Bf a tongue tied 5do - may I have a weep please?

[bigkidsdidit]

Hello

I have a lovely 5do boy. Who has a severe tongue tie and jaundice and so we are having some problems. He was 9lb10 at birth so big too.

At the moment I dread him waking :( he doesn't feed long because the jaundice means he sleeps permanently and only feeds 5 mins before falling alseep. This doesn't seem to be a prob for him, as of this morning he'd only lost 2% weight ( like last time I appear to have gallons of milk).

But it is soooo painful :( I am bleeding, bad cracks, I cry every feed. He just can't latch. Tt being snipped next Friday so I am persevering till then. But it's so awful.

I just wanted a moan :( but I would like to check that the blood in the milk won't do him any harm?

It won't but you need RL help. What has your midwife organised? Do you have an appt to get the tt snipped?

In the short term, here are some ideas to help your nipples:

Hydrogel pads - these will promote healing and keep infection from entering your bloodstream through the crack. They are very soothing from the fridge/ freezer. I got some from the Infant Feeding Specialist at the hospital.

Breast shells - air circulating will help heal your breasts and you can wear these so you don't have to wander around naked.

Nipple shields - these may help you get through a feed.

Paracetamol & ibuprofen - if you need pain relief please take some painkillers.

Lansinoh - this may help lubricate your nipples. Try not to get it on your breast as the baby may slip off the latch.

Have you tried a Biological Nursing hold? DD was tt and I found this the least painful. There are videos on You Tube but your midwife should be able to help.

Get in touch with a bf counsellor on a bf helpline. I found the LLL excellent.

Does your hospital have an Infant Feeding Co-ordinator? Ask your midwife. If so, get in touch.

Is there a bf cafe nearby you could go to?

Congrats on your LO

Thanks :)

Yes tie getting snipped next Friday. My mw very pro bf and very sympathetic but till its snipped not a lot she can do! I am doing painkillers every 6 h, and a routine of lansinoh, jelonet and clean pad after every feed. Also cooling pads.

My mw said to do biological hold too but I haven't cracked it yet and with a jealous 2yo too it's easier to sit with him while feeding

Nipple shields, paracetamol and Wimbledon for long feeds. My first was TT, 9-9 and snipped at 2 weeks.

And dare I say that expressing and bottles maybe a stop gap (although not easy to juggle).

At least the feeds are short, 5 min max, as he can't stay awake!

I thought nipple shields were not recommended?

They can cause problems - reduced supply, baby unable to latch without them, etc. But, they can get you through a feed if you know it's a short term thing.

If you haven't already tried it, you could give an exaggerated latch a go to see if it helps. There's a description in this document - on the 10th page, although the text on the page says it's page 9.

I am not (and can't) advise on the jaundice, but I don't think 5 minute feeds are necessarily a problem - especially if you have a lot of milk, and given the minimal weight loss. My DS2 has generally only ever fed for 5-10 minutes.

Thanks, will have a look

DS1 only ever fed for five minutes too, so I'm not worried about that ESP ad weight loss is ok.

DH wants to get in some formula for one bottle a day till the tongue tie is snipped as he hates seeing me crying :( I'm holding out but we will see.

I second the nipple shields, as stargirl says, for short term, they can get you through.

Good luck.

He now can't seem to latch on at all now :( I had to express and use a bottle. I'm so sad about it I can't stop crying :(

Don't get too down. He will latch again. Which bottles are you using? Have you thought about using a cup? I used a Medela Softcup Feeder I got on Amazon.

6 days till the tt op. You can do this!

Thank you for replying, you're very kind. I'm just using the one that came with my aveda pump. At least I have loads of milk, got 3oz in five mins pumping.

It's so stressful. I wish it wasn't so important to me.

I used the Medela Calma bottles as they require the baby to suck to get milk which mimics the breast. Breastworks bottles are good too. NUK bottles with latex teats, Mimijumi are another option.

I got a cup from the midwife, initially. I then ordered the Medela one from Amazon.

I stopped bf at 3 weeks & restarted at 11 weeks - she did remember how to latch. Try not to stress too much. Is your midwife popping in tomorrow?

My ds2 (3 weeks today) had a really bad tongue tie. Despite successfully feeding ds1 to a year, by day 2 I was contemplating giving up breastfeeding and generally in a mess. I couldn't get the hang of the cup.

On day 4 I bought some nipple sheilds and the feeds improved immediately. Ds suddenly became a lot more interested in feeding. Having a bad latch from the tongue tie makes feeding very tiring. I had a whole night of him feeding and crying whenever he came off the boob. Then the next day he was like a different baby. He has now had the tongue tie snipped. I'm slowly phasing out the sheilds. He is gaining weight well and never lost any of his birth weight.

Breast sheilds aren't generally recommended, but if it saves breast feeding (and takes away the pain) it is worth it.

Expressing is also a good idea. I just knew that if I got bottles in I would end up ff.

Thanks. Can I ask about shields, DH just ran out and bought some. It extended past my nipple by about 2cm and DS just sucked it like a bottle, it was too painful to continue?

Pumped again :( just gave him 50ml. Will try to feed in an hour.

I have the medela ones. They do extend past the nipple by a small amount. They stick to you better if they are wet. Practice putting it on before you are holding hungry ds. I can now do it one handed, down my top, barely looking!

You invert the shield slightly. Then put your finger over the holes whilst putting it on your nipple. Sometimes it then just pops on easy or I have to wriggle the teat to get it to pull out. Once it is on it will have drawn your nipple (im small boobed so some of my aerola too) into the teat. You will have a small gap between your nipple and the top of the teat. Ds then drinks as though it is a bottle I suppose. The only time it has been a little sore was when I was waiting to heal and when sometimes ds draws too much nipple in. If the nipple reaches the top it gets pulled on the little holes and you get an imprint. I just take him off and start again. Please let me know if this doesn't make sense or you have more questions.

I really feel for you, because it's not the start we have in mind. I felt really upset that something easily treated was so hard to get an appointment for. We even looked into paying a few hundred pound to go private, but it would have taken even longer to get an appointment. It doesn't make sense when the government is spending so much on promoting breastfeeding, to not have the specialists more readily available. Sorry for the rant!

Thanks, that's very useful. I just managed to feed, properly, for 20 minutes and for the first time in his little life DS looked milk drunk :)

Will try the shields tomorrow on the other, very very sore breast.

I agree about the tt. I fed DS1 so easily, he just opened his mouth and popped on and I had gallons of milk. Easy peasy. This is so much harder and I didn't realise. DS's tt was identified in the labour room - it could have been cut before we even left hospital!

Still I am pleased that 6 days in still no formula amd I haven't completely fallen apart yet. Mw coming to weigh again tomorrow so fingers crossed.

I really appreciate the help and the sympathising!

That's brilliant. Hope you continue to have as many successful feeds. Let us know how the weigh in goes.

I followed Kelly's moms advice and fed ds2 every two hours during the day (more if demanded). No longer than 3-4 hours at night. I felt really bad as he wasn't really demanding the milk at first and I was putting off feeds for as long as possible due to the pain. I will just have a cuppa/ shower/ lunch etc. Just 5 more mins. Ds2 would easily have gone 4 hours between feeds before I was using the shields.

Can you get the tie snipped sooner? Privately or call round other places that do it. I was offered a week wait appt but called hosp outside my county and got it done in 2 days. They bill your health authority and no issues, proviso I would have to pay if there were problems with this. i would echo other posters, shields and different holds. I have a 2 yr old too, rugby hold useful so could cuddle toddler on other side! Good luck and warning - after snip 48 hrs feeding was worse then a million times better once he adjusted to his new tongue!

I feel for you. My DS had a full TT that was noticed in theatre when he popped out. I fed him for SIX weeks before finally getting it snipped.

I found the flipple really helped him latch a bit better, although I had to hold him on or he would just slip off.

Thanks - will try the flipple today. No chance I getting tie cut earlier where we are (Scotlad)

Got through the night, fed twice and expressed once. Aching now but have taken ibuprofen and waiting for him to wake up. I found DH's secret formula store which I don't mind, he bought it out of concern for me and would never give it unilaterally

You are doing really well. Are you attending the Friday clinic in Edinburgh Sick Kids? If so it's easiest to access through the walk in a&e doors at the side of the building.

The procedure only took two seconds and the nurse assisting was amazing. Ds thought about crying and then the nurse said he just needs to dance. Did a wee jig with him, made everyone laugh and he was fine.

How did today go, OP?

Hi
Thanks for asking :)

We are Getting on ok :) the mw didn't weigh him yesterday but was pleased all his jaundice has gone. He is now awake more than 5 minutes at a time so that's easier with feeding. He still struggles to latch, it takes him about 5 minutes of screaming and bobbing, and te initial 30 seconds is still agonising, but after that it's beginnig to be ok. I wonder if the part of he pain remaining is a result of the tt and the bit that's gone is because my nipples have toughened up?

Still taking ibuprofen every 8 hours as it is still painful, and I've booked DS1 into his Cm all week which makes me feel guilty while I'm at home. But watching telly all day while DS2 struggles is no fun.

Basically, I haven't cried since Saturday! Its still very painful but I now have no doubt we will make it through to Friday.

Thanks so much to you all. Just writing this thread was helpful and a place to vent but you've all been very kind and some of the tips have been ace, especially the flipple.

Oh and cola. Yes sick kids, I'm in Liberton so it's not far. Thanks for the tip :)

BigKids- congratulations on your new arrival. I've been lurking on your thread and I'm glad its getting better.

Regarding your DC1 going to the CM- please don't feel guilty. DC 1 needs continuity at the moment and your priority is the new baby and you for now.

I had my Dd1 in nursery full time for a while whilst I got used to DD2 and the guilt almost killed me but it was the right thing to do as I was barely able to care for myself after the babies needs. Really wish I'd just got on with it more matter of factly as everyone told me what I told you but I ignored it and wallowed in my guilt!

All the people who said ah, the second one is so easy , just has to fit in are talking bollocks IMO. It's an adjustment that takes time.

Good luck with the TT correction