Bottle recommendations for newborn with short tongue

[Gurraun]

Ds2 is a week old. He BF with difficulty to start with (ds1 had a tongue tie but after making world and his wife check ds2 the conclusion is no obvious tongue tie but short tongue).

BF has gone from bad to worse as my milk arrived despite assistance from private BF counsellor. I introduced a bottle of ebm as was worried re dehydration and have now decided to move him to bottles entirely.

I have some doctor brown bottles and he is drinking but I can see he clearly struggles to get his tongue round the teat to get a good sucking rhythm. Can anyone advise a brand he may find easier to use OR is it just a case of him learning on the job OR should I keep banging on about the tongue tie and get a 2nd (rather 10th opinion)?!

Please no well meant advice about how to continue with BF. I made myself miserably trying and failing to BF ds1 and feel I've given us a week this time with lots of help and we are going backwards and to enjoy him and life as a family of 4 that for me now means bottle feeding.

Thanks

I think he has a tongue tie, and even to make bottle feeding easier for you both, it would be worth getting it revised. There's no such thing as a short tongue. That to me screams of a restriction, probably a posterior tie.

Thanks I agree - just frustrating that paed doctor, numerous midwives and BF counsellor (to be fair she said possible but unlikely) all disagree. I will push back again!

Yes, "short tongue" usually means that whoever said it has no clue about tongue tie.

Where are you based? Is going private an option? There are dentists in Huddersfield and North London who trained with Dr Kotlow and can do laser revisions.

DS1 was 6yo when his was finally diagnosed. If we could have his baby time again, getting it lasered asap would be my first choice.

this is helpful too

Thanks Mawbroom. I am in Oxon and have just found someone trained by the paed recommended on your web link. Unfortunately she is unable to see us until Monday but it is a start.

I think maw and I are on a mission to sort out the nations tongue ties haha!

Who is it Gurraun?

Bunty, if I can help prevent anyone going through what we went through with DS1 and his ties, then I will be happy.

It's about time that the medics started taking it seriously.

I agree 100% maw. I had an awful awful time with ds, and its only thanks to that experience I didn't have the same with dd. I will fight to help people in that situation. Hcp in this country are woefully undertrained in this area.

I've bumped the mumsnet campaign for better tongue tie education - maybe you could lend your voice, too, as you are equally passionate.

Sure,, will have a look. Can you link?

Here

It is Louise Belland at Wallingford Therapy clinic ...

I've had a look, and it says that Louise Belland was trained by Mervin Griffiths, so I assume she is using scissors. Do you know if she does lip ties? I have a feeling not.

Bunty, I've already posted quite extensively on that thread!

I don't know.....should I avoid scissors then? DS1's tongue tie was cut at. Southampton and though I sobbed he seemed fine and can now stick out his tongue, lick ice cream etc

It really all depends who is doing it. In good hands, scissors will be fine, but I know that the dentists who use laser prefer it over scissors.

Agree with tongue tie. Sorry you're having such a rough ride of things.

Well hopefully she is the right hands - has certainly been trained by people recommended in the articles linked too.

I was moaning to HV about how this could all have been resolved on day 1 and was appalled when she said it wouldn't as hospital policy is to see you at breastfeeding clinic twice and only treat tongue tie after it is obvious it affects breast feeding ie baby distressed and losing weight.

Just to update, ds2 did have a posterior tongue tie that she snipped. She talked me through it in great detail and was very informative. £100 well spent.