So interesting, Kirsten. I want to clarify one thing -- are you saying that with your youngest twins, sometimes they would choose to stay on one side for 7+ hours but other times would switch more frequently? If so, how differently would they nurse on different days? Would it sometimes be quite different -- say, hourly one day vs big block another, or was it a more gradual flow back & forth in routine? Your story reminds me too of an early word for a lot of nurslings "side, side" -- some kiddos say "side" to switch or bob/wiggle the idea, some moms report "side" becomes the nursing word.
Babies try so hard to communicate, I love the way you give them credit for knowing how to manage at mom's breast.
I wonder how often moms are "diagnosed with oversupply" when other things are in play -- TT, our failure to "read" baby communication, and more. (Not that there isn't sometimes imbalance in milk supply.) I wonder too (as I've heard others on this list suggest) whether there is more TT out there as opposed to more "diagnosis" of TT.
Like you I wish I could go back in time -- and like you I am also glad we can share with other mothers. I love that you are able to share your experiences both as a nursing babe and as a nursing mom. Just wow.
Susan Johnson MFA, IBCLC
Salt Lake City, Utah USA
________________________________
From: Kirsten Goa <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Monday, March 26, 2012 11:03 AM
Subject: Re: Emotions of Breastfeeding...
I have seen this frequently and it is very distressing to the mother. In most cases I've seen, oversupply and tongue-tie have combined to make feeding uncomfortable for babe (but maintain good weight gain for some at least early on).
I've found that baby-led/laid-back/biological nurturing has been very helpful in regulating supply. This is anecdotal, but I've talked about it as one way to block nurse with mothers for a number of years now (and used it myself) and there have been glowing reports on how it helps regulate supply. Babe decides which side s/he wants and it's as simple as that. They seem to know better than I do how to get the supply under control. I started this with my youngest set of twins when they were 3 months old and it was the first time I ever normalized my supply. Sometimes both babies would nurse on one side for 7+ hours before switching. A length of time I didn't dare try with block nursing, but finally we had normal stooling and much happier babes.
As a side note I was diagnosed with celiac disease when they were 18 months old. So now I do mention to mother's with significant oversupply that they may want to keep that in mind. And again, a number of women have gone on to get tested and discovered they are celiac.
I'm not in the position to do research on these things and I always say that it's anecdotal and I make sure to give multiple options (block nursing by feeding and by the clock etc), but I do feel compelled to mention this as an option because it has been met with such enthusiasm and success.
I've seen a number of PTT/LT babies recently who have a very hard time managing at the breast and later on with complementary foods. I've seen 3 babies who all didn't really eat complementary foods well until almost or over a year old because it would go in and come out again -- not because of their gag reflex, but because of tongue tie. In 2 cases when they had the tongues and lips clipped they immediately, right after surgery (both flew to see Dr. Kotlow), ate completely differently. I expect that these babies also struggled at the breast (1 was a frequent breast-refuser and as a result did have significant weight gain issues) because they couldn't manage flow etc. The 3rd was my own son, who is now 10. I only realized this past year that he has a PTT and that his slow weight gain after the first couple months, unwillingness to eat solids, anxiety, not meeting milestones, clamping at the breast, speech issues etc, were all likely related to
this. He probably only got milk because his brother and 3 year old sister were also nursing. I so desperately wish I could go back in time. But I'm glad this information is finally getting out there to help mothers and babes now.
Anyway, I hope some of this is helpful. Take what works and leave the rest.
All the best,
Kirsten Goa
LLLL & IBCLC
Edmonton, AB Canada
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