Diaper Swappers

Mara'sMommy · 07-09-2011, 10:39 AM

So I posted a thread a week or so ago about my daughters constant fussing and crying while nursing. The general consensus was silent reflux. So I spoke to her ped briefly about it, but he brushed it off (as I imagined he would do). So I continued to do my own research and have since discovered that my daughter has upper lip tie. Ugh! I'm so frustrated. After multiple LC, multiple pediatricians, my midwife and many nursing mothers all observing me nurse her no one caught this?!?!?!?!? I feel terrible. We've been going 4 months with this, she's struggling (but gaining fine) and I've been in pain. We've just adjusted our latch and learned how to work around it without even knowing why.

So now i dont know what to do. Should I get her clipped? Apparently there are different levels of severity and from what I can tell she looks like she's got it pretty bad. She cannot flange her upper lip when nursing, it's always turned in. I think if it weren't for the fact I have such a great supply she'd prob wouldn't have gained so much. It's hard to get a pic but here's my best attempt.

Help!!

Mara'sMommy · 07-09-2011, 02:49 PM

Anybody? Also I'm wondering if I should go to ear/nose/throat dr or pediatric dentist to have her checked??

MDever · 07-09-2011, 03:45 PM

3 of my babies had that. We nursed through it but beware once she becomes mobile she will bump her mouth and tear it. It bled and was very sore...

juliabell · 07-09-2011, 06:03 PM

We went to an Occupational Therapist who diagnosed upper lip tie and posterior tongue tie (very slight.) Instead of getting it clipped she recommended some exercises to do. Your baby's looks similar to my DS's. Very thick. Let me look around online to see if I can find info on the exercises. If not, I can PM you with info on how to do them. But I recommend finding an OT if your insurance covers it!

juliabell · 07-09-2011, 06:14 PM

Okay, the website on the handout she gave me is www.beckmanoralmotor.com but I can't find the handout online. There is a list of therapists though so you may be able to find an OT to help you out and look at it. If they do recommend getting it clipped they can refer you to a dentist who would do it. My OT did mention that it can interfere with orthodontic work later (a large lip tie can create a gap that won't close.)

HTH! Feel free to PM me if you want info on the stretches

sdsalyer · 07-09-2011, 06:41 PM

I just looked at my dd and she has the same thing. That would explain a lot about our rough BF journey:-( Wish I knew about this a lot earlier.

Mara'sMommy · 07-09-2011, 10:50 PM

Thanks everyone. I guess I'm just so confused on pros/cons of getting it snipped. Yes we have learned how to nurse effectively, but I am SO upset that I went this long struggling and NOBODY caught it. Ugh. I'm going to take her to be checked and make my decision from there.

Connor · 07-09-2011, 11:25 PM

My DS has this too, it's the labial frenulum. I've known about it for a long time, it hasn't caused us any issues with nursing. But since it forms a pocket over the front teeth it makes the teeth more prone to decay, which my son has. There are things you can do to reverse decay and we do all those daily. He fell when he was about a year old and cut it, then he fell a few days ago and tore it really badly, there was lots of blood. It can cause problems with speech and cause the permanent teeth to have a gap. I have an appointment with an ENT in a couple weeks to talk about getting it clipped. There are different ways/tools to clip it and I believe that the laser would be the best choice, there is basically no bleeding, less painful (if at all), and it heals quickly. I think the procedure takes about 10 minutes. HTH

mpfanny · 07-09-2011, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by juliabell

Okay, the website on the handout she gave me is www.beckmanoralmotor.com but I can't find the handout online. There is a list of therapists though so you may be able to find an OT to help you out and look at it. If they do recommend getting it clipped they can refer you to a dentist who would do it. My OT did mention that it can interfere with orthodontic work later (a large lip tie can create a gap that won't close.)

HTH! Feel free to PM me if you want info on the stretches

I had this as an infant and had to have surgery at 13 so my teeth would stop gapping open.

Sent from my iPhone using DS Forum

Leaner · 07-10-2011, 11:23 AM

Whoa! My 14 week old DD's looks JUST LIKE THAT! I will totally be asking about that at our LLL meeting this week, and then possibly taking her to the dr about it. We've had a rough time nursing, though its fine now, I wonder if its from that? Hmmmmm

07-09-2011, 03:45 PM	#3
MDever Registered Users Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 5,335 Ratings: 33 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: Upper lip tie.. 3 of my babies had that. We nursed through it but beware once she becomes mobile she will bump her mouth and tear it. It bled and was very sore... __________________ Melony-Wife to my AMAZING DH Roger and SAHM to our tribe. DD1 Emmaleigh 1/02,DS1 Avery 8/03,DD2 Ainsley 9/05, Bonus T 8/06 & DD3 Poppy 12/10, DS2 Fionnlagh 2/13 we are a crunchy, CDing, EBF, bed sharing, babywearing, intact, very cautious/delay vaxing, ERF, homeschooling FAMILY.

07-09-2011, 06:03 PM	#4
juliabell Registered Users Join Date: May 2010 Location: Seattle area Posts: 575 Ratings: 16 Feedback: 100%	Re: Upper lip tie.. We went to an Occupational Therapist who diagnosed upper lip tie and posterior tongue tie (very slight.) Instead of getting it clipped she recommended some exercises to do. Your baby's looks similar to my DS's. Very thick. Let me look around online to see if I can find info on the exercises. If not, I can PM you with info on how to do them. But I recommend finding an OT if your insurance covers it! __________________ Julia. Wife to B. Mama to M (May 2011.) CD, BF, BW, AP, UU, Waldorf, minimalist.

07-09-2011, 06:14 PM	#5
juliabell Registered Users Join Date: May 2010 Location: Seattle area Posts: 575 Ratings: 16 Feedback: 100%	Re: Upper lip tie.. Okay, the website on the handout she gave me is www.beckmanoralmotor.com but I can't find the handout online. There is a list of therapists though so you may be able to find an OT to help you out and look at it. If they do recommend getting it clipped they can refer you to a dentist who would do it. My OT did mention that it can interfere with orthodontic work later (a large lip tie can create a gap that won't close.) HTH! Feel free to PM me if you want info on the stretches __________________ Julia. Wife to B. Mama to M (May 2011.) CD, BF, BW, AP, UU, Waldorf, minimalist.

07-09-2011, 06:41 PM	#6
sdsalyer Registered Users Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Almost Mexico :o) Posts: 2,382 Ratings: 202 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	I just looked at my dd and she has the same thing. That would explain a lot about our rough BF journey:-( Wish I knew about this a lot earlier. __________________ Mary~~Wife to James...mother to Kai & Delaney~~

07-09-2011, 11:25 PM	#8
Connor Registered Users Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 2,722 Ratings: 31 Feedback: 100%	Re: Upper lip tie.. My DS has this too, it's the labial frenulum. I've known about it for a long time, it hasn't caused us any issues with nursing. But since it forms a pocket over the front teeth it makes the teeth more prone to decay, which my son has. There are things you can do to reverse decay and we do all those daily. He fell when he was about a year old and cut it, then he fell a few days ago and tore it really badly, there was lots of blood. It can cause problems with speech and cause the permanent teeth to have a gap. I have an appointment with an ENT in a couple weeks to talk about getting it clipped. There are different ways/tools to clip it and I believe that the laser would be the best choice, there is basically no bleeding, less painful (if at all), and it heals quickly. I think the procedure takes about 10 minutes. HTH __________________ Single Mommy to my 3 year old DS born all natural. We are a Cosleeping, Breastfeeding, Babywearing Non-Vaxing DUO!!