I read Nancy's post with great interest.
I just *don't know* if tongue tie causes *frequent* problems with
breastfeeding, and I look at the literature and this doesn't
enlighten me at all.
I definitely come across mothers who have consulted Dr Google and who
are convinced this is what is causing their problems - and they are
supported in this with people who have a vested interest, either
financial or personal/professional in agreeing with them, and I often
want to say 'whoah! hold those horses!'
We have people in the UK shouting loudly about this, and wanting all
babies to be routinely 'snipped' at birth if they show signs of TT
(whether or not there is pain on bf). There is NO evidence this
would help at all.
I saw a mother recently (in London) whose baby was four weeks old and
for whom breastfeeding had never been pain-free. She had seen peer
supporters, lactation consultants x 2, midwives, health visitors,
cranial osteopath....almost every day since she brought her baby
home, she'd seen someone about the pain on bf. The baby's mouth had
been looked at for TT and she had been told all was well. The
tension and lack of confidence and stress in this mother was almost
palpable. I sat with her for an hour and a half and with some gentle
changes in positioning and attachment (basically, allowing the baby
to get more breast in his mouth) she fed virtually pain-free, but I
*knew* this would not be the end of the story because she just did
not believe this change would last. These gentle changes were a
contrast to some of the complex and difficult suggestions that had
been made to her before, not to mention the schlepping around the
city to groups, clinics, consulting rooms :( :(
I was not able to do any further follow up (I was back home - I don't
live in London) and I next heard she had seen yet another LC who had
diagnosed TT and who had snipped it. I have yet to hear if it made a
difference... if it has, I will eat my words, obviously, but what I
really think she needed was skilled and continued support to maintain
the position and attachment changes and maybe some help with
relaxation and some TLC.
Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc, tutor, UK
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