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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

Lip tie, painful nursing and gappy teeth

33 replies

lookout · 31/08/2012 18:56

Since ds 2 (11mo) started growing his top teeth I have noticed that feeding is getting more and more painful, especially at night and when he's tired, as his teeth rub against my nipple. He also has a sizeable gap between his two middle teeth at the top. He was born with a tongue tie, and from my googling I am pretty sure he also has a lip tie.

Is there any thing I can/should do about this and are there any positions or techniques I can try to make nursing less painful?

OP posts:

mawbroon · 31/08/2012 19:07

I would get both the tongue tie and lip tie revised.

ds1 is 6 and has had a long list of problems related to his tongue and lip ties.

It is not just about breastfeeding.

Original poster

lookout · 31/08/2012 20:01

mawbroon thanks for your reply. He had the tongue tie divided at 5 weeks, so that's done. I had noticed that lip ties left alone could cause all sorts of speech/dental problems which is why I wanted to ask on here for anyone else's experiences.

Sorry to hear about your ds's problems. Would you mind telling me if he has had laser division of the lip tie? If so where and when and how did you go about it? From my (very limited) understanding, it's pretty hard to get sorted in the UK and I wouldn't even know where to start.

OP posts:

mawbroon · 31/08/2012 21:20

As far as I know, there is only one place in the UK doing laser lip tie division with another in London coming soon.

here

ds had his tongue tie divided under GA earlier this year to help with his gastric problems. It relieved his problems immediately, but I later found out that it wasn't done properly. He had both anterior and posterior ties and the posterior one wasn't divided.

We will be travelling to Cote Royd soon to get the posterior tie and the lip tie done before he starts on orthodontic treatment.

There is a really good group on Facebook offering tongue/lip tie support. And if you haven't already read his stuff, you should look at dr kotlow's website

You will no doubt encounter HCPs who say that lip tie doesn't matter, but it is not true!!

Original poster

lookout · 01/09/2012 11:23

Thanks for this mawbroon. Have joined the fb group and had a brief look at Dr Kotlow, this is really helpful stuff, thanks.

Would my next step be GP or dentist? Or breastfeeding consultant?

OP posts:

mawbroon · 01/09/2012 12:42

Skip the NHS completely and contact Cote Royd directly

Original poster

lookout · 01/09/2012 13:33

Thanks, have sent an email and will see what they come back with.

OP posts:

ClimbingPenguin · 01/09/2012 13:52

will be interested to hear what they say. DS has lip tie but not sure about tongue tie. He is nearly 11 months and having the same problems as you.

MigGril · 01/09/2012 14:15

Some times when the teeth come in the tongue can't stretch far eight over the bottom teeth. The top gap may only be temporary, DS initial came through like that, he has tongue tie and a lip tie. But the gap in the top teeth resolved it's self when his other teeth came through.

Original poster

lookout · 01/09/2012 15:04

Hi Penguin (from post-natal thread ) Interested to see someone else with same problem. Have you seen anyone about ds's lip/tongue tie?

MigGril From what I've read the gap can right itself when the permanent teeth come in, as you say. And with regard to the rubbing, is it the bottom teeth that rub then? I am rubbish at understanding the mechanics of bf, and always have been, in spite of lengthy explanations during the tt episodes when he was smaller. Anything I can do to stop the rubbing?

OP posts:

mawbroon · 01/09/2012 16:14

ClimbingPenguin, lip and tongue ties go hand in hand. If there is a lip tie, there is a very high chance of there also being posterior tongue tie.

Both my ds's have lip ties. DS1's is a type 3 and his baby teeth came together. DS2's is a type 4 and he has a gap.

MigGril · 01/09/2012 22:15

The gap righted it's self when his other baby teeth came through. He's still to young to have big teeth only 22, months. , The tongue tie would cause rubbing from the bottom teeth as his tongue may, not be able to come out far enough to cover them. Top teeth don't normally posse a problem, but if you're having rubbing then having some breastfeeding support (some one trained to look at his latch) mite help.

He's old enough for for to train him to open his mouth nice and wide when latching on. Remember your aiming for the nipple to go right back into the rough of the mouth and him to take as much beat tissue as he can.

BuntCadger · 01/09/2012 22:18

Reading with interest as dd (10m) referred for lip tie and possible tongue tie. Very painful nursing since all 8 teeth through. Didn't realise it can cause gastric issues but she's always had a very bad time going to poo (major drama here) and wind an issue too.

BuntCadger · 01/09/2012 22:18

ClimbingPenguin · 01/09/2012 22:26

was going to tell lookout (didn't spot the name first time around) you were experiencing similar

my plan is to get DH to help take some photos of DS and load them up to the fb tomorrow.

Once upon a time mawbroon was on DDs post-natal thread.

BuntCadger · 01/09/2012 22:30

Ooo didn't see lookout . I've been crap on keeping up on the thread .

I was called by hv and she's still putting referral through but she warned me they said they don't usually accept the referral past 6 months (guess they don't consider breastfeeding as important by then ). If they don't accept referral I have to go via GP, so I'll be making an appt next week do they can have a referral from each

BuntCadger · 01/09/2012 22:31

And hello mawbroom

mawbroon · 01/09/2012 22:33

Which thread was that ClimbingPenguin? Was it the due in March 2010 where I broke my ankle?

BuntCadger · 01/09/2012 22:39

Due in October 2012 Mawbroom

ClimbingPenguin · 01/09/2012 22:40

DD's not DS's bunt

it was February 2010, yep broken ankle and long latent labour IIRC

BuntCadger · 01/09/2012 22:41

Doh

mawbroon · 01/09/2012 22:42

OH yes, that's right, I forgot that ds2 was actually due in Feb.

You must have a great memory!

ClimbingPenguin · 01/09/2012 22:46

nah not really, you were just memorable. and once I told you that you were wrong when actually you were right plus you gave me good bf advice when I was being fed lies by the HV before you left permanently for the March thread. I injured myself around your ankle time and I also ended up having a long labour so you had mentally prepped me for what was to come.

Original poster

lookout · 02/09/2012 15:27

Hi Bunt . Sorry to hear you're having issues too. Did your hv refer you then? For feeding problems? I am going to try to get to my tt lady's drop-in on Thurs to see if she can help with latch while I try and work out who to talk to about the lip. As far as I can tell, noone will touch the lip until he's bigger, though, so not sure if I should actually do anything about it now, or wait. Anyway, I've emailed Cote Royd and will see what they say, and will also upload a pic to the fb group and see what they say too .

Let me know how you all get on, and thanks all for the advice. Will keep ploughing on...

OP posts:

mawbroon · 02/09/2012 20:45

LOL ClimbingPenguin nobody has ever called me memorable on MN before . Glad I could help with the breastfeeding.

MummyPig24 · 03/09/2012 05:44

Dd was born with a tongue tie which made feeding incredibly painful. She had a procedure to correct this at 3 weeks. I noticed when she was about 18mths (no longer bf) that she has a lip tie as well, quite a large gap between the teeth. I sought advice from the dentist who said that it was a cosmetic issue. It may resolve itself when her adult teeth come through, if not, she can choose to have it cut and have braces to close the gap. I don't know what they may do for you if it is causing pain when feeding. I have a feeling they will refuse to do anything as your son is almost 1 and hcp's seem to deem bfeeding over 6mths "not necessary" but bully new mothers into it in the first place. Good luck with everything.

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