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Infant feeding

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

Tongue tie

6 replies

GoBrookeYourself · 20/01/2022 22:05

I have a 12 week old DS. when he was born they said he didn’t have tongue tie, midwife then said he had quite a prominent tongue tie at the first home check and referred to it it snipped, which was done when he was 4 weeks old. He’s always seemed more hungry than his brother was at that age and cries a LOT. I’m talking when he’s awake he probably has around 10 minutes of happy time then just cries. Sleeps relatively well but only in my arms during the day, but settles at night in his next to me crib.

My question is around whether it’s possible for him to still have tongue tie? He still clicks when he’s feeding and gulps a LOT of air, I can actually hear the milk hitting his tummy too. He cries on my nipple and goes on and off a lot (I use a nipple shield now quite regularly, for about 95% of feeds which helps but I’ve noticed when I don’t he only stays on for a few seconds, slips off, starts again etc). I thought the crying might be down to reflux first so we got omeprazole from the doctor which hasn’t seemed to do anything. He gets hiccups a lot too, a few times a day. I’ve tried looking in his mouth but a) had no idea what I was looking for and b) achieved nothing but making him cry.

Can I still contact my midwife about this? I’m so close to giving up breastfeeding because I feel like he’s not getting enough from me but if it’s an ‘easy fix like tongue tie still being there, I’ll persevere until it’s sorted. I know the midwife visits have stopped now so I’m not sure if I can still call her or where to go from here.

I hope someone can advise- I’m just miserable because baby is miserable and I just want him to be happy and not cry so much Sad

OP posts:
seaborgium · 21/01/2022 12:57

Sometimes tongue tie reattaches. You can try the NHS breastfeeding helpline on 0300 100 0212.

123walrus · 21/01/2022 13:02

Do you have a health visitor you can contact?

DisappointingAvocado · 21/01/2022 13:09

So sorry you're going through this. It's possible they have only partially released the tongue tie and/or it has reattached. Are you able to see a certified lactation consultant with experience in tongue tie? Unfortunately many midwives and HVs are not experts in diagnosing or treating. My daughter was born with 100% tie (all the way to the tip) and my midwife described it on day 2 as "oh yes, I think she may have a bit of a tie". Meanwhile my daughter was trying to feed for up to 18 hours a day and my nipples were already blistered. The waiting list to get it released on NHS was 3 months which would have been utterly futile as I could never have continued to breastfeed for that long. Saw a private tongue tie practitioner /lactation consultant on day 5 who released it there and then. There was some reattachment and it did unfortunately need repeating 3 weeks later but we never had any problems after that and I breastfed her happily until 18 months.

GoBrookeYourself · 21/01/2022 16:30

Thank you for your help. I’ll call the national breastfeeding helpline when I have more than 1 minutes peace in this house lol. I’ve texted my health visitor who said she’ll refer me to the infant feeding team but can’t give me timescales or what I can expect to happen next and I’m very close to giving up breastfeeding but I don’t WANT to. He just seems so miserable.

Thank you @DisappointingAvocado a private tongue tie practitioner sounds perfect, but I live in Burnley and can’t seem to find anything local to me; I’d happily pay if it meant it was sorted and done quickly. How did you find your consultant?

Thank you

OP posts:
DisappointingAvocado · 21/01/2022 17:16

There is a list of practitioners on the Association of Tongue tie practitioners website, worth reading reviews etc. I've heard really good things about a private service in Huddersfield called Milk Matters, not sure how close that is to you? Haven't used them personally but I knew of a few people through breastfeeding groups who travelled from Scotland to go to them based on their reputation.

It's worth also mentioning that tongue tie can cause babies problems with bottle feeding, inc reflux, weight gain issues etc, it's not a problem unique to breastfeeding, which is a bit of a misconception. I love seeing DD now 2 eating an ice cream with her long tongue Grin. Good luck OP. X

GoBrookeYourself · 21/01/2022 18:06

@DisappointingAvocado

There is a list of practitioners on the Association of Tongue tie practitioners website, worth reading reviews etc. I've heard really good things about a private service in Huddersfield called Milk Matters, not sure how close that is to you? Haven't used them personally but I knew of a few people through breastfeeding groups who travelled from Scotland to go to them based on their reputation.

It's worth also mentioning that tongue tie can cause babies problems with bottle feeding, inc reflux, weight gain issues etc, it's not a problem unique to breastfeeding, which is a bit of a misconception. I love seeing DD now 2 eating an ice cream with her long tongue Grin. Good luck OP. X

Ooh Huddersfield would work well, we have family in Bradford so not too far from there. Thank you so much. I wish this was more talked about, I suspect now that DS1 had tongue tie as he had similar symptoms as DS2 and his tongue can barely poke out now haha. Thank you so much for your help and I’m glad your DD got sorted!
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