Thank you to the many wise women who are contributing information about
tongue tie.  A couple of questions:

1. What are the skeptical physicians' reasons for doubting that tongue ties
can affect nursing success?
2. Is tongue tie related in any way to SIDS?  Is it possible to glean any
information retrospectively from pathology reports?

A quick story for everyone.  My DSL connection was down, so I called AT&T to
get it fixed and running.  The operator who answered heard my kids in the
background and so we began to shmooze a little about our kids.  She has a 4
month old, so of course I asked if she was "still" nursing.  She wasn't, and
began to tell me the story of the most horrific birth and breastfeeding
mismanagement.  It was atrocious!  She claims a lactation counselor told her
that bleeding, painful nipples were just normal and she would have to be
"tough".  She began pumping because of latch pain, noticed dropping levels
of supply, was told to supplement with formula by a pediatrician, well, you
guys could write the story without little ol' me telling it.  I practically
cried for her.

Interestingly, she wanted information about relactation.  She is royally
PISSED about her experience and now feels that it wasn't the result of her
body failing.  (As so many women do in these circumstances.)  So she's going
to e-mail me or call.  Just goes to show that you can make a connection
under the most unlikely of circumstances.  I feel quite lucky to have helped
her a little - if only to help her realize it wasn't her fault.

Another question: how often do you think women THINK they are seeing IBCLC's
and are simply seeing a nurse or lactation educator with little or no
training, despite good intentions?  I hear about these women seeing "tons"
of lactation consultants, but with very poor information passed over, and
I'm getting suspicious about who they're seeing and how the person is being
presented.

When I meet prenatally with women as a doula, I make them write down the
letters IBCLC to put in their birth bag.  I actually tell them to insist on
the letters as a way to insure a high quality helper.  Yes, yes, I know
there are terrific nurses without the letters and IBCLC's who shouldn't help
my cat to nurse, but all in all, I want to emphasize to women that this is a
serious specialty, and not everyone can help them.  Ok, I'm off my soapbox
now. :) :)

Alison Jacobson
(who is NOT an IBCLC - just a doula and wanna-be)

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