Expert Series - The Little Latch Company

 

We are Paula and Laura, Midwives, Lactation Consultants and Tongue Tie Practitioners. We offer Tongue Tie assessments and procedures alongside specialist feeding support in families’ homes throughout Greater Manchester and the surrounding areas. As International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC’s) we are able to provide expert support even for the most complex of feeding challenges. We have had roles as infant feeding specialists and run tongue tie clinics in the NHS for many years, but seeing babies in their own homes means that we are able to provide unrushed, relaxed and individualised care when parents need it. We also provide antenatal feeding consultations, which are an opportunity to feel really confident and well prepared for feeding, especially if you have some circumstances that might not be addressed by the general advice you get from your midwife.

 

 

One of the most common feeding issues that new breastfeeding mums worry about is their milk supply. It can come as a shock discovering just how much a baby wants to feed! Whilst this behaviour is completely natural formost babies it can lead to questions about whether their little one is getting enough milk? For most mums In this situation reassurance and an understanding of signs of good intake is all that’s required. For those whose baby is struggling we would need to get to the root of the problem and to suggest changes that help to build supply and continue breastfeeding.

The other really common concern is painful feeding. Some discomfort can be experienced initially, but if this continues for any length of time we’d definitely advise getting position and attachment checked in the first instance.

For bottle feeding mums a really common worry is that baby isn’t taking enough milk during some of their feeds and not finishing the amounts specified by the manufacturers’ instructions. We would advise watching your baby’s cues. Recognise when they signal to you that they’ve had enough, and remember that normal baby behaviour is often to feed small amounts frequently rather than large volumes at set times.

One important thing we would always say is trust your instincts as a mum. If you feel something is wrong, persist in asking for skilled support to help you.

Because we see so many bottle feeding babies in Western societies there is a misconception that babies will feed and settle for several hours to a set routine. We wish that new mums were told more about just how much their baby needs to be held, and that they breastfeed for comfort as well as for food. So very frequent feeding both day and night is absolutely normal. However we also wish that mums received more education about how to recognise when things might not be going so well, and when to seek help. Gone are the days when new mums were visited every day by a midwife – it’s likely they will have gaps of several days at a time with no contact, so it’s really important to know when skilled help is needed.

 

 

Knowing why your baby feeds so much at night won’t necessarily make it easier but it may help to get you through this period! Your milk-making hormones are higher at night, so these feeds really help to build your supply – and your baby knows this! Keeping your baby in the same room overnight helps you to pick up on feeding cues before they get too upset -it’s always easier to feed a calm baby! You might find a side-lying position usefulrather than sitting up. We’d advise educating yourself about safety so that if you do fall asleep together you can reduce risks – you can find lots of information on the Lullaby Trust’s website. If you’re bottle feeding perhaps you can think about having bottle making facilities in your room to save you from having to go downstairs each time. Changing your baby’s nappy before feeding might mean that they can settle down again afterwards without you having to disturb them again.

 

 

A tongue tie is when the small piece of tissue we all have under the tongue (called a frenulum) is developed in such a way that it restricts normal movement. Babies need to move their tongues well when feeding both by breast and bottle. If your baby’s tongue is restricted you might experience some of the following symptoms:

It’s important to bear in mind that many of these symptoms can also be caused by poor position and attachment on the breast or bottle, so it’s always worthwhile asking for skilled feeding support as a first step.

One of the most common misconceptions about tongue tie is that it can be detected simply by having a look in the baby’s mouth. A full assessment is about how the tongue functions as well as how it looks. If someone has had a quick look and told you that your baby doesn’t have a tongue tie, yet your feeding issues are not going away, then it’s worth asking for an assessment by a trained tongue tie practitioner. Another misconception is that having a frenulotomy (the procedure to correct a tongue tie) will instantly resolve your baby’s problems. Specialist feeding support alongside a procedure is essential – babies often need a period of relearning feeding skills, and you may need support to do some things differently too!

Our advice is simple – get support sooner rather than later. All concerns are valid, and there are no silly questions! Skilled support is valuable at any time, but the sooner the better as it makes things easier to deal with. Don’t wait until your milk supply is reducing, or your baby is continuing to struggle with weight gain before reaching out for help. There’s a solution to most problems – so have your support details handy for when you need them!

 

 

You can visit our website at www.littlelatchcompany.co.uk, email us on info@littlelatchcompany.co.uk or call/message us on 07522296132. We are available for visits 7 days a week and can often provide support within 24-48 hours. We also hold free drop-in clinics for weighing and quick feeding queries – you can find out more by following our social media pages @littlelatchcompany.