The Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog

Sign a petition to the President-Elect urging support for breastfeeding-friendly policies.

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee has issued an online petition to President-Elect Obama urging support for breastfeeding policies in his administration. 

1.    Instruct the Surgeon General to issue a statement in support of breastfeeding urging all sectors (governmental and non-governmental) involved in supporting women, children, and families to improve their breastfeeding policies.

2.    Enact a national paid family leave policy.

3.    Endorse the World Health Organization’s International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes as well as the Global Strategy for Infant & Young Child Feeding.

4.    Ask the Federal Trade Commission to monitor infant formula marketing.

5.    Ask the Food and Drug Administration to include labeling on powdered infant formula warning that it is not sterile and providing instructions on how to properly reconstitute it.

6.    Highlight the benefits for employers of workplace breastfeeding support programs as part of your program to promote flexible work arrangements.

7.    Urge all insurers to cover lactation care and support services.

8.    Approve an increase in breastfeeding support funds for the USDA’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), especially to support the peer counseling program.

9.    Instruct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to recommend that all hospitals achieve the Baby-Friendly designation.

10.    Ensure that emergency management agencies are trained in breastfeeding support and have breastfeeding supply kits available for distribution in emergencies.

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Book review: Mommy's Little Breastfeeding Book

At 4 by 6 inches and roughly 100 pages, Mommy's Little Breastfeeding Book, by Michelle Leigh Carnesecca, IBCLC (Bennett Communications, 2008) is the smallest breastfeeding book I've reviewed.  

But don't underestimate small.  This book packs a lot of information into a little package.  The author has distilled just about all the basic breastfeeding information into 100 brief points.  It's a quick read and is well organized, with a good index and cute illustrations.

There is one small piece of information which is not up-to-date: a diagram showing "milk sinuses" (new research has found that these don't exist).  The discussion of latch is a little confusing, suggesting in one place that "nose and chin should touch the breast," while elsewhere it says that the nose should be 'barely touching' the breast.  The current thinking is that an "asymmetrical latch," in which the chin is deep in the breast and the nose is off the breast, achieves the deepest and most comfortable latch. 

But these are fairly minor issues.  Overall, the book presents solid information in a concise format.  I think that this little book would be a good shower basket gift, especially for a mother who isn't quite sure that she wants to breastfeed, and may not be willing to read a tome like Breastfeeding Made Simple or The Nursing Mother's Companion.  

Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog?  Subscribe here.  Want an RSS feed?  Click here.

Book review: Permission to Mother

For those of you who have struggled to find a breastfeeding-friendly doctor, you may want to consider moving to Florida. 

That's where Dr. Denise Punger practices as a family practice physician and a lactation consultant.  Her book, Permission to Mother, tells the story of her journey from wide-eyed medical student to physician who encourages and supports breastfeeding, babywearing, doulas, and other attachment parenting practices. 

This book is not a breastfeeding manual, like others I've reviewed, but is a memoir of Denise's initiation into the worlds of traditional and mother-centered care for pregnant and postpartum women. Denise recalls getting no training in breastfeeding management in medical school (though she did receive a lecture on formula feeding), and this book chronicles the learning and 'un-learning' that led her to embrace breastfeeding medicine.

Through short chapters she tells the stories of her three births (two in hospital, one at home), her connection to a community of doulas and midwives, her experiences with extended nursing, and tandem nursing (her middle child tandem nursed with both her first and third sons).

The first half of this book concerns birth; second half covers breastfeeding (both personal experience and her medical practice), and other topics like homeschooling, slings, and co-sleeping.  It ends with notes from some of her patients.

Her passion for these topics, and particularly for advocating for mothers to receive 'permission to mother' in ways that may challenge traditional medical practices, is clear and made particularly salient by her repeated use of her own personal experience.

Denise's story includes pictures of her pregnant and even giving birth to her footling breech baby.  By telling her birth and breastfeeding stories, this book blurs the boundaries between doctor and patient, which, in the case of such personal topics as birth and breastfeeding, is very powerful.  In our increasingly impersonal medical system, it's a rare opportunity to see a physician as patient, mother, and human being who learns and grows with experience.  I was fortunate to have heard the birth story of my nurse midwife, and I found myself thinking how lucky Denise's patients are to know so much about her before joining her practice. 

I enjoyed getting to know Denise through this book.  I'd imagine that anyone with an interest in birth and breastfeeding would, too.

Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog?  Subscribe here.  Want an RSS feed?  Click here.

Trace amounts of melamine found in U.S. formula.

I don't like writing about formula contamination.  I really prefer to stick to positive messages about breastfeeding, and I always think of the wonderful mothers I know who have had to use formula in spite of heroic efforts to breastfeed. 

But, to me, this story isn't about breastmilk vs. formula.  It's about poor regulation of formula in the U.S.  That's something that all of us should be concerned about, whether we breastfeed or formula feed.  

You recall the terrible story of melamine contamination in Chinese formula earlier this year.  Now the FDA has announced that that they found trace amounts of melamine in one sample of U.S. made formula.  An FDA spokeswoman said that the formula in question was not made with any Chinese ingredients.

The new results "are most likely a result of the manufacturing process or what comes into contact with formula in cans. It's not adulteration and it's not contamination," she said.

The FDA has been expanding tests for melamine in all food products, including infant formula, Leon said. The formula finding came from relatively new, more sensitive tests the agency has deployed in recent weeks.

FDA scientists conducted two tests of the formula sample, one finding a melamine level of 137 parts per billion (ppb) and another measuring 140 ppb. A level of 250 ppb or less is considered a trace amount, Leon said.

But some consumer advocates said it was premature to say there was no risk for infants.

The FDA's earlier determination that 250 ppb of melamine was a trace amount was intended for foods other than infant formula, said Sonya Lunder, a senior analyst with the Environmental Working Group.

"This is out of step with what the FDA said earlier," she told Reuters.

"We need to have a zero-tolerance policy for contaminants in infant formula," Lunder said. "Babies eat only formula for months and months on end. They are exception vulnerable."

[The FDA spokewoman] said the FDA was in the process of determining what amounts of melamine pose a risk to infants and would release a public advisory later. In the meantime, parents should not change their babies' feeding habits, she said.

The Associated Press reports (in a more detailed article) that the FDA stated in October that they are "currently unable to establish any level of melamine and melamine-related compounds in infant formula that does not raise public health concerns."

FDA scientists said then that they couldn't set an acceptable level of melamine exposure in infant formula because science hadn't had enough time to understand the chemical's effects on infants' underdeveloped kidneys. Plus, there is the complicating factor that infant formula often constitutes a newborn's entire diet.

The agency added, however, that its position did not mean that any exposure to a detectable level of melamine and melamine-related compounds in infant formula would result in harm to infants...

It was not until the AP inquired about tests on domestic formula that the FDA articulated that while it couldn't set a safe exposure for infants, it would accept some melamine in formula — raising the question of whether the decision to accept very low concentrations was made only after traces were detected.

So, to sum up:  1) the FDA is only now trying to determine what amount of melamine poses a risk to infants; 2) the FDA is only now using tests sensitive enough to pick up trace amounts of things like melamine; 3) the FDA appears to have moved from a zero tolerance position to a 'some is fine, but we don't know how much' position pretty quickly.

Anyone else think that we need better regulation here?

Motherwear's 25th anniversary contest for November

It's time for another 25th anniversary contest!

This month you can win a $25 gift certificate to Motherwear.

To enter, leave a comment below by December 3rd, 2008. telling me about a breastfeeding topic you'd like to see me cover on the blog, or someone you'd like me to interview for a podcast.  If you can't think of anything, just tell me something you've liked about the blog.

Be sure to leave a 'real' email address so I can contact you if you've won.  The winner will be notified by email (no announcement made on the blog).  U.S. addresses only, please.

Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog?  Subscribe here.  Want an RSS feed?  Click here.

Cows to produce human milk component.

I guess that I knew this was coming eventually, but it still took me by surprise to see it in the news.

A pharmaceutical company has signed a licensing agreement to produce human lactoferrin, a component of breastmilk (and other human secretions) which is known to have multiple important functions in the immunological defense of infants.

Biotech company Pharming Group NV and Aslan Group A.S. from Istanbul, Turkey today announced that they have signed a full licensing agreement to further develop, manufacture and market Pharming's human lactoferrin product (hLF). Earlier in 2008, the companies concluded a commercialization and supply agreement for the marketing and distribution of food or food supplements containing Pharming's hLF.

Aslan will produce a herd of transgenic cows with the ability to express human lactoferrin in their milk. They will also build one or more farms and facilities for housing the herd which will be produced by expanding the experimental herds already generated by Pharming. Milk fractions containing human lactoferrin will be incorporated into nutritional products to be marketed to people who will benefit from the use of lactoferrin.

Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog?  Subscribe here.  Want an RSS feed?  Click here.

Today I'm sharing an excerpt from Andi Silverman's Mama Knows Breast , on sex and breastfeeding (with permission from Andi and Quirk Books).  See my review of Mama Knows Breast here.

Sex and Relaxation

You're in bed.  Your frisky husband is beside you.  Your infant won't go to sleep.  Do you (a) sing a lullabye to the baby; (b) get down to business with your husband; (c) pretend to be asleep; or (d) some combination of all of the above?  If you answered (d), you're right there with the rest of us.

Being both a mom and a lover is often overwhelming and confusing.  You're being pulled from all sides.  Everyone wants a piece of you (literally), and all you want to do is sleep.  Plus, now that your breasts are someone's main source of nutrition, it's sometimes hard to imagine they ever had another role.  The silky black bra and thong you bought last year seem like ancient artifacts.  Besides, you're fantasizing about sleep, not sex.

All women react differently to having a baby and breastfeeding.  Some say their sex drive vanishes, while others find their libido revved up as ever.  Whatever your situation, try not to put too much pressure on yourself.  It's gong to take a while, months even, before you feel remotely like your old self.  For starters, your doctor will probably tell you to abstain from sex and exercise for the first six weeks after giving birth.  She'll want to make sure that everything "down there" has had enough time to heal properly.  This doctor's order may come as a relief for you - it's kind of hard to think about sex when you just squeezed a seven-pound bowling ball out from between your legs.

To get yourself back in the mood, you've got to take care of you body, your mind, and you relationship.  It's like getting the oil changed in your car - it takes regular maintenance to keep the machinery running smoothly.  Here are some tips for restoring body and soul.

For Your Relationship

* Recognize that your spouse is adjusting, too.  You may be the one who had the baby, but he's sort of postpartum, too.  Some guys can feel overwhelmed by their new sense of responsibility.  So be mindful of his feelings.  Do something to make sure he knows how much you appreciate his help.  A simple 'thank you' is a good place to start.

* Romance your spouse.  Remember the time in your life when dating was a series of fun surprises and activities that you plotted and planned?  Well, it's time to try all that again.  At a minimum, sending a flirtatious e-mail will give you something different to think about while you're caught in the daily poop-feed-poop-feed cycle.

* Talk, talk, talk.  Make sure you're still communicating about things other than the baby and household responsibilities.

* Train a sitter.  Teach her how you change a diaper, give a bottle, and put the baby to sleep.  Before long, you can leave her alone with the baby so you and your husband can get away for a while.  Just make an emergency contact list and post it on the refrigerator door before you go.

* Go on a date.  If your baby isn't taking a bottle, you may not be able to leave for very long - but even two hours out of the house will be a nice break for the two of you.

* Have date night in your own home.  If you don't want to leave the baby alone with the sitter yet, the two of you can hide out in your bedroom.  Tell the sitter to come get you only in an emergency.

* Spend a night in a hotel.  Once you feel comfortable with your sitter and you've established a solid breastfeeding routine, book a night at a hotel.  You don't even have to leave town to feel like you've escaped.  Just be sure to leave behind enough pumped milk or formula to get the baby through the night.  Don't forget to pack your pump!

* Take it slow.  It will be a while before things feel totally back to normal, but once you two are alone, you'll know just what to do.  After all, that's how you got yourself into this situation in the first place.  If you're really having a hard time getting in the mood, try some erotica or one of those premium cable TV channels.

And cut your breasts some slack.  Once you do get things going, your breasts might feel a little different than they did before you had your baby.  They may feel tender or desensitized to stimulation.  They may also leak or even spray milk during sex!  That's because breastfeeding and orgasms involve the release of the same hormone, oxytocin.

The ABCs of Breastfeeding: Everything a Mom Needs to Know for a Happy Nursing Experience, is a new breastfeeding reference book by Stacey Rubin, IBCLC (Amacom, 2008).

 

As I've mentioned in other breastfeeding book reviews, two basic things I look for in a breastfeeding book are ease of use (how fast can I find the information I need) and accuracy of information (is the material up to date and research-based).  Beyond that, each breastfeeding book has something that makes it special, and those qualities will appeal to some and not others.

 

So for starters, The ABCs of Breastfeeding is thoughtfully organized, with a good index.  I feel fairly confident that a new mother would be able to find information quickly (with one notable exception discussed below).  The information is research-based and up-to-date, and presented clearly.

 

A particular strength of this book is its prenatal section, which guides mothers through finding a breastfeeding friendly doctor, "thinking with a breastfeeding mindset" (a concept new to me and one I think is very positive), and planning for a gentle birth.  Like other recent books, it devotes a good section to the power of skin-to-skin contact.  

 

Rubin includes a number of mothers' stories throughout the book which are based on her own clinical experience.  This helps the book achieve its calm and reassuring tone.  This book is not as comprehensive as other breastfeeding books, such as The Nursing Mothers' Companion or Breastfeeding Made Simple, but for some of us less can be more.  Each chapter ends with a list of main points, summarized with words that start with the letters A, B, and C.  This format is a little awkward at times.  It's intended to help readers remember the main points, but in some cases the concept had to be twisted around so much to fit the letter that it seems unlikely that anyone would remember the point.

 

I was disappointed that to find that one of the most important topics to cover - latch - is not addressed in much detail.  In fact, while I found information on positioning to be more detailed than in other books, I had to hunt for information on how to achieve a comfortable and effective latch.  It's only at the end of the chapter on positioning that latch is discussed (addressed as "attachment"), and there are no illustrations to accompany it.  Breastfeeding Made Simple, by contrast, offers an entire chapter on this topic, with many illustrations.  The book is also missing an illustration of a common position - the cross cradle hold.

Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog?  Subscribe here.  Want an RSS feed?  Click here.

I reached a little milestone yesterday with the posting of my 500th post.  So I thought I'd look back and link to some of my favorites, just in case you missed them!

• Is your pump talking to you?
• Lactation cookies
• Video: Nurse-ins across America
• Iron supplements for breastfed babies, and why I love our pediatrician
• Podcast with Hathor the Cowgoddess
• Were you sold out for a sandwich?
• The things they say
• My favorite moments from breastfeeding classes
• A few things not on my holiday list
• I knew it was too quiet in there
• Taking a bottle (just love that video)

Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog?  Subscribe here.  Want an RSS feed?  Click here.

Today I'm pleased to share Allyson's story of her experience with breastfeeding and tongue tie.  I share it with other parents of tongue-tied babies all the time.  For more tongue tie stories, see Lisa's story and Danielle's story.

When Liam (pictured at left) was first born, several health care professionals at the hospital noted that Liam's frenulum was quite short and forward placed.  The pediatrician felt that it wouldn't cause any difficulties and recommended leaving it alone.  The lactation consultant offered a much more dire prediction that I would never be able to breastfeed and recommended that I pump.  Being scared new parents and still recovering from a difficult labor that ended in an unplanned C-section, we were much more accepting of the doctor's prognosis that everything would be okay.

Liam had great difficulty latching on initially.  He would latch, try to suck a few times, and pop off in frustration.  We were blessed to have an amazing night nurse who had also had difficulties initially nursing her child.  She was committed to helping us and came in every two hours throughout the nights to help us get Liam latched and provide support.  After two nights it seemed like Liam was really getting the hang of things.  My milk came in early and it seemed like we were going to be okay. 

The only problem was that breastfeeding was really painful for me.  However, I had heard that it could be a little sore at first, so I just hoped that things would be okay.  After about two weeks, however, the pain was still pretty bad and seemed to be getting worse rather than better.  I went back to the hospital's breastfeeding clinic to get help with the pain.  The lactation consultant checked our latch and said that it looked good.  She thought that trying different positions might help, but she couldn't really think of what positions to use, so I still felt at a loss and the pain was becoming steadily worse.

While part of me was resigned to what was rapidly becoming the excruciating pain of breastfeeding, I knew I had to find a solution or I probably wouldn't be able to continue breastfeeding, which was very important to us.  Fortunately, we had met Tanya during our childbirth class and had heard that she was starting a breastfeeding support group in our area.  We went to a meeting where Tanya checked Liam out, carefully asked about the pain, and pretty conclusively stated that with Liam's tongue-tie he just was not able to get his tongue into the right position to nurse most effectively.  This wasn't totally unexpected news, but I felt devastated as at the time I was unwilling to even consider having his tongue clipped.  It sounded such a scary and, I thought, unnecessary procedure.  However, a mom was at the group that had her daughter's tongue clipped the previous week and assured me that it wasn't as big a deal as it seemed.  I also noticed, looking at other babies in the group, that they could all stick their tongues out, and I had never even really seen Liam's tongue because he was completely unable to extend it.  Tanya also provided us with some great literature and stories from other moms that helped us reconsider our previous position.

We saw Liam's doctor the next morning, and she was very happy to write us the referral to a local ENT doctor who would do the procedure.  she even called and made the appointment for us, though unfortunately it was a week away.  Normally, I would have been thrilled to get into see a specialist so soon, but a quick calculation told me that I would have to nurse Liam at least 64 times before seeing him.  The pain had become so intense that I was dreading every session, watching the clock with dread and fear of when Liam would want to eat again, and crying through many a nursing.  Tanya, sensing how difficult things had become, acutally called the ENT and got us in the next day! (Tanya's note: Never be shy about calling to see if there's a cancellation. And if all else fails, cry when you talk to the receptionist - that often does the trick).

Sex and breastfeeding.

Today I'm sharing an excerpt from Andi Silverman's Mama Knows Breast , on sex and breastfeeding (with permission from Andi and Quirk Books).  See my review of Mama Knows Breast here.

Sex and Relaxation

You're in bed.  Your frisky husband is beside you.  Your infant won't go to sleep.  Do you (a) sing a lullabye to the baby; (b) get down to business with your husband; (c) pretend to be asleep; or (d) some combination of all of the above?  If you answered (d), you're right there with the rest of us.

Being both a mom and a lover is often overwhelming and confusing.  You're being pulled from all sides.  Everyone wants a piece of you (literally), and all you want to do is sleep.  Plus, now that your breasts are someone's main source of nutrition, it's sometimes hard to imagine they ever had another role.  The silky black bra and thong you bought last year seem like ancient artifacts.  Besides, you're fantasizing about sleep, not sex.

All women react differently to having a baby and breastfeeding.  Some say their sex drive vanishes, while others find their libido revved up as ever.  Whatever your situation, try not to put too much pressure on yourself.  It's gong to take a while, months even, before you feel remotely like your old self.  For starters, your doctor will probably tell you to abstain from sex and exercise for the first six weeks after giving birth.  She'll want to make sure that everything "down there" has had enough time to heal properly.  This doctor's order may come as a relief for you - it's kind of hard to think about sex when you just squeezed a seven-pound bowling ball out from between your legs.

To get yourself back in the mood, you've got to take care of you body, your mind, and you relationship.  It's like getting the oil changed in your car - it takes regular maintenance to keep the machinery running smoothly.  Here are some tips for restoring body and soul.

For Your Relationship

* Recognize that your spouse is adjusting, too.  You may be the one who had the baby, but he's sort of postpartum, too.  Some guys can feel overwhelmed by their new sense of responsibility.  So be mindful of his feelings.  Do something to make sure he knows how much you appreciate his help.  A simple 'thank you' is a good place to start.

* Romance your spouse.  Remember the time in your life when dating was a series of fun surprises and activities that you plotted and planned?  Well, it's time to try all that again.  At a minimum, sending a flirtatious e-mail will give you something different to think about while you're caught in the daily poop-feed-poop-feed cycle.

* Talk, talk, talk.  Make sure you're still communicating about things other than the baby and household responsibilities.

* Train a sitter.  Teach her how you change a diaper, give a bottle, and put the baby to sleep.  Before long, you can leave her alone with the baby so you and your husband can get away for a while.  Just make an emergency contact list and post it on the refrigerator door before you go.

* Go on a date.  If your baby isn't taking a bottle, you may not be able to leave for very long - but even two hours out of the house will be a nice break for the two of you.

* Have date night in your own home.  If you don't want to leave the baby alone with the sitter yet, the two of you can hide out in your bedroom.  Tell the sitter to come get you only in an emergency.

* Spend a night in a hotel.  Once you feel comfortable with your sitter and you've established a solid breastfeeding routine, book a night at a hotel.  You don't even have to leave town to feel like you've escaped.  Just be sure to leave behind enough pumped milk or formula to get the baby through the night.  Don't forget to pack your pump!

* Take it slow.  It will be a while before things feel totally back to normal, but once you two are alone, you'll know just what to do.  After all, that's how you got yourself into this situation in the first place.  If you're really having a hard time getting in the mood, try some erotica or one of those premium cable TV channels.

And cut your breasts some slack.  Once you do get things going, your breasts might feel a little different than they did before you had your baby.  They may feel tender or desensitized to stimulation.  They may also leak or even spray milk during sex!  That's because breastfeeding and orgasms involve the release of the same hormone, oxytocin.

Book review: The ABCs of Breastfeeding

The ABCs of Breastfeeding: Everything a Mom Needs to Know for a Happy Nursing Experience, is a new breastfeeding reference book by Stacey Rubin, IBCLC (Amacom, 2008).

 

As I've mentioned in other breastfeeding book reviews, two basic things I look for in a breastfeeding book are ease of use (how fast can I find the information I need) and accuracy of information (is the material up to date and research-based).  Beyond that, each breastfeeding book has something that makes it special, and those qualities will appeal to some and not others.

 

So for starters, The ABCs of Breastfeeding is thoughtfully organized, with a good index.  I feel fairly confident that a new mother would be able to find information quickly (with one notable exception discussed below).  The information is research-based and up-to-date, and presented clearly.

 

A particular strength of this book is its prenatal section, which guides mothers through finding a breastfeeding friendly doctor, "thinking with a breastfeeding mindset" (a concept new to me and one I think is very positive), and planning for a gentle birth.  Like other recent books, it devotes a good section to the power of skin-to-skin contact.  

 

Rubin includes a number of mothers' stories throughout the book which are based on her own clinical experience.  This helps the book achieve its calm and reassuring tone.  This book is not as comprehensive as other breastfeeding books, such as The Nursing Mothers' Companion or Breastfeeding Made Simple, but for some of us less can be more.  Each chapter ends with a list of main points, summarized with words that start with the letters A, B, and C.  This format is a little awkward at times.  It's intended to help readers remember the main points, but in some cases the concept had to be twisted around so much to fit the letter that it seems unlikely that anyone would remember the point.

 

I was disappointed that to find that one of the most important topics to cover - latch - is not addressed in much detail.  In fact, while I found information on positioning to be more detailed than in other books, I had to hunt for information on how to achieve a comfortable and effective latch.  It's only at the end of the chapter on positioning that latch is discussed (addressed as "attachment"), and there are no illustrations to accompany it.  Breastfeeding Made Simple, by contrast, offers an entire chapter on this topic, with many illustrations.  The book is also missing an illustration of a common position - the cross cradle hold.

Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog?  Subscribe here.  Want an RSS feed?  Click here.

500th post.

I reached a little milestone yesterday with the posting of my 500th post.  So I thought I'd look back and link to some of my favorites, just in case you missed them!

• Is your pump talking to you?
• Lactation cookies
• Video: Nurse-ins across America
• Iron supplements for breastfed babies, and why I love our pediatrician
• Podcast with Hathor the Cowgoddess
• Were you sold out for a sandwich?
• The things they say
• My favorite moments from breastfeeding classes
• A few things not on my holiday list
• I knew it was too quiet in there
• Taking a bottle (just love that video)

Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog?  Subscribe here.  Want an RSS feed?  Click here.

Tongue ties and breastfeeding: Allyson's story

Today I'm pleased to share Allyson's story of her experience with breastfeeding and tongue tie.  I share it with other parents of tongue-tied babies all the time.  For more tongue tie stories, see Lisa's story and Danielle's story.

When Liam (pictured at left) was first born, several health care professionals at the hospital noted that Liam's frenulum was quite short and forward placed.  The pediatrician felt that it wouldn't cause any difficulties and recommended leaving it alone.  The lactation consultant offered a much more dire prediction that I would never be able to breastfeed and recommended that I pump.  Being scared new parents and still recovering from a difficult labor that ended in an unplanned C-section, we were much more accepting of the doctor's prognosis that everything would be okay.

Liam had great difficulty latching on initially.  He would latch, try to suck a few times, and pop off in frustration.  We were blessed to have an amazing night nurse who had also had difficulties initially nursing her child.  She was committed to helping us and came in every two hours throughout the nights to help us get Liam latched and provide support.  After two nights it seemed like Liam was really getting the hang of things.  My milk came in early and it seemed like we were going to be okay. 

The only problem was that breastfeeding was really painful for me.  However, I had heard that it could be a little sore at first, so I just hoped that things would be okay.  After about two weeks, however, the pain was still pretty bad and seemed to be getting worse rather than better.  I went back to the hospital's breastfeeding clinic to get help with the pain.  The lactation consultant checked our latch and said that it looked good.  She thought that trying different positions might help, but she couldn't really think of what positions to use, so I still felt at a loss and the pain was becoming steadily worse.

While part of me was resigned to what was rapidly becoming the excruciating pain of breastfeeding, I knew I had to find a solution or I probably wouldn't be able to continue breastfeeding, which was very important to us.  Fortunately, we had met Tanya during our childbirth class and had heard that she was starting a breastfeeding support group in our area.  We went to a meeting where Tanya checked Liam out, carefully asked about the pain, and pretty conclusively stated that with Liam's tongue-tie he just was not able to get his tongue into the right position to nurse most effectively.  This wasn't totally unexpected news, but I felt devastated as at the time I was unwilling to even consider having his tongue clipped.  It sounded such a scary and, I thought, unnecessary procedure.  However, a mom was at the group that had her daughter's tongue clipped the previous week and assured me that it wasn't as big a deal as it seemed.  I also noticed, looking at other babies in the group, that they could all stick their tongues out, and I had never even really seen Liam's tongue because he was completely unable to extend it.  Tanya also provided us with some great literature and stories from other moms that helped us reconsider our previous position.

We saw Liam's doctor the next morning, and she was very happy to write us the referral to a local ENT doctor who would do the procedure.  she even called and made the appointment for us, though unfortunately it was a week away.  Normally, I would have been thrilled to get into see a specialist so soon, but a quick calculation told me that I would have to nurse Liam at least 64 times before seeing him.  The pain had become so intense that I was dreading every session, watching the clock with dread and fear of when Liam would want to eat again, and crying through many a nursing.  Tanya, sensing how difficult things had become, acutally called the ENT and got us in the next day! (Tanya's note: Never be shy about calling to see if there's a cancellation. And if all else fails, cry when you talk to the receptionist - that often does the trick).