I disagree that we are overdxing TT. I wish it were true—I am so unhappy about how many I see that I sometimes try other things when I should just send the baby for clipping. One thing I do first, though, is have baby see a chiro so that if, as Jaye mentions, structural problems are mimicking as TT, we can resolve it. What usually happens, though, is the release only lasts for a few days as the baby requires the compensations in order to feed. Lots of these babies gain very well, esp those whose moms have no pain as the babies are often gaining on an oversupply. That gives me little comfort when I think about the long-term function of the human being. 

Just to clarify, I made reference in an earlier post to babies being clipped w/o parental consent, not as something I would ever approve of, but as a reference in trying to understand where we have come from and why we might be less aware of past frequency than we should. And while I do think there were a lot more TTs than were acknowledged in years past, I think there are far more now. I think there are a variety of reasons, not the least of which is my “canary in the mine” theory—these kids are a warning about the damage to our environment. Remember that this is a mid-line defect and I urge you to look closely at these kids—many have at least one other defect. So, while we can claim that TT runs in families—in such a simplistic way, nothing really runs in families—
genes express or they don’t based upon the environment. That environment is now toxic in many extremely disturbing ways. 

I also do not think we can ignore the long-term risks of leaving the TT just b/c mom can nurse. Are we all going to ignore the work of Brian Palmer and the implication for chronic sinus infections and adult sleep apnea? I nursed my TTd daughter for 5 years and never ever experienced pain. I wish she had been clipped, even though she has had more bodywork than most anyone on earth. She has great teeth, developed language very early and only her family can detect her lisp. Still, she snored when she was very little and though Rolfing stopped that, she still has a high palate and often “loses her voice”, which can pose significant problems during voice recitals and play auditions. I will continue to provide bodywork for her to support her body in optimizing potential in spite of the TT, but I wish she did not have it to contend with it at all. Those “little things” that are so different from my boys are not so “little” in my mind, when I consider the long-term implications and underlying sequalae. 

All of that said, I have several theories about the expression of TT as it relates to gut health and inflammation, functional medicine (not every person has the same requirements for certain nutrients—genes do play a role there), maternal stress, infertility and IVF. I am currently working on 2 papers (possibly a third) wherei
n through collating data I am finding some interesting correlations. I hope others are taking very good notes on these babies as well. I think they have a lot to teach us about nutrition, the environment, intra-uterine life and embryology.



 


Jennifer Tow, IBCLC, CT, USA
Intuitive Parenting Network LLC

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