EBF and overfed??

kaiteygrl

Ladies, I need advice about two things.  I sought help this week because LO (6weeks) has been having issues at the breast.  She will latch anywhere from 1-10 minutes and then will either come off or yank off and then scream.  She shows all signs of still being hungry (rooting, crying, frantically sucking on hands or anything close to her mouth) but will not latch and cries harder when the nips in her mouth.  This has been going on since Monday.  Yesterday morning I went to a La Leche League meeting and one of the LCs diagnosed a 2^nd degree? Posterior tongue tie and an upper lip tie.  After the meeting I already had an appt scheduled with an LC at the hospital so she did a weighted feed to see how much LO gets before pulling off.  (LO is quite chunky and went from 7.5 at birth to 10.8 at 1 month).  So of course LO latched without issue and stayed on for a full 10 minutes.  She took in 4 oz!!!  So the LC said to stop offering the breast if she comes off even if she seems hungry and to only offer a pacifier between the feeds (every 3-4 hours).  I didn’t tell her about the tongue or lip tie but had her look and she said everything’s fine and obviously baby isn’t having an issue getting milk or gaining weight.

So my questions:  Would you get a referral to have an ENT look at the Lip/tongue or am I putting my baby though a procedure that she doesn't need since clearly she can suck efficiently even though it hurts me?   Second, in the 18 or so hours since our appointment I’ve pushed the binky and distraction instead of offering the breast about 3 times.  She stays pretty consistently upset until I actually let her nurse, but because I make her wait she seems to stay on better and longer.  I feel like this is mean, though, and that she’s going to think that I don’t respond to her cues when she’s hungry. 

Thank you for reading all of this and for any advice or similar stories.  Here’s a pic of the “little” one lol

manausmom

I don't know about the tongue tie, but at my one month appointment my baby had gained 3 pounds. I was worried he has over feeding but my doctor reassured me that I should continue feeding on demand and for as long the baby wants. Babies will eat what they need to.

linzeek44

E had an upper lip tie. I had assumed he was chomping because of my fast letdown but once my supply regulated a bit, it still was chompy and painful for me. He couldn't flange his lip out. Talked to the LC and the ENT. Had his lip clipped and it was no big deal. Not nursing through pain is helpful for us to meet our breastfeeding goals (and we're still going strong at 16m). 

Just something to think about since you said she nurses efficiently but it hurts you. 

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

camedowncrushing

Cupcakesandquilts said:

I'm certainly no expert but if she's eating that efficiently I'd be hesitant to put her through a painful procedure. I'd also ask her pediatrician about cutting down the amount of time nursing. I'd be hesitant to do that just at the suggestion of a LC, unless baby was seriously overweight. My tendency would be to feed on demand, but that's just me.

I agree. We were having the same problems with DD's lip tie.  It was very painful.  I had an LC out here, and DD was getting enough milk based on the weighted feed.  I decided to work through the lip tie.  It is getting better.  I have a prescription for APNO that helped quite a bit, and I don't even need it at this point. 
Also DD is gaining rapidly as well despite the lip tie issue...she is 3 weeks old, and up 2 lbs over her birth weight.  The pedi told me to keep nursing on demand. 

VitaLuna

She sounds like a very efficient eater. My LO used to yank off and/or pop on and off frequently when she was full. She wanted something to suck on, but didn't want more milk, so she got upset. After she popped off a couple times, I'd end the nursing session and let her suck on her hands, blanket, etc (or you could try the paci). Your LO might not be doing the same thing mine was, but just something to consider.

mdlorenz

If the tie is causing YOU pain and nipple damage (all I saw was that you mentioned BFing hurts), it is definitely something to give some thought to. Efficient milk transfer and weight gain aren't the only important variables here. And i would echo PPs in saying that you should feed that baby when you feel like it. Just because she took "4 oz" at one weighed feed does not mean you are over feeding her by nursing freely. Hugs mama!

SidraJedi

DD has a tongue and a lip tie. Nursing was very painful at first but we both worked on latching and it got better after 5-7 weeks of working on it and nursing felt good after. The tongue/lip tie never interfered with how efficiently DD has nursed and at 10months she is off the high end of the charts for height and head circumference and in the 90% for weight! She is super healthy too. We nursed on demand all this time as I haven't gone back to work yet.

I talked to my dentist (whom I love and trust and want to do the lip tie, and if she needs it the tongue tie, correction) and she advised me to wait until DD was older to see if the tongue tie corrected and also to wait until 5 years old even to clip the lip tie so that she is not scared. We both agreed that since it has never been the cause of eating issues, waiting on the procedure is best. My dentist and I see eye to eye on a lot, though.

agfox92

When my lo fusses at the book I take her off and let her fuss and then she eats much better. Nothing wrong with that.

macncheese0712

Just curious, have you looked into potential GERD? My LO was on and off constantly for hours at a time as a newborn. Turns out he was using my milk to calm the pain of acid reflux. We started Zantac and the behavior was gone within 1 week.

He was 6 lb, 8 oz at 2 weeks. 10 lb, 6 oz at 5 weeks. He also has a lip tie which we have chosen not to clip.