According to data from the Spanish Association of Pediatrics, between 1.7 and 4.8% of newborns in Spain each year have ankyloglossia, known as short lingual frenulum. It is a disorder that restricts the range of tongue movements and is three times more frequent in boys than in girls.
Many babies, even having a very short lingual frenulum, can breastfeed well. by the elasticity of the frenulum or the characteristics of the mouth. But nevertheless, on other occasions difficulties appear with breastfeeding and it results in a bad hook to the chest. The good news is that there are solutions.
How does it affect breastfeeding?
The Association of Pediatricians of Spain points out that there are different types of short lingual frenulum. The most frequent is the one that reaches the tip of the tongue. But there is also the submucosal frenulum, which is not visible to the naked eye but that anchors the tongue to the floor of the mouth and makes it look like a spoon.
In some cases, this problem does not affect breastfeeding but, on other occasions it causes the baby to get hooked badly to the breast. The mother may notice that something happens if:
- The child is released frequently.
- Ask for a lot of breast and is long sucking.
- You gain very little weight, because you don't drink enough milk.
- Listen to a click while your baby breastfeeds, for the loss of emptiness.
Pilar Martínez, a pharmacist, lactation consultant and IBCLC explains that it is not known for what reason there are babies who with the very short lingual frenulum suck without problems "because they find their posture from the beginning with certain movements" while on other occasions they cause serious problems also to the mother.
According to the AEP the most common are:
Sore nipples and cracks, which favor mastitis.
Feeling of low milk production, since the child is breastfeeding for a long time.
Hypogalactia or what is the same, low milk production even though the baby sucks a long time.
Wean early.
What to do to breastfeed without problems?
According to the lactation consultant:
Sometimes, you just have to change your posture. "There are postures that facilitate a deeper grip of the baby, making it open more mouth. These are the so-called biological postures: a horse, vertically ...".
You can try to hold the chest more up so that the nipple is straight and so the child grabs it better.
Some mothers say that nipples are a help, especially when they have sore nipples.
In other cases the option is to favor the mobility of the tongue with a phrenotomy. When it is a simple 'telita', it is usually cut directly in the pediatrician or midwife's office. If the frenulum is sublingual (not visible), it is required to separate it in the operating room with laser.
"It is a very simple and rapid operation, which practically does not bleed since there are no nerve endings. Even so, it is done under anesthesia so that the child does not feel anything. He can breastfeed immediately after the operation."
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Against operating the frenulum
A new scientific study from the University of Western Australia, presented at the XIII International Breastfeeding Symposium, promoted by Medela, concluded that 36% of operated infants leave breastfeeding before six months of age.
According to the research, the babies studied did not show a significant improvement in the mobility of the tongue after the phrenotomy. In addition, they may suffer pain, bleeding, infections and refusal to drink breast milk because of discomfort.
Of course, the mothers felt more comfortable after the surgery, since they did not experience pain while breastfeeding.
Although the sample is small (55 babies were studied), the words of the director of the study, Donna Geddes, are relevant, which defends the importance of previously carrying out an in-depth study of the mother and her ability to produce breast milk to determine What measure the operation is necessary.
In the same opinion is the lactation expert Pilar Martínez, who argues that:
"The best measure to tackle the problems arising from the short frenulum is that they are detected in the same maternity ward, that the health personnel have enough information to recognize when the baby suffers this anomaly in the tongue. In this way the mother will know how to act to that your child will eat well without her breasts hurting. And if it is not possible to feed her, she will ask for help to stop them and she will not suffer. Now, the mothers come to our office already desperate and in great pain. "
And if you have doubts about breastfeeding, it is desirable that you go to a breastfeeding support group so that other mothers who have already been through the subject, advise you. In addition, you will feel accompanied and understood in the feeding of your child.
Photos iStock
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