Is your unusually tight Lingual Frenulum causing Ankyloglossia?

They say you learn something new every day...I guess that the old addage changes once you are a father. Now it seems that I learn something new almost hourly, and now I have the chance to share this knowledge with you. I will bold all the questionable vocab and create a glossary page with definitions after posting this entry. Our topic today: Frenotomy.



Sam was not gaining the kind of weight we wanted him to, and the doctors were starting to get concerned.  He had not yet returned to his birth weight as of last week's pediatrician visit.  Generally, if he has not gotten back to weight by his 2-week birthday, then other measures have to commence such as formula and bottle feeding.  Elizabeth and I did not want this to happen, as there are so many benefits to breastfeeding the little dude, so we got a little bit of outside help. Enter the Lactation Consultant.

Yes, there is a branch of the medical profession that focuses specifically on helping breastfeeding mothers who are experiencing difficulties.  Our lactation consultant came out to our house and observed the process while giving pointers and tips to aid in the process.  Her verdict was that Sam could be suffering from ankyloglossia, also known in the vernacular as tongue-tie.  This condition occurs in 2-5% of babies when their lingual frenulum (the skin underneath the tongue that connects it to the mouth) is unusually tight or short, limiting the mobility of their tongue. She recommended a second opinion from our pediatrician and a frenotomy clinic at Emerson Hospital.  She also recommended that Elizabeth begin taking an herbal galactagogue to increase her natural supply of milk. Common galactagogues include fennel, fenugreek, anise, oatmeal and alfalfa. The consultant pointed us to an herbal supplement called Go-Lacta, made from the leaves of the malunggay plant.

We bought the supplement from Cambridge Naturals and got the second opinion and referral to the clinic from our pediatrician, and the following day attended the frenotomy clinic at Emerson.  This clinic was amazing! The staff at Emerson had a nice welcome sign for Sam, as well as a teddy bear, a toy car, and a book.  The procedure from start to finish, including questions and weighing and all that jazz, was about 20 minutes.  After the quick snip, Liz, Sam, and I went to a recovery room to test out the tongue on a feeding and to have some snacks.  All told, the clinic was very pleasant and successful.  As for the Go-Lacta, Liz has noticed an uptick in her output, and we will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the supplement.

Sam had his check-up today to see if he had reached his weight gain goals. He went from 7 lbs 8 oz last Tuesday to 8 lbs 3 oz today, a gain of 11 ounces!  I guess all the procedures and supplements, in addition to the ravenous appetite of Samuel Grey, have paid off.  To satiate the picture craved folks, here is our little dude all bundled up for today's trip to the doctor's.

Gentlemen who are stay-at-home dads or who plan to be, listen closely.  You will become an expert on all things breastfeeding and pumping, even though you are only the observer, coach and occasional troubleshooter. You can do your part by learning all about the pump equipment, cleaning it continuously, recording inputs and outputs (time and length of feedings, right and/or left side, poop and/or pee in the diaper, amount of milk pumped), changing diapers, and being the moral support for your hard-working milk machine of a wife.  She will likely be worried about one or more of the following things:
1.) Is my baby eating enough?
2.) Is my baby eating too much?
3.) Will I be able to provide my baby with the milk he needs?
4.) Am I a bad mother if I have to supplement with formula?
5.) Am I storing enough milk?
6.) Are we doing a good job?
Answer lovingly and positively.  A positive attitude has been proven to increase milk production in breastfeeding mothers, which is another added bonus.

We continue to feel our way through the early weeks of parenthood, and are picking up lots of tricks and tips that work with our baby boy.  I look forward to sharing more anecdotes in the weeks ahead.