Tongue tie - does feeding ever get better after it's been clipped??

[SilverSage]

My DD had a very tight posterior tongue tie that wasn't diagnosed until she was 5 weeks old. Feeding had been a nightmare - it was very painful, and I had shredded nipples by the time she was 3 days old, so started using nipple shields, but it was still hurting.

We had it clipped the day after she was diagnosed, and a week later things are no better. It's still hurting, even with the nipple shields. They did say that because she had got used to feeding in a certain way it would take time for her to learn how to do it properly. But I want to know how much time?? As I'm starting to despair of ever achieving normal pain-free breastfeeding. The lactation consultants keep saying that we're doing everything right, and I just have to be patient, but I really don't know how much longer I can keep this up. It's really starting to cause me huge amounts of stress now, and it's making me miserable.

So I was just wondering, does anyone have any experience of feeding after having tongue tie clipped? Does it ever get any better. As I seriously need to think about whether it's worth persevering or not.

Oh poor you! It did get better for me after a couple of days. My b counsellor told me to run my finger down the baby's tongue before feeding him to encourage him to flatten it, as it was still lifted at the back with the tip pulled down

Yes, it got better for us. DS had a TT that was snipped at 5.5 weeks, we did notice an improvement straightaway but if I am honest his latch has never been as good as my older child's was and I suspect thats down to the TT. But it did stop hurting me and making my nipples come up in blood blisters pretty fast.

The LC that came out to snip it told us we should encourage him to stick his tongue out as much as possible - my 8yo took delight in teaching him to do so . Apparently this helps to get them used to doing it, and to stop the tie regrowing.

Anyway DS is 2 next month and still BFing

We had a PTT clipped at 7 weeks. It took about three weeks for DD to fully get the hang of the new way of using her tongue.

Have you been stretching the tongue? Apparently posterior ties are notorious for re-attaching because that part of the tongue naturally rests down. I've met several people whose LO's PTT re-attached because they were not told about the need for stretching and exercises (one in the waiting room, where she was getting it clipped again). DD's almost did, because I didn't stretch vigorously enough at first.

We were told to stretch the tongue twice daily fingers underneath, until you can see the full diamond-shaped scar, and to keep doing that until the scar area went back to pink (~2.5 weeks, for us) and to do exercises at every opportunity -- mimic sticking out your tongue, rub along the lower gums and have the tongue follow, sucking on your finger . We were also told to keep the tongue moving at least every 3 hrs (by feeding or finger sucking) for the first 2 days, as one long night sleep could heal back a freshly snipped tie.

No, they didn't tell us about the need for stretching. I actually asked about the possibility of it reattaching when we had it done, and was told that that only happens if you have it clipped when they're very young (less than a week old)! I haven't even looked at the scar since she had it done. I'll try and have a look, and if I'm not sure I think I'll take her back and get it checked.