Possible Tongue Tie, Losing Weight & Low Milk Supply as a result...

[Faithful Mumma]

Just wanted advice or info from anyone else experiencing these issues

My bubby girl is my third child, and I fed her sister until she was 4, and her brother until he was about 18 months with no problems.

This time, I have had sore, damaged nipples from the start, as DD just can't seem to attach properly, and is "off and on" a million times during a feed..so they haven't had a chance to heal...have been using Lasinoh to help them. One side always develops a real "ridge" on the end of the nipple due to the way she attachs.
I have tried all different positions for feeding, but the result is pretty much the same. Bubs ends up getting so worked up from trying so hard to feed, that she send herself to sleep, but then is very unsettled as she is still so hungry...and the cycle continues with lots of cluster feeds.....she has been doing a 7-8 hour sleep at night....but then is awake for hours from around 3am to 4am as all she wants to do is try and fill her empty tummy, but it is such hard work for her, with not much result.

I had suspected my milk supply was not great due to the poor attachment, and also they fact that Bubs pretty much had no wind to bring up ever, as she was never getting that much in any one feed...

Anyway, this was confirmed yesterday when my MCHN came for the first home visit, and Bubs has actually lost another 75gms on top of the initial 200 or so gms she had lost after birth...it had been in the back of my mind that maybe she had a tongue tie, as she just can't seem to draw my nipple in properly. I tried a Nipple Shield yesterday, to no avail as well. The MCHN agreed that she might actually be tongue tied.

Anyway, I started expressing yesterday to allow my nipples to heal....and she is like a totally different baby....she was totally stunned after that first EBM of about 80mls....she obviously hasn't had a full tummy before....and she is so much more settled!

I can't get into see the lactation consultant until Monday, and she will snip the Tie if there is one....in the mean time I am going to keep expressing until then, but will do one feed a day on my "good" nipple just to keep things going, and then hopefully on Monday we can kickstart breastfeeding again....

I have had to do a couple of half Formula/half EBM feeds, as my supply is struggling to keep up, but hopefully regular expressing, and a baby that can attach properly will improve this.

What else could I try to increase my supply????

[Barb Glare]

It is so unexpected when you have problems when you have done so well previously. You have done so well to pick up a problem then act on it. Tell mr, how often are you expressing and how much I'll are you getting each feed?

[Faithful Mumma]

Thanks Barb. I am currently expressing every 3 hours, and I am getting about 60-70mls at a push...which I suppose it pretty good, but then it really drops off, and I struggle to get anymore than that....should I increase the frequency of the expressing? It is just not quite enough to satisfy Bubs. (I am used to being able to express like 120ml in one go!!!!)
Thanks again, any advice will be appreciated!!
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[zap]

Sorry to hijack but what is tounge tie?

[onthefly]

Good luck with the LC - I hope you can get on top of things