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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Tongue tie

20 replies

susanmt · 11/02/2003 17:01

A close friend of mine had a baby on Wed of last week and was told today by her community midwife that he has tongue tie and therefore cannot breastfeed. Is this likely to be true, and does anyone have any links or references I can pass on to her?
Thanks a lot

OP posts:

pamina · 11/02/2003 17:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AngieL · 11/02/2003 20:52

My dd was tongue tied but the doctor and midwife etc didn't even notice. I breast fed and it made absolutely no difference at all. The only thing I noticed was the clicking noise that pamina mentioned.

Dd sorted the problem out herself when she was about 6 months old. She was biting on a plastic toy saw and broke the bit of skin, it bled a little bit and then healed absolutely fine.

I don't think surgery is often required, only if it is interfering with speech or eating. Quite often it just stretches and sorts itself out.

AngieL · 11/02/2003 21:01

I found the following link which may help.

www.breastfeeding-basics.com/html/tonguetie.htm

pupuce · 11/02/2003 23:03

SusanMT... if you friend calls the NCT or the ABM about it... the breastfeeding counsellor will be able to talk her through it and assess if it is a serious case, then the BF counsellor can refer her to a specialist who will do (SAFELY) the incision... PLEASE let her not be discouraged,. Her MW is clearly not up to speed with this !

batey · 12/02/2003 07:28

When my dd2 was in hospital having her cleft palate repaired there were 2 babies having their tounge ties sorted. They were only in for 1 night. The Cleft lip and Palate Assc.(CLAPA) may have some info on this as it's all related. HTH

KeepingMum · 12/02/2003 08:42

Susan, my ds has a tongue-tie, no-one noticed in the hospital and we pointed it out to the midwives and health visitors. He had no problems breastfeeding, I fed him until he was 13 months. Our doctor said they only do anything these days if there is a problem feeding, or then if there is a speech problem. Otherwise she said they consider the operation as 'mutilation'. I'm still waiting to see if ds is going to have speech problems, as he is only 22 months and some of his words aren't that understandable but presumably they will get clearer as he gets older. I would tell you friend not to give up breastfeeding before she's even tried, most likely she will have no problem at all, and if she does, they will snip the tie and he should be able to feed. My mum had a tongue-tie and when she was born, the doctors did the slap on the back and then checked the mouth and then if there was a tie, they snipped it there and then. I think things have changed a little now.

pupuce · 12/02/2003 09:48

Cutting a tonge tie is only done if needed - as some have said it may not be.... the specialist in the UK does it all the time and there is no need for an overnight stay.

Our local peads... knew very little about it (and thought quite negatively about it!) and now that they have read this specialist's data and research... they want to have a surgeon to do this in hour hostpital too.... again to be done IF necessary... some babies are fine and some cannot breastfeed.

It is not considered mutilation by all the people (doctors/specialists/bf counsellors,..) involved in this field.

KeepingMum · 12/02/2003 10:38

I think what my doctor meant was that it is considered mutilation if it is done for no clinical reason. A clinical reason would be speech problems or an inability to breastfeed. The routine cutting at birth is no longer deemed appropriate if no problems arise.

tiktok · 12/02/2003 11:10

Susan, it is a great shame this midwife was so negative and so uninformed. There is a good article in the January issue of Practising Midwife which is referenced, and which discusses tongue tie clipping. Not on line, sadly.

My experience as a breastfeeding counsellor have shown me that in the few cases where TT does interfere with bf then snipping (which is quick and easy) can make a real difference. Some TT babies feed fine. But others can't get their tongue out far enough to feed effectively; they cause v. sore nipples, and/or can't latch well, and/or don't get enough milk.

Original poster

susanmt · 12/02/2003 22:53

Thanks for all the information and experiences. I passed it all on to my friend today and she is hoping to get in touch with a bfc over the next couple of days to find out about having the frenulum cut (he can't stick out his tongue at all). So thanks for helping, I'll let you know what happens.

OP posts:

titchy · 17/02/2003 09:28

My ds is tongue-tied and had no problems bf'ing at all. His speech is also fine now at 2 1/2 and he cannot stick his tongue out at all! (i was told that the tip would probably grow, but still waiting.....)

KeepingMum · 17/02/2003 12:34

My ds can't stick his tongue out at all either. He has the classic forked tongue appearance and if he does try and copy me sticking my tongue out, it just humps up. My dh had it as well but his broke at some stage (or stretched, or tip grew!) His only worry is that ds won't be able to French kiss when he is older! Has anyone else seen the supposed link between gaps between the front teeth and a tight frenulum on the upper lip which is apparently linked to tongue tie. Some dentistry websites say that children should have this one cut as well to prevent the gap. My ds does have a gap between his baby teeth, but I'm not sure if he will when he gets his permanent teeth. Does any one elses tongue-tie child also have this?

titchy · 17/02/2003 13:27

My ds has no gap between his teeth - in fact they are PERFECTLY straight - goodness knows where he got that from - me, dh and dd all have crooked teeth! an yes he has that classic forked tongue (should be a Confucious saying about he who speak with forked tongue shouldn't there - or is there!?)

Jasmer · 19/02/2003 23:41

My son (3 months) has a tong tie as well and he has no problem breast feeding at all. Althought the breast feeding expert did advice me to have it cut, when I had problems feeding him at the beginning (he and me had thrush)my gp said it was totally unnecessary and I think he was right!

musica · 19/02/2003 23:55

I would advise anyone to avoid having tongues cut etc. A close relative who is a consultant told me that 99% of cases resolve themselves anyway, and that the mouth is a particularly delicate area, with many capilliaries, and some babies die each year through haemorraging after one of these operations. So do feel able to hold out a while, at least to see if it does resolve by itself.

tiktok · 22/02/2003 16:47

No need to clip tongues if they are not causing problems - but if they are, a snip (carried out by a professional) can help, and the literature is there to support this. I have never heard of babies haemorrhaging and this is not mentioned in the papers I have read.

Most babies with tt don't have feeding issues.
The ones that do, need help.

pupuce · 22/02/2003 19:49

Agree with Tiktok 100%

Also I am aware of peadatricians who are very much NOT on top of the latest in this field.... so I would listen to specialists - with latest reserach and evidence - rather than old dated info from a pead

Original poster

susanmt · 27/02/2003 09:48

My friend has decidied to bottle feed and not have anything done.
I'm really disappointed but thought this might be the case - some of you might have heard me mention her before - she's a slavish GF follower who is happy that her baby has settled into a routine on bottle feding and has decided that anything else would be too disruptive to her family.
It's her choice, but I do think its a shame.

OP posts:

tiktok · 27/02/2003 14:39

Yes, it is a shame

I am happy for mums to make an informed choice, but I wonder if this mum knows her baby is much more likely to have ear infections, gastro-enteritis, chest infections and so on? All of these are distruptive, as well as horrible for the baby.

I am aware that not all formula fed babies have these - I am speaking statistically.

mands1 · 17/03/2003 22:17

better late than never
My ds had still has tounge tie it was missed at birth and i had sever probs feeding so much so i was determined not to even try 2nd time around (which is a real shame & something i am bitter about).All the health people missed this at the time & one doc said wait and see.My hv finally told me which doc to see and she refered me to Mr Griffiths the specialist in Southampton who deals with this.

Befor his op the dentist picked up his frenulum (top of the gum)which was causing a large gap in his teeth.Cut long story short both tounge and top were done at the same time.The top was brill in a few months the gap has closed (it would have stayed throughout his life).My other ds also was TT and that was done at birth.They tell me it is heredity i also think little ds has his frenulum tied.

The original TT was not conculsive as his was so bad (it would never have righted itself) that he may have to have it done again.He speaks with a slight lisp but also can't lick a ice-cream let alone french kiss! Also imagine what it would be like not being able to lick your top lip, I am always having to wipe it clean of food and drink.

The operation was done in day surgery not very nice but worth it if it had worked.

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