A STORY SHARED IS A STORY LEARNED...

Kellie Eason, RN, RM, IBCLC

Passionate about providing collaborative & holistic care, with the aim of supporting optimal health & wellbeing for families.  Special interest in complex infant feeding issues & paediatric oral myofunctional therapy

This spunky lil man and his mum, are an outstanding team that will forever be etched in my heart...

Thanks to mum, she is willing to share their story to prevent others from facing their plight...

By the time this little bubba was 8 weeks of age, he had 2 frenotomies where a GP clipped his tongue tie with a pair of scissors.

Breast refusal had started setting in, latching was difficult and incredibly painful for mum & she was working hard to maintain her milk supply.

Divine intervention occurred when I bumped into this gorgeous duo & within days, I assessed Mr. H to have an immobile upper lip and significantly restricted tongue range of motion.

In order to remove milk from mum's breast, his tongue & lip needed to move & suction freely - problem was, his tongue & lip were stuck from moving.

So we organised for Mr. H to see an experienced Paediatric Dental & Laser Surgeon the same day (Dr. Philip Hand- Marriott & Hand https://www.marriott-hand.com.au/our-practice/meet-the-team/ ) to have the scar tissue & both ties removed rather than just cut.

Mr. H. also had increased muscle tone, tight neck muscles & was struggling to self regulate his behaviour compared to other babies his age, so we also referred him to Dr. Alyson Murray (Chiropractic for Babies & Children https://www.babyandchildchiropractor.com.au/about-dr-alyson-murray-paediatric-chiropractor/ ).

These symptoms impacted on his feeding muscles being not being able to move freely, his neck was sore and he would fuss in frustration & pain during breastfeeds. 
He would also gulp & feed vigorously to the point of vomiting & fussing due to an upset tummy.  This occurred due to the increased effort involved in breastfeeding. 

By 10 weeks of age, mum's nipples were so damaged, that I needed to prescribe an antibiotic cream.  She also had severe breast engorgement & her breasts would bruise easily.  There were obviously lots of tears combined with lots of love & hugs.

The following week, Mr. H needed a 2nd laser frenectomy (we are now up to 4 procedures to treat his tongue tie)

He also started seeing Dr. Brendan Chan (Paediatrician, http://www.brendan-chan-paediatrics.com.au/about/) for assistance with possible allergies, gut issues & Carly Veness (Speech Language Pathologist, Babble & Munch https://babbleandmunch.com.au/about/)

By 12 weeks of age, with the ongoing breastfeeding issues, Mr. H needed another laser frenectomy due to scar tissue making it difficult for him to move his tongue properly.
By now, we introduced some Pure Vitamin E Oil and Ark Therapeutic Oral Chews to his post frenectomy rehabilitation and by 16 weeks of age, his breastfeeding & oral function had improved & continued until 2+ years of age without complications....

I have worked with over 2000 families affected by tongue and lip ties over the last 2 years.
Mr. H is the first I have ever come across to have so many of these procedures.

My take home message:

1. It takes an experienced team to deliver the best care for these families - especially to reduce complication associated with complex feeding issues
2. Tongue & Lip Tie Procedures (AKA Frenotomies, frenectomiess) are NOT the magic fix to breast & bottle-feeding problems due to lip & tongue ties
3. To ensure the best outcomes, pre-operative preparation & Post Operative rehabilitation are more important than the procedure alone
4. If you think your baby is affected, DON'T TAKE THE RISK, do your homework, and make sure that you get the right team on board!

Unfortunately, the sad truth is, that there are providers out there who are unsafe practitioners who are not experienced at caring for young children & perform these procedures unnecessarily.
This is why, we have recently heard of media reports of a baby almost losing his life from this procedure.

Like any medical/surgical intervention, there are health risks to your child
When actioned by an experienced team, the interventions are applied appropriately and safely with an absolute minimum of risk.

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR POTENTIAL PROVIDERS

• How many children do you see per year affected by tongue & lip ties in your practice?

• How many of these procedures do you perform on babies every year?
• What emergency procedures do you have in place?
• Have you ever placed stitches in a young babies mouth incase of severe bleeding?
• ​Are your staff trained in adult & infant rescuscitation?
• Does your surgery have adult and infant resuscitation equipment available that is checked & serviced regularly?

A huge thank you to Mama Bear & Mr. H (aka 'Boobie Monster') for letting us share your story...
You both continue to inspire me & I thank you for that xxxx
​I look forward to helping you dodge the rollercoaster ride when we welcome your next cherub earthside        

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