Tongue tie petition

[eco79]

Signed.

We were quite lucky in that my son could, technically, breastfeed. But due to the exhaustion it caused him, he never fed for more than 10 minutes at a time, insanely regularly. Hospital kept saying it was fine because he could latch on.

I did my 6 months, and I'm so relieved he's now on a bottle.

Great petition.

[apenn]

Signed and shared.

[dibden]

Signed.

Exactly the trouble we had, our son had it cut at 2 weeks old but they were a very tough 2 weeks, I could only properly feed him once it was cut

[mankad]

signed. our DS wasn't diagnosed till 13 weeks and it was not pleasant. They should just make it a default check at birth given how common it is.

[anna_r]

It should be a default check but midwives MUST be trained properly. Mine was checked by multiple midwives from my midwife practice and all wrote down 'no sign of tongue tie' in the notes - even one who they all said was good at identifying it. Only recognised some time later by Clare kedves. Madness!

[PinkTulip]

Pleased to have come across this thread. I've signed the petition. My son was checked by a Paediatrician before discharge and I asked her whether he had a tongue tie. I was told they don't check for it. Thankfully our Doula picked it up immediately and we had it sorted when he was 3 days old.

[monkeyfeet]

I can't believe that so many new mums go through the same heartache with BF-ing. Having been born with tongue tie myself, I was vaguely aware that my son could have had it, and indeed it was diagnosed on newborn check in Kings. HOWEVER I was given no advice or help in hospital, they let me leave with him being partially cup fed and part BF-ing, and the problems I had in the next couple of days were just soul destroying thinking back. LO was 3 weeks early, but as he was dead on 37 weeks, not considered premature and not given much care at all - I was told by the midwife who did our home visit to "put him in the window" to treat his jaundice! Poor thing was only 5lbs 13oz and barely fed or woke up in first few days, which midwife said was normal. Went to Jessop BF cafe, midwife wasn't at the session, went to Rosendale and got told the latch was fine so it was not a problem. I just persevered for first 5 days, knowing he wasn't getting anything and trying to top him up with formula and LO ended getting admitted back to Kings Special Care Unit at 5days old, having lost too much weight. They were so much more caring in NICU and actually gave the time to explain BFing, and help with everything, although by the time he came out, I barely had a supply with the stress of it all. I feel so let down by Kings and the local midwives who preach about BFing, yet give no help before LO arrives, and none in hospital. I ended up putting LO on formula as my supply was really low, and I was told he couldn't have TT cut until he was at least 2 weeks old, which would have been further stress. I just wanted to get him to get some food, so went to bottle, but the tongue tie also made him not feed properly with a bottle either so looked into problems again and eventually got referred to Clare Kedves at Kings, who was a godsend. She is a feeding specialist, and such a great support. She did my referral and encouraged me to go back to BFing when LO was 6 weeks old as you can't get the tongue cut if bottle feeding. She diagnosed him with a severe TT and high palate and explained it was no wonder he couldn't feed, cried loads and lost so much weight, as couldn't properly latch on. It was SUCH hard work and heartache, but eventually got him cut at 7 weeks old and back to BFing, which was a relief and so much easier.

I cannot sympathise with other mums enough, it still makes me sad thinking those first few weeks should be easy and stress-free, but weren't, but it also makes me furious that Kings policy is so rigid and not actually encouraging or supporting BF-ing. They shouldn't wait so long to cut TT and it should be a newborn check- I was at least aware of what it was. A friend of mine had the same problem in Wimbledon, and St Georges cut her LO's TT on day 3, saving her the 7 weeks of stress I had.

[monkeyfeet]

My LO has just turned 1 and is now thriving :) but what a shoddy start for so many little ones...

petition signed

[DVnewbie]

Signed - completely messed up breast-feeding for me with DC1, who had a bad posterior tongue-tie. And I asked two doctors and a midwife to check in the hospital after I'd given birth as I have it myself. But they failed to spot it so I really think they need people spefically trained in diagnosing it. And once a good midwife did spot DC1's, it took 10 days to get it dealt with - not too bad but DC1 had to be pipette or bottle fed for first three weeks to prevent dehydration. And, because I had such a horrid time with DC1 and trying to breast-feed (v bad mastitis twice in first 3 weeks) I had a huge psychological block with DC2. I think this is really important - thank you for highlighting the petition.

[Knomester]

Like you anna_r, we were checked by several midwives and doctors who unfortunately were not trained to spot a tongue tie. It was only after a desperate call to Clare Kedves (there were many tears - it's a wondered she could tell what I was saying!) that we were seen, and Baby Knomester diagnosed, the next day.

The good news is that we did manage to breastfeed until he was just over 18 months old.