Tongue tie - when is it an issue?

[ENMS]

Me again... 

When we got discharged from the hospital, the dr told us DS had a bit of a tongue tie.  She asked me if it hurt when it fed, and at that time it only did a little at the beginning of each feed.  She said it was not major, but might cause some pain for me when feeding him.

Since my milk came in on Friday, feedings have been much more painful.  At first it was difficult to tell whether it was the engorgement (which was quite bad) or the nipple, but now that engorgement is under control, I clearly see that it's the nipple. I thought he had a good latch, and he's definitely getting a lot of milk when feeding.  Since yesterday, he also started making a clicking sound and sometimes seems to be overwhelmed by the fast flow.

The doctor said it was causing me pain, to go back to the office and they would clip it or something like that.

I'm just not 100% sure if the pain is caused by that or by a poor latch or something else.  I'm trying to get a lactation consultant but the faster I can see one is next Saturday which is quite far...

 

[Shiv52]

It sounds like the tongue tie is causing an issue especially with clicking sounds and that.  I wouldn't wait for an LC if you can get back into the doctor and get it clipped.  My fear would be your nipples are going to end up really really sore from his latch being affected and it will really affect you being able to feed him. 

I'll try get Shivi to pop over as she has experience with TT xx

[shivi]

Hi Elise and big congrats on your new DS!

My DD had/has a TT (hers reformed on the scar tissue as it was done too late - at 5 mths ish).

We struggled with her not coping with the fast flow, with weight gain issues (she was gaining but wasn't hitting her length centile for a long time) but the docs kept sending me away until I went to a more understanding doc who referred us at 3 mths....

I would say clip it as early as possible - the clicking sound is already a telling factor that your DS is not feeding "normally" in the textbook way. Yes, you may "get away" with it (I got away with only one or two blisters ever) but its not to say you will during GSs etc.

Clipping doesn't hurt the baby and the earlier your do it, the less chance there will be of scar tissue and the tongue tie reforming as for now its a tiny flap of skin and with months and years, it becomes a bigger piece of tissue.

HTH and huge hugs

Sorry I wasn't able to get on sooner...have a very sick TTd preschooler on my hands :-(((

S x

[ENMS]

Thanks Shivi... you answered super fast, thanks I really appreciate it! Sorry you have a sick preschooler, hope everything will be ok.

I appreciate the info...  I'll go to the doctor's tomorrow morning first thing to get it clipped as anyway, feedings are getting to be really painful right now... He's currently feeding every 4 hours and I'm crossing my fingers he keeps it up until tomorrow since I'm not sure I could deal with more frequent feedings with the pain I'm having right now.  I'm glad to hear clipping doesn't hurt the baby since it is a little scary.  Hopefully once it's done, the pain will go away quickly, I assume at 4 days old he's not yet taken a habit and it can be resolved quickly.

Thanks again for your help, really appreciated!

[Shiv52]

I assume at 4 days old he's not yet taken a habit and it can be resolved quickly.

It should be resolved pretty much right away I imagine.  be worse to leave it for weeks on end as then they have to relearn how to feed a different way.

{{{hugs}}}

Thanks Shivi xxx

[Fiver]

In terms of your pain, you should notice a difference immediately (they ought to ask you to give LO a BF straight after the tie has been divided).  As LO is only tiny, you milk supply won't have settled down yet, so milk transfer issues may not be as noticeable (ie. you've got a decent flow right now because your body is relying on hormones as well as demand, but once you start regulating how much is being produced, you may find issues there with supply).

FWIW, my DD "looked" like she had a great latch, but had a posterior tongue tie that caused horrendous pain for 9 weeks before it was divided.  What we can see is only the tip of the iceberg.

Hope the division goes well and the nipples heal up soon!!

[ENMS]

Thanks Amanda and Shiv. So glad we're almost there and this will hopefully be fixed by tomorrow night!