TONGUE TIE
NICE guidelines stating ''a suitably qualified health professional'' being able to perform the TT snip; is it correct that Midwifes used to routinely perform this in hospital? since the onslaught of bottle feeding whereby the Infant can be less active in the use of it's tongue- we don't check anymore.
This meant many sad and frustrating nights for me, I still look at my wee girl (30 months now) and wish my start with her hadn't been so distanced. I struggled feeding her and knew something was wrong, I had already fed, in varying conditions and circumstances,
my 4 other children.
I knew she wasn't getting my milk, it was there alright, I had to pump it out of me around the clock- she just couldn't access it.
The breastfeeding support Midwife told me there was nothing wrong with her feeding technique, or my positioning etc. but She didn't checked for TT.
I remembered a time when some friends had their first child; the difficulties Jeanie faced in feeding her daughter seemed to be the same as what was going on with me and Suki, my little hungry bird.
Jeanies daughter was TT.
I checked Suki's tongue and yes, it was a short little heart. I went to the GP and got an appointment with the Paediatrician who is in great demand as he only does 1/6wk visits.
My Midwife could have easily performed this job, the little snip that released us both together into nurturing harmony.
Instead I had to wait 5 weeks of pumping out, sat with gritted teeth only wanting to feed my baby. The only solace being my man, a wonder at each feed, taking up my girl in his arms, being 'mother'- feeding her my milk in replacement of me.
If breastfeeding is to be supported then we have to look at all and everything surrounding it. That's very big, so lets start with the tongue! It's the way we speak, what we say comes from who we are, the way we were nurtured.
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