This was posted today by Mary Foley:
"I am posting w/ permission.  Had an OP visit today w/ a 1st time mom and
dad and a 2 wk old baby girl (Isla).  Mom had an uneventful
pregnancy/birth.  Dad has a short frenulum.  Mom reports that baby did
not latch well right from birth.  The LCs in the hospital got her
pumping, and tried everything from syringe feeding to nipple shield
etc., but baby did not feed well.  Baby had a tight frenulum and was
referred to and ENT who did the frenotomy after discharge.  Baby still
was unable to latch to breast.  Prior to frenotomy, baby did not bottle
feed well, but now baby can and does take bottle well.  Mom is pumping
frequently and has been able to keep her milk supply up to sufficiently
feed baby exclusively on breastmilk.

Today I started w/ baby led- biological nurturing type feeding. Isla did
not make any attempt to move towards the breast.  I had mom gently move
baby towards nipple, but there was very little rooting.  Eventually she
did root, but could not grasp nipple.  (nipple everted, milk dripping)
Tried different breast holds and positions. Tried a shield but baby was
doing more biting than sucking and kept falling off shield.

Palate sl high in the front.  Tongue does not move well laterally.  No
grooving noted w/ suck assessment.  When I did a finger sweep under the
tongue, I still met resistance half way.  Tongue did not extend well.

Mom has seen a couple of LCs and has been trying to get baby to latch
every day and it has been a struggle, so as you can imagine, baby is a
little tense at the breast.  She tolerated my gentle assist at first but
after a few attempts at breast, she just began to pull away and get
upset.  So I had mom just place baby back in sts kangaroo position until
baby calmed and then mom finished w/ a bottle of ebm.  Baby coordinated
well on the bottle nipple."

Mary, 
First, the baby needs to be seen by a structural therapist---a chiropractor, CST, DO, preferably one who is familiar with breastfeeding and tongue-tie. Secondly, many, many babies require re-clippings. I tell moms this up front, so that they are prepared for the possibility. It is also possible that the labial frenulum needs to be clipped, as it also often does.  Find someone who knows how to clip posterior tongue ties, so that the re-clipping is effective. I also use co-bathing and Bach Flower remedies with babies who have a difficult time returning to breast after a traumatic experience or having difficulty retrieving the primal knowledge.
Jennifer Tow, IBCLC, CT, USA
Intuitive Parenting Network, LLC
 

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