[bmcneal]

DS *finally* had his ENT appointment today. He said that it could be causing DS's latch issues, and that if I wanted, we could have it snipped. I said I wanted it snipped, and he said that they would have to use general anesthesia, but that DS will only have it for a few minutes. I'm really concerned about that. I don't like the idea of my baby going under general anesthesia, but I also don't want him to have such a hard time nursing

I've looked, and there really aren't many other people willing to do it for us, this doctor is really the only one. Has anyone else had their LO under general anesthesia for a tongue/lip tie surgery before, or just local? How bad was it? How did your LO recover from the surgery? I think I'm really just freaked out about it being surgery

Also, they told me not to feed him after midnight... He's only 3 months old, and his appointment, while it's the first appointment of the day, isn't until 7.45 am. How am I going to do that? That's an awful long time for him not to nurse, especially with him having the latch issues he does.

 

[sattygirl99]

Are you willing to travel? If so, go see Dr. Coryllos in NY.

This is NOT a procedure that needs to be done under anything. DD had her tongue and lip clipped at 5.5 weeks with nothing but some numbing agent. She was more upset about being swaddled and held down than anything.

I would not put a child so young under general for something like this... Just my opinion.

Has your child been evaluated for a posterior tongue tie? Almost always, where there is a lip tie there is a tongue tie. Most ENT's can't recognize tongue ties that are posterior. In fact, every one we saw told us DD had no frenulum and her tongue was 'perfectly normal'. We got to NY and saw Dr. Coryllos who took one look and said 'my word, how have you nursed this baby?'. Posterior tongue ties are severe and can hinder latching.

Just my 2 cents... I hope someone else chimes in but having witnessed a tongue and lip clip, it is not something that requires general.

 

[binspired]

I would be hesitant to have the general as well. My dd had hers clipped in the hospital with just local at around 2 m/o. She recovered well and it definitely helped her latch even though it took a couple of weeks to see the improvement. Maybe the thickness and therefore severity of the lip tie could be a factor... but I would still not want to do the general anasthesia. I would ask the doctor about it again and express your concerns, because my ENT at first told me general and then changed his mind. My dd only had to go about 4 hours without eating (which is definitely her limit).

As an aside, another good reason to have it done now... my 2 y/o son slipped and fell the other day and banged his mouth on his toy box and tore his tongue tie. It was pretty traumatic and bloody for he and I both. He seems fine now, but I'm glad I got dd done. Plus it might head off dental problems later, too.

I hope you can find someone to do it for you without the general. I know how hard it is to try everything to improve that bfing relationship!