Tongue tie release, maybe one step closer?

[Mildly]

We had a follow up appointment at the hospital yesterday regarding the tongue tie and lack of weight gain. The doctor (and registrar and consultant) has now referred us to the ENT team to discuss having the tongue tie released Oscar and I had to stay in overnight as we were told the ENT would meet with us this morning, however this lunchtime we were told by the paediatricians that we would receive an outpatients appointment in the post. We are also going to be monitored by the children's ward to ensure that he starts to gain weight properly.

The fact that we have a referral is very promising as we were told that they don't refer every baby that has tongue tie. I am really hoping that they will release the tie and am planning on not leaving the appointment unless they do agree to it! We have been asked by the children's ward staff to up his formula feeds to two a day to help encourage him to put on weight - I am not particularly happy about this but am agreeing to it for a limited time. OH is in favour but doesn't seem to understand how this is going to mess with my milk supply. They have also asked me to stretch his breast feeds out so I am not feeding on demand as apparently breast feeding is like a workout for babies and they are worried he is burning off more calories than he is taking on.

Anyway fingers crossed he gets an appointment sooner rather than later

 

[purple13]

They have also asked me to stretch his breast feeds out so I am not feeding on demand as apparently breast feeding is like a workout for babies and they are worried he is burning off more calories than he is taking on.

if he's burning off more calories than he's consuming (which sounds spurious, in my non-medical opinion ) then how would reducing the amount of feeds help? he won't take on any more calories by feeding less, that's for certain...

i really hope you manage to get this sorted honey make sure you follow your instinct as well as medical advice though. although the latter is incredibly important, i think there are a few of us on this forum who would be formula feeding if we'd done what the medics had told us to do...

 

[Storm.]

I remeber trying to get my lil one refered for tounge tie, it tooks months then all it was was a needle to numb then they snipped it, er why not just do that in the first place, save the lets go round in circles to annoy you part!#

confused by the cutting down on feeding and, as purple13 says follow your instincts but dont totally ignore there advice

 

[Mildly]

They think that he is not feeding effectively with demand feeding and reckon that he will step up the effectiveness of his feed if he learns that boob time is feed time, instead of half comfort sucking, half feeding time. So by cutting down the time spent feeding but taking more on board during a shorter time he should actually be getting more calories inside him. They did explain it better but I am still dubious as I thought he was having a growth spurt (which was proven slightly by his 4.5oz weight gain of this last week - the biggest weight gain to date). The problem is that combining this 'routine' with the extra formula feed, it is going to be really difficult to know which bit is working

Thanks purple I was appearing more concerned about the slow weight gain at the appointment because it was our best shot at getting a referral but it seems to have backfired as now OH is actually worried and is all wanting to try their suggestions. Really hoping we get the tongue tie done and then he starts gaining weight so we can start to drop the formula feeds and continue breastfeeding as I have been previously!

baby-storm, I know, it is ridiculous how difficult it is for such a simple procedure! My HV said that midwives used to do it themselves straight after birth! Glad your LO managed to have it done eventually

 

[NickyB]

I hope you get it done for him Mildly, fingers crossed for an appointment soon!

 

[purple13]

i can sort of see where the advice is coming from but the sucking is stimulating your milk production and there is the worry for you then that your supply will suffer talk about a rock and a hard place...!

just a thought, but back when connor was going through his famine victim phase, a nice HV suggested i gave a bottle of expressed milk on top of his boob feeds. you could always give him that (in the same quantity) instead of formula? its a bit of a faff i know, but your LO is blatantly gaining weight ( ) and to me it would make more sense to give him boob milk top-ups than formula ones...

really hope its all sorted soon. OH's always mean well, but they often don't help - mine never said the right thing when i was struggling at the start

 

[Mildly]

Thanks Nicky

Purple, I know, my supply was what I was thinking of That is a great idea about the EBM. I can't express that much at the moment but the other day I did manage to get 80ml out. Even if it isn't everyday that would make me feel much better My OH just wants him to put on weight which I do, of course just not at the expense of my milk supply! Thanks for your suggestions

 

[Mrs_Jay]

really hope that means they are going to sort out his tongue tie for you

 

[claireyfairey]

Hope you get this sorted soon hun We're having to go private to have Isla's corrected, it's such a bloody faff trying to even get anyone on the NHS to even bloody look at it

I'm glad you're persevering with breastfeeding though....I sometimes think I could have tried harder with Isla but I'm so much happier now I've stopped expressing.... Feel bad saying that, but it was the right decision for us I think...



C xxx

 

[kelsey]

I feel for you hun, I really do. My l/o is 10 months and still has tongue tie. They don't do the procedure in this area. When she was a noob she had trouble latching and when she did latch she kept falling off coz she couldn't get a good latch. As they do it where you are I would suggest that you really push for it. My l/o had her 9 month check and I asked the doc about it and all he said was "oh we'll have another look in the new year". mmm great.

My hv knows the trouble she had gaining weight and staying on but there was nothing she could do.

Its come to me having to go private to get it assessed and possibly snipped.

I've been practicing with her - poking my tongue out at her and her copying and it has stretched it somewhat but she still has a heart shaped tongue when she pushes it forward.

 

[Mildly]

Thanks ladies

He actually has an appointment tomorrow, I got a letter about it at the beginning of the week so fingers crossed that they agree to do the procedure. He has regained his birth weight at last but I do think that is due to the formula top ups so am going to tell the consultant that I want to be able to breast feed exclusively and that the tongue tie is preventing this.

Clairey the difference between different health trusts is astonishing. I went and got a letter from the Breast Feeding Network which I think helped getting the referral. I don't blame you for going private, we feel like we're banging our heads against brick walls most of the time

Hey don't beat yourself up about your decision to formula feed. A happy you means a happy Isla If I'd have had to express for all feeds Oscar would be on formula now

Kelsey, that is so bad that they have left you and LO this long without helping especially with weight gain and latching problems I'm glad there has been some stretching through trying to stick her tongue out. Is she starting to talk yet? (Sorry I have no idea when babies start that ), have you noticed any difficulty in pronouncing words? It is crazy when you have to go private for something that should be on the NHS Hope you get it sorted privately hun

 

[purple13]

hope it goes well tomorrow mildly

 

[Mildly]

Thanks purple

 

[clarey]

Hey Mildly, good luck for tomorrow, hope oscar gets sorted, glad he is gaining weight so at least that eases the pressure a little on you if you are going to try and get back to exclusive bfing, drink lots and get some oats down you hun

 

[Mildly]

Thanks Clarey, update in purple's thread