Feeding a baby with tongue tie!

**blueangel** · 03-06-2007 14:51

After 8 months of telling nurses, doctors, peadeatricians that my baby does not feed well we finally found out why.

I took my 8 month old to see a speech pathologist as he has such an aversion to bottles and cups to see if she could help. She took one look in his mouth and said he has tounge tie!!

It explains the 5 months of hell we went thru trying to breastfeed and the last couple of months of fussy feeding with the bottle.

What I really want to know is if there is a better type of bottle or teat that can help my DS feed easier. We are currently using Avent.

Any suggestions or anyone else with a tounge tied baby, please share your experiences. I really would like to find out as much as I can.

**jamb** · 03-06-2007 15:21

My DS has TT, i was told when he was born that he had it, on their advice it wasnt snipped, they wanted to wait to see if it affected his speech.

That said, i went through hell BF him, he was on and off, hurt like hell and the whole process was not a nice experience in terms of bonding.

I have since joined the ABA as i want as much support and knowledge at hand for this bub should i need it- something i did not know to seek first time round.

Anywho, sorry for

, i put him on avent bottles at 4 months, no good, but i found the pigeon teats were great, very soft, might have been easier for him to draw back maybe???

HTH's

**EskimoMumma** · 03-06-2007 15:27

Can the tongue tie be corrected? Or is it to late?

DS had tongue tie at birth as well, but his was severe it was corrected. Even after correction he still wouldnt breastfeed correctly and was alot of pain for me, took bottles ok though..

**munchkin05** · 03-06-2007 15:48

after months and months of hell breast feeding ben the chn informed me that he had tt (would have been great to know before hand ) but it wasnt severe and the doc sujested to keep feeding him if i wanted to and it had corrected its self (its streched ) so hopefully now he wont need to get it snipped at a later stage

**blueangel** · 03-06-2007 17:45

Thanks guys. It is so good to hear about other babies with TT. (Not so good for you I realise)

Jamb - I might buy one of the pigeon teats to try. Do they fit the Avent bottles?

EskimoMumma - I think it is too late for it to be snipped. The speech therapist said it would be hard to find someone that would do it. I am going to get a second opinion though.

BensMummy - I think DS's has stretched. I remember the 'heart shaped' tongue being really obvious when he was born but it is nowhere near as bad now.

Did all your babies come on and off the boob HEAPS? Did they have really bad wind pain too?

Thanks

**jamb** · 03-06-2007 17:57

Yes they do fit the avent bottles.

Yes he was on and off the boob ALL the time. I struggled to feed in public because the whole of australia copped a full on view of my boob making me very self concious. No wind though. I used a nipple shield most of the time as that seemed to help a bit. I also never graduated to those 10 minute feeds, it always took 25 minutes plus.

I wouldnt say my DS's has stretched, still a very distinct heart shape.

Re getting it snipped, probably not an issue with DS but i do wonder what to do if this bub has one. If it meant a better BF relationship i would consider it. Might have to research a little more.

**Lirael** · 03-06-2007 17:58

i wonder why it was not picked up before you were discharged at birth??? we were not allowed home til we could feed properly both kids.

**munchkin05** · 03-06-2007 18:03

Originally Posted by emevity

i wonder why it was not picked up before you were discharged at birth??? we were not allowed home til we could feed properly both kids.

they told me it was perfectly normal for a baby to keep coming off the breast and as a first time mum i knew no better
he was feeding and gaining weight but wasnt feeding anything like normal

i also used nipple shields they helped me heaps and gave my boobs time to heal lol

**blueangel** · 03-06-2007 18:21

Originally Posted by emevity

i wonder why it was not picked up before you were discharged at birth??? we were not allowed home til we could feed properly both kids.

Mmmmmm.......that is my question ATM.

Everyone told me he was just a fussy feeder. We even spent 3 days at Tresillian for feeding issues just recently. Not ONCE had anyone looked in his mouth until we saw the speech therapist. We have even seen a peadeatrician because his weight gain wasn't very good. He said it was a cows milk protein allergy.

I am feeling cranky with myself for not pursuing the issue months ago. I though it was my fault that we couldn't breastfeed successfully so just left it. I should have stuck with my gut feeling that something wasn't right.

I am going to see the CHN tomorrow and have a polite whinge about why DS wasn't checked on our numerous visits to clinic.

Sorry for the vent but I am feeling a bit frustrated about it ATM.

**Lirael** · 03-06-2007 18:32

hmm i would be very annoyed. they told me on day three. before we went home. anyway, he doesnt have it, but a midwife picked it up then got a doc in aswell to check, as he was having major attatchment issues