. I was given 1 exercise to do but that was before he had his Tongue done. I wasn't given any others for afterwards.

On a positive note I have just bought sone nipple shields and he has successfully had a feed from me!! Woohoo!!

Exercises: (1) try getting DS to copy you sticking your tongue out; (2) let him suck on your clean upturned little finger; and (3) run a clean finger along his lower gum, stop at each side and wiggle the finger - his tongue should follow your finger.

You should start to see an improvement soon- hang on in there!

If possibe spend lots of time having skin to skin contact with him, allowing him free reign on the breast. Spend lots of gentle time together and don't be disappointed if the results aren't instant, it doesn't mean they won't come at all.

He may have some tenderness from the snip if it was only done yesterday but it'll heal very quickly, the blood supply to the mouth is very good.

I was in a similar situation to you - DS had a severe and very obvious tongue tie, clipped at 6 days. I never had the instant improvement that HCPs lead you to expect, and after a month of struggling I ended up recontacting the midwife who did the original snip. Turns out there was a bit more tissue at the back of his tongue that hadn't been released. I didn't see an instant improvement after this was cut either, and things are still a bit rough now (13 weeks) but moral of the tale: don't be afraid to go back and get your baby seen again if things don't improve (perhaps give it a couple of weeks, as others advise). I also know other mums whose babies' tongue ties have grown back - including one who has had it cut 3 times!! Keep persevering - your baby will get the idea eventually. They are hardwired to breastfeed!

My son's grew back - we still don't know whether it's entirely right. If you are still getting TT symptoms in another week or so ask whoever did the division to have another look.

Thanks ladies. I invested in nipple shields which are fab and I am at the moment trying not to use them and he has managed to latch on twice up to now :). So pleased that he is making progress. I'm going to continue with the exercises you suggested and trying to feed without the shield and hopefully it will come to him soon