Breastfeeding And Tongue Tied Babies
Breastfeeding can be hard and stressful in the beginning
Breastfeeding can be hard and stressful in the beginning, but it should get easier.
That wasn’t the case for me and my son. It seemed like it just became more difficult with each passing day.
Before we left the hospital I was given a nipple shield to help him latch. It did its job but it was uncomfortable, messy, and annoying.
I felt like I couldn’t do the most natural thing. His trouble latching continued for a few weeks until I went to exclusively pumping to help us both.
I reached out to a breastfeeding group on Facebook where someone told me about tongue ties. I knew what they were but my son didn’t look like he had one.
We talked to his doctor and found out in fact that he did have not only a tongue but a lip tie as well.
We saw a dentist who again confirmed the severity of it and recommend we correct it. For some families getting the ties revised are best, while for others they feel it’s best to leave it alone.
No matter what you decide there are some things you can try to make latching easier for both mom and baby.
The first thing recommended to me was to be patient with myself and my son. It can take a while for your baby to latch and finish eating so settle in.
Read a book or watch a YouTube video. Make sure you both are comfortable and invest in a nursing pillow if need be.
If your baby is messy when they nurse with a shield like mine, they could end up soaking wet by the time they are done. I was often covered in milk as well.
For mom, I recommend layering and loose over shirts so you can pull them away from the milk-covered area.
As crazy as it sounds I recommend covering the baby with a towel. I looked like a nut with my son wrapped in a bath towel while he nursed at church and other outings but at least I didn’t have to change his clothes for the fourteenth time.
Practice latching without the shield every day with your baby at least once. They may never get it but at least they are becoming familiar with the breast for when they do latch and it helps create a stronger bond.
Another great resource is a local lactation consultant, you can often find them at your health department and hospitals. They can help you position your baby in different ways to help them get the best latch they can.
Be kind to yourself.
Try not to get upset. Breathe. It will be okay and you are enough for your baby. If you think your baby may have a tongue tie talk to their doctor and find out what your options are.
It never hurts to ask or to get it checked a second time. At the end of the day, do not beat yourself up about it, and don’t allow anyone to ever pressure you into feeling less than a stellar parent because of breastfeeding.
