Sanna-Mari,
Some babies with tight frenula can breastfeed with seemingly little
difficulty.  If they are able to remove milk well, they will stimulate
mom's supply adequately.  What they often still have trouble with is
handling the milk flow.  Since the tongue does not groove as strongly if
the tip is restricted, (try holding your tonguetip flat and still behind
your lower gum ridge, and then attempt to groove it longitudinally), it
does not form the milk into a bolus as well for a nice, controlled
swallow.  This can give rise to babies who are "fast feeders" or moms
with "over active MER's" - the baby has to swallow constantly or drown.
In an infant under 3 months of age, we think that suck is a cascade-
that swallowing triggers the next suck.  The baby's discomfort with the
milk flow can result in fussiness at breast, biting to reduce the flow,
coughing when the milk "goes down the wrong pipe", etc.  If mom really
does have a very strong MER, the kid is really in trouble.
--
Catherine Watson Genna, IBCLC  New York City  mailto:[log in to unmask]

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