True Story: A 2-minute op helped my Ruby to feed

First time mum Andrea Mynard talks to Mother & Baby about the distressing effects of baby Ruby’s tongue tie and her battle to get it treated.

“As a first-time mum, I had no experience with breastfeeding and assumed it’d take time to perfect. But when it took Ruby half an hour of hunger frustration to latch on, it just didn’t seem right. Neither did my constantly aching breasts.”

“Twenty minutes after Ruby was born, a midwife told us my baby had a tongue tie - a condition where the tongue is more anchored to the bottom of the mouth than it should be. Babies with this condition have a short frenulum - the bit of tissue that joins the tongue to the floor of the mouth. 

We didn’t understand what it would mean, so we accepted the midwife’s opinion that it wouldn’t be a problem. Both she and the nurses told us that tongue ties often disappear over time and rarely cause feeding problems. Most doctors prefer no medical intervention unless the baby is still tongue tied when they are a year old. 

As a first-time mum, I had no experience with breastfeeding and assumed it’d take time to perfect. But when it took Ruby half an hour of hunger frustration to latch on, it just didn’t seem right. Neither did my constantly aching breasts. 

Poor Ruby head-banged against me in frustration before every feed, while I walked around doubled over in pain. As the days passed, Ruby’s failure to gain weight was becoming alarming. She was born weighing 3.77kg but within two weeks, she’d dropped to 3.26kg. We asked the hospital's midwives whether her feeding problems were down to her tongue tie. But they dismissed it and simply suggested bottlefeeding. 

I so desperately wanted to breastfeed my baby, but felt I had no alternative but to offer top-ups of formula milk while continuing to try with breastfeeding. Once she’d latched on, Ruby would often breastfeed for up to an hour, yet she’d still be hungry afterwards. 

I talked to other mums whose tongue-tied babies had problems latching on and rang a helpline. It seemed Ruby’s frustrated feeding was common with tongue-tied babies. But as a first-time mum, I couldn’t help but doubt my own ability. 

While in hospital, I’d constantly needed help from the nurses to get Ruby latched on. Every time I rang the bell I thought, “Oh no, I haven’t managed it again.” Back at home, I still felt a failure because I didn't manage to feed my baby properly. But bottlefeeding Ruby wasn’t straightforward either. She seemed to gulp lots of air and suffered from colic. 

By the time our six-week check-up came along, I had done enough research on tongue ties to know I wanted to see a consultant specialising in correcting it. I’d learnt doctors could do something called a tongue-tie division - a short procedure that involves snipping the skin to divide the frenulum from the floor of the mouth. But getting a referral from our doctor wasn’t easy. Yet again, I was told tongue ties aren’t normally a problem. But I was the one with a baby struggling to put on weight. Every time I took Ruby to be weighed, I was too scared to look at the scales. 

So Guy and I persevered and eventually got a referral to see a paediatrician surgeon. Having heard similar stories from countless other parents, he was immediately sympathetic. He told us the procedure for tongue-tie division is very low-risk, involving cutting through the fold of skin using sharp, blunt-ended scissors. And he said he could do it then and there. The relief was amazing. Finally we were going to get the help we needed. 

We were asked to go outside the room while a midwife swaddled Ruby in preparation for the procedure. Bracing ourselves for screams, we waited nervously as our baby was only eight weeks old. The thought of her being cut was terrible. But two minutes later, we were invited back inside, where Ruby greeted us with smiles. She’d cried briefly when her mouth was held open but the cut didn’t seem to bother her. In fact she was soon sticking her tongue out at us and blowing raspberries. And from her very next feed, Ruby had no problems latching on to my breast at all. 

During the following weeks, breastfeeding became the pleasurable experience I’d imagined and it no longer took all day. Ruby latched on quickly and my breast pain disappeared. We were even able to breastfeed discreetly in public - something that wouldn’t have been comfortable for either of us before. 

Unfortunately, as Ruby hadn’t been efficiently stimulating my milk supply, she still needed top-ups. But I was grateful to be able to breastfeed her longer. 

Five months on, I love seeing Ruby sticking out her tongue and I’ll relish her licking her first ice-cream. It was a real struggle to get things resolved, but I’m so glad my little girl is thriving.” 

Andrea Mynard, 39, and Guy, 41, from Mickleton, Gloucestershire, are parents to Ruby, 10 months. 

TONGUE TIE - THE FACTS • Ankyloglossia (the medical term for tongue tie) is where the tongue remains excessively anchored to the bottom of the mouth, restricting movements. • Tongue-tied babies often have problems breastfeeding. Because they often don’t empty milk ducts evenly, mums can get blocked ducts and mastitis. • Tongue-tie division for very young babies is a straightforward procedure, performed without anaesthetic. In an older infant or child, general anaesthetic is usually required.

If you have any comments or practical suggestions, write to us at editor@family.sg 

- Mother & Baby
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