"How Minbie helped my boy overcome Tongue-Tie” - Steph’s Story
Have you been told your baby has a tongue-tie? Of course you’re full of questions & obviously on the search for answers but remember, it’s important you don’t panic Mum. If you’re struggling to breastfeed because of bub's tongue-tie you’ll be pleased to know that Minbie has helped many babies just like yours, bottle feed whilst retaining their instinctive latch and their ability to work for their feed. This has not only given mums a huge dose of peace of mind, it’s also made it easier for many bubs to latch back onto the breast as & when both were ready. New mum Steph struggled feeding her son Arthur because of his tongue-tie, here’s her story.
So what exactly is tongue-tie?
Tongue-tie (ankyloglossia) is a condition in which the thin piece of skin under your baby’s tongue (the lingual frenulum) is abnormally short and restricts the movement of the tongue.
Tongue-tie occurs in about 3% of babies and is a condition that can run in families. Did you know it’s actually more common amongst boys?
So, why am I finding it so hard to get breastfeeding started?
The biggest (and potentially most upsetting) impact of bub’s tongue-tie is on their ability to breastfeed. Having a tongue-tie can make it harder for your little one to effectively latch and nurse meaning you’d be noticing an increase in nipple pain and a decrease in your milk supply as bub takes less and less at the breast.
Just as you saw in the video above, Steph and her son Albert faced challenges at the beginning of their breastfeeding journey and were unable to find a comfortable latch. “We wanted to breastfeed Albert, but his latch was fussy, it hurt and I knew it was wrong.” That's when they discovered Albert had a tongue-tie and after five days of struggling to feed him, they decided to have it cut.
Steph hoped that post-procedure their problems would immediately disappear. However, unfortunately for Steph and Albert, breastfeeding was still a struggle. “Cue twenty-four hours of pure screaming hell,’” she says. “Everyone was crying. Albert was crying, I was crying and my three-year-old daughter was crying.” Steph was feeding Albert pumped milk through a syringe, and without making any progress with his latch, made the decision to stop trying to breastfeed and exclusively express feed him instead. Her next concern was ensuring that Albert continued to work for his feeds, to prevent scar tissue forming at the site of the tongue-tie.
Generic bottle teats can cause a weaker latch & lazy feeding
Steph was desperate to avoid any more feeding issues. So after her sister recommended Minbie, she jumped straight online and purchased a bottle which arrived the very next day!!
“I pumped, gave him a nice warm feed, and he stopped screaming. He had a nice warm tummy full of milk, and I've never looked back.”
The reason we regularly see success stories like this is because of the unique shape and design of the Minbie teat. This design truly nurtures a baby’s latch and strengthens their muscle coordination in the same way breastfeeding does. The anti-colic, anti-reflux design supports very effective suckling development of the jaw-complex, so it's perfect for all babies.
“He’s been working for his feed ever since,” says Steph, who has since continued to exclusively pump and bottle feed Albert with Minbie, so that he can still receive her breastmilk. Just like many Minbie families, Steph was thrilled with the success she found using Minbie, not only because she knew it was the perfect teat to nurture her new baby’s latch, but also because everyone now had the chance to feed and bond with Albert.
“Not only do I get to feed him, but my family gets to feed him, which my Mum is really happy about! And Daddy gets to help with night feeds! He’s a super happy, calm baby, and those screaming twenty four hours seem a thing of the past.”
Having experienced all the difficulties that tongue tie can bring to breastfeeding, Steph is sharing her story to help others who might be going through something similar. “I hope this video will help other mums, and if your baby’s tongue-tied and breastfeeding is still not working, then there is an option of exclusively pumping if you want to, and making them work for their feed with a Minbie teat. It completely worked for us.”
So, what can I do about my baby's tongue-tie?
If you’re finding breastfeeding painful, and can see that bub isn’t feeding as they should be, check with your doctor. Once you have spoken to your doctor you may be advised to have a procedure to release a tongue-tie, especially if it’s having an impact on breastfeeding. This quick and easy procedure is called a lingual frenectomy. Investing in the very best bottle feeding system to support you all through this bump in the road will protect & nurture bub's proper latch, so you can continue to feed your little one in the way nature intended.
If your baby is experiencing difficulty breastfeeding due to a tongue-tie or any other concerns, feel free to contact us for more information on how the Minbie bottle can help you. More information on the revolutionary design of the Minbie nipple can be found on our website here.
If you’ve had success with a Minbie bottle, share your story with us in the comments below.