Virginia writes:
One more point, from other posts on infants refused frenotomy, is that I
was suprised that the TT infants mentioned were described as feeding
(effectively?) from bottles. I wonder if their mothers tried several? So often I
notice ineffective bottle-feeding by babies with restricted tongue function.
For instance, spilling milk from the mouth through poor seal, or making
glugging noises that showed they were unable to control the fast flow
(including on the allegedly "slow" Pigeon "Peristaltic").
~~~
Interesting question, Virginia. This goes back to the truth that
bottlefeeding is still the
"norm" against which things are judged. "Effective bottlefeeding" means
baby can get enough to eat. If they are gulping, coughing, crying, refluxing,
having digestive issues, elimination issues ( any or all of which I often
see with tongue tie) these are "normal" baby behaviors of no consequence if
the baby is managing to gain. If the baby is not, it's "just reflux" and
meds will be given, or it's "just colic" and moms have to tough it out, or
it's "just a baby in need of sleep training" so it's mom's fault if that
hasn't been done yet ( if baby is over 8 weeks already.) It could be baby
"just needs to cry", and "you can't make your baby happy all the time you know"
which won as Worst Comment of the Year for me about 2 years ago by a woman
who works as an LC ( is not IBCLC) and was recommended by a local MD
practice. I did work with one baby who couldn't even get enough to eat on a
bottle, he just could not get his tongue to work until the release. Mostly
though babies push through and are unhappy. I tell parents that I believe
firmly that babies do not need to be miserable, and it is not a given that they
all spend hours each day crying. This creates cognitive dissonance with the
other HCPs who have told them that many babies cry a lot, that crying is
normal, (oh and moms are just too sensitive to it,), every baby needs a
pacifier, and that they will outgrow it in a few months so just don't worry
about it, as well as that rapid , uncontrolled bottlefeeding and gulping is a
sign of healthy appetite, crying during stooling every 2-3 days in a
newborn is healthy enough too. What I see as signs of an issue to be worked
with/on, others see as "normal". Aye, there's the rub...
Peace,
Judy
Judy LeVan Fram, PT, IBCLC, LLLL
Brooklyn, NY, USA
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