Author Topic: Tongue tie clipped, still struggling  (Read 4147 times)

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Offline ENMS

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Tongue tie clipped, still struggling
« on: July 28, 2015, 16:34:07 pm »
DD2 had a posterior tongue tie and a lip tie which we found early on. We had them clipped (actually twice for the tongue since it reattached).

We are still struggling and I am unsure if the TT has reattached or if it is something else (latch or technique?)

Basically she is not transferring milk well. She is supplemented with EBM as she is often still hungry after feeds. In the past 5 days she has lost 10 grams so I have started supplementing at every feed (offer bottle even if she does not seem hungry). I am pumping at least 3 times a day after feeds and I am usually getting 0.5 to 1 oz on each side. I take domperidon and fenugreek and blessed thistle since I cannot maintain my production otherwise.

My LC is on vacation and I'm trying to find another one but no success yet. How can I see if it is the TT that reattached or how can I improve he technique?
Elise



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Re: Tongue tie clipped, still struggling
« Reply #1 on: July 28, 2015, 19:25:46 pm »
Not as good as an LC but still pretty good is this website - has fact sheets and videos, the videos on latching are brilliant, IMO. 
http://www.breastfeedinginc.ca/content.php?pagename=information

Did LC say anything about breast compressions?  Might help to stimulate flow and get LO busier with feeding.  Have a look here:
http://www.breastfeedinginc.ca/content.php?pagename=doc-BC

You're doing an amazing job, well done mama! ((hugs))
*Anne*, loving mama to a honeybee (2010) and a sweetpea (2012).  BF for 4 proud years.


Offline ENMS

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Re: Tongue tie clipped, still struggling
« Reply #2 on: July 28, 2015, 20:01:42 pm »
I am doing breast compressions and offering 4 sides as well. Thanks for that website I'll look through it, it seems great!

She is falling asleep at her feeds also... I guess I'm putting my head in the sand, everything seems to point to the tongue having reattached... I just don't want to put her through another frenotomy! I'd rather try anything else first! I'll look through the videos right now. Thanks!
Elise



Offline zissi

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Re: Tongue tie clipped, still struggling
« Reply #3 on: October 10, 2015, 20:23:14 pm »
Hi there, I'm in a similar situation as you and wonder if your tongue tie/feeding issue ever resolved? My dd is 4.5 months and still not transferring milk well despite getting tt revised twice. Let me know how things are for you, maybe some hope for me...?
Franziska

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Re: Tongue tie clipped, still struggling
« Reply #4 on: October 10, 2015, 22:16:39 pm »
Hi, sorry this may be  too late for you now, but were you told about/did you do wound massage after the frenotomies? Our clinic advised twice daily wound massage for I think it was a month after, preferably just before a feed, to reduce the risk of reattachment. In addition to feeding 2-3 hourly around the clock during the first week or so. But I understand if you don't want to put her through it again! Any other discomfort associated with feeding? Ours had silent reflux too, started her on Ranitidine around the same time as the frenotomy, can't remember which was first now! Feeding did improve, although slowly, and she still loves it now, a year on.



Offline ENMS

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Re: Tongue tie clipped, still struggling
« Reply #5 on: October 11, 2015, 23:50:00 pm »
Hi there! Sorry for the delay. Seems like we're in the same boat!

Unfortunately feeding problems have not completely resolved. Tongue tie has not reattached however, according to the LC and the tongue tie Dr, her tongue has enough mobility. But we are still having feeding issues, the most significant one being that my supply keeps going down I think because her suck is not strong and she is not emptying the breasts enough. We have been able to improve this significantly but not totally resolve it. Weirdly enough, the thing that worked best was a neurological stimulation program, where we stimulate her reflexes. It's as if she wasn't able to learn again how to use her tongue.

I've finally just this week accepted that this is as good as it gets and I will need to pump / supplement every once in a while because just the breast is not cutting it for her despite all the efforts I've done.

How about you, what are the issues you're facing?

Trimbler, yes, we did the stretching exercices after the frenotomies. As for discomfort associated with feeding I would tend to say no, because she is a happy baby, but sure thing, she does not enjoy feeding, so I always Wonder. But if she has reflux, it is definitely mild.b
Elise



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Re: Tongue tie clipped, still struggling
« Reply #6 on: October 12, 2015, 13:23:06 pm »
Hi there. Your child sounds like mine. I'm trying to accept feeding as it is but it's hard. The osteopath we saw last week said that tongue mobility is good abd she showed me exersices to strengthen suck. I'm clinging onto this hope. My lot only drinks for 2 mins during the initial letdown abd then can't transfer milk. I'm compensating the by feeding her every hr. I'm also taking domperidone long term to keep up my supply. Luckily this works and I don't need to pump or supplement. In 6 weeks lo is 6 months and then I have reached my nursing goal. It's just sad we didn't have a better experience. Bloody tongue tie!! We will see if she takes then a bottle or cup so I can substitute some feeds with solids and formula. How old is your lo? And how often do you pump?
Franziska

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Re: Tongue tie clipped, still struggling
« Reply #7 on: October 13, 2015, 02:10:16 am »
What are you doing to strengthen suck zissi? we did the tug of war where we get her to suck on our finger and then try to remove it, but she hasn't really been into sucking our finger vigorously so not a big success.

Wow feeding every hour? How do you do this with naps ets?

I am also on domperidone. Good for you that you don't need to supplement.

For us it really comes and goes. Now we're in a great place - she is totally refusing the bottle if I try to supplement her and she gained 100 grams in 3 days which is awesome!

Congrats for continuing this long with all the difficulties you've had.

My DD is 4.5 months old now. I usually pump every night just to have some EBM on hand to supplement and / or freeze (I am terrified one day I will not have enough milk for her anymore). When things are well I don't pump during the day, when my supply dips I try to pump after every feed.
Elise



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Re: Tongue tie clipped, still struggling
« Reply #8 on: October 13, 2015, 09:46:53 am »
We did the finger sucking too but it doesn't really work either as she doesn't suck the finger at all. W
E push on the palate to reduce gag reflex and also move tongue on both sides in the far back as she only moves the tip of the tongue. We have a bad latch too, shallow and I don't know how to improve it as she becomes fussy or not interested if I try too many times. She also only feeds lilting down, or when on the go in the carrier so I dint have great control over her latch.
Our 2 mins feelings are less work for me as if I had to pump after every feed etc. it's more a case of quickly going into the bedroom and job over in a couple of minutes. Easier with my 2 year old around too.
Do you have sometimes good feeds then? This means your loo is capable of transferring milk. We only manage due to the frequent feedings... For the last few nights she has been feeding every 90 mins and although this isn't great for me we had weight gain of 250gr per week. Must have been the 4 months growth spurt!! Yay!
100gr in 3 days is super too!! What is your nursing goal? Once solids can be introduced I can relax a bit more...
Franziska

Offline zissi

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Re: Tongue tie clipped, still struggling
« Reply #9 on: October 13, 2015, 09:49:38 am »
Oh and we are not really on easy but I dint care at the moment. Although we have 3 consistent naps and consistent bedtime and wake up time. So when she is 6 months i will be working on independent sleep... Do you follow easy ? Is ur lo an independent sleeper?
Franziska

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Re: Tongue tie clipped, still struggling
« Reply #10 on: October 13, 2015, 14:21:13 pm »
Our LC is coming today to assess her latch, I haven't seen her in a while so hopefully it is something we can work on and improve. So I weighed her again this morning since the LC is coming and it turns out yesterday's weight gain was a fluke or an error or something - either that or she lost 70 grams since yesterday LOL

Yes we sometimes have good feeds but it never lasts very long. We started having better feeds once we started doing the exercices to stimulate her reflexes. I do not understand how this can help anything at all but hey if it helps I'm willing to do it.

My nursing goal is one year old. I'm thinking eventually I may start exclusively pumping but I am hoping to delay that as much as possible as it is so much work.

She usually wakes 2-3 times at night for NF's - sometimes every 3h it is exhausting!

She is not a proper EASY because her WU times are inconsistent and so are her naps (she short naps a lot). For now, like you, I am fine with this but I know eventually I'll need to get her on a more predictable routine. She is not an IS, it is something I plan to work on soon. She has a paci I try to limit its use but considering the BF difficulties I know it would be Wise to remove it.... hopefully I get the courage to do it soon enough.
Elise



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Re: Tongue tie clipped, still struggling
« Reply #11 on: October 13, 2015, 19:41:30 pm »
My initial goal was 1 year too but with all the problems we encounter I'm glad if I can make it to 6 months. Plus my gp will not prescribe anymore domperidone. We will see how things are going in a few weeks. My lo uses a paci too which we will need to get rid of when working on sleep.
What reflexes exersices do you do? Could you send me in a pm? Who knows might help my lo too. And what was your lc saying today?
Franziska

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Re: Tongue tie clipped, still struggling
« Reply #12 on: October 13, 2015, 23:43:22 pm »
LC is saying tongue movement is fine, but her suck is really weak. She wants me to start the tug of war again and once it is done, turn my finger around in her mouth to massage the middle of her tongue and encourage her to 'cup' my finger with her tongue.

I will PM you the exercices but I only have it in french so will need to translate it for you first. It is really easy :)
Elise



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Re: Tongue tie clipped, still struggling
« Reply #13 on: October 14, 2015, 08:29:52 am »
Hi got the exersices, thank you! We did those exersices but my lo would just not suck finger or cup tongue around finger. That's why the osteo suggested to train the tongue in the back. Did the lc say why some babies just don't suck properly despite all those exersices etc? It's really discouraging. Some babies have tt releases much later abd still manage to learn to feed properly. Re had the first release at 7 weeks, so she was still really young but no improvement despite loads of interventions...
Franziska

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Re: Tongue tie clipped, still struggling
« Reply #14 on: October 14, 2015, 13:54:29 pm »
Yeah same here I've not been successful with the exercices. She said to try to do them right before a feed there is a bigger chance she will suck. Also she said to stimulate her suck by rubbing on her palate with the finger. When I tried it with her yesterday it took a good 2 minutes before she started suckin and it didn't last long. But she said it should improve over time.

She doesn't know why it doesn't work with some babies. She said sometimes they need body work done, but my DD has seen chiro and osteo so that is not her case. Must be some sort of neurological thing, which would be why those exercices are helping (they stimulate her neurologically). I guess they have trouble 'unlearning' how they used to feed with the TT?  We had the first release at 1 month old so it was early on too :(

it is hard because I've invested so much time to make this work. I'm accepting now it will not be perfect, as I want, but I think we're in an ok place now, she feeds ok usually, sometimes well, and we supplement just a little bit. Her weight gain is on the low side but not a disaster.
Elise



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Re: Tongue tie clipped, still struggling
« Reply #15 on: October 14, 2015, 19:37:06 pm »
Hey sorry I can't offer any advice but just popping back to say I have huge admiration for the way you 're both doing all this, amazing! :-*



Offline ENMS

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Re: Tongue tie clipped, still struggling
« Reply #16 on: October 14, 2015, 23:45:15 pm »
Aw thanks hon! It's not easy but we're ploughing through!
Elise



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Re: Tongue tie clipped, still struggling
« Reply #17 on: October 15, 2015, 13:29:21 pm »
Thanks for your kind words. My stubbornness keeps me going :)
Franziska