My baby hasn't been able to latch properly since he was born a week ago. He'll clamp down, often shallowly, suck 2 or 3 times and slip off. If he's hungry when this happens, he'll get very frustrated and angry.
At times, it seems he's upset by slow letdown (my supply has decreased significantly due to this, though i'm now pumping every 2 hours). I've read through the tongue-tie sticky and I notice that my ds has some of the symptoms, though not all. His tongue can extend past his gumline, but he very rarely does it, and when he sucks my finger, he often keeps his tongue back and curls it up. He also doesn't cup the finger well; his tongue is fairly flat in back.
The LC we saw gave some good recommendations that we are following, but I wonder if there is anything I can do to help train him to keep his tongue out and over his gums. Because he holds his tongue high in the back, I've been pressing it down and out when he sucks my finger (which he really dislikes).
Is there anything else I can do? Can he figure this out by just repeatedly latching on and trying bfing? As my supply increases, I hope he'll get the pay-off he's looking for when my milk lets down, but because he doesn't stick his tongue out to compress the areola, it's slow-going. Any thoughts? Also, should I still consider tongue-tie? If so, would a regular ENT be able to recognize one that isn't so obvious (if he has one, it's definitely not a level 1 or 2)?
TIA!
ETA: The more I read about tongue tie and examine my baby's mouth, the more sure I am this is the problem. For those in-the-know, is it worth it to call around locally for an ent or should I try to get in touch with one of the specialists listed in the sticky (I'm willing to travel)?
At times, it seems he's upset by slow letdown (my supply has decreased significantly due to this, though i'm now pumping every 2 hours). I've read through the tongue-tie sticky and I notice that my ds has some of the symptoms, though not all. His tongue can extend past his gumline, but he very rarely does it, and when he sucks my finger, he often keeps his tongue back and curls it up. He also doesn't cup the finger well; his tongue is fairly flat in back.
The LC we saw gave some good recommendations that we are following, but I wonder if there is anything I can do to help train him to keep his tongue out and over his gums. Because he holds his tongue high in the back, I've been pressing it down and out when he sucks my finger (which he really dislikes).
Is there anything else I can do? Can he figure this out by just repeatedly latching on and trying bfing? As my supply increases, I hope he'll get the pay-off he's looking for when my milk lets down, but because he doesn't stick his tongue out to compress the areola, it's slow-going. Any thoughts? Also, should I still consider tongue-tie? If so, would a regular ENT be able to recognize one that isn't so obvious (if he has one, it's definitely not a level 1 or 2)?
TIA!
ETA: The more I read about tongue tie and examine my baby's mouth, the more sure I am this is the problem. For those in-the-know, is it worth it to call around locally for an ent or should I try to get in touch with one of the specialists listed in the sticky (I'm willing to travel)?
