As a first-time mother I was ecstatic to start one of the most beautiful aspect of motherhood… breastfeeding. I love the concept of breastfeeding, it gives you an opportunity to share a special bond with your baby while nourishing her, something which only involves you and your baby, no one else. First month of this journey went smooth I was learning so many things and my little one was adjusting to this strange new world. Second month is when we started facing trouble, the feeding session instead of calming us, made us anxious, frustrated and scared.
As a mother I knew something was wrong and I started noticing symptoms of tongue and lip tie. My family and all around me ridiculed me, told me I’m thinking too much (in their defense I tend to research a lot on topic that I’m concerned about) and that it is a phase it will pass. Many told me I'm a mother now these small inconveniences should not bother me. However, I just knew I'm on right path and fortunately I found Dr Manisha Gogri an IBCLC, first person to listen to me and confirm that I’m not crazy in suspecting oral restriction of my little one. With her constant guidance we started making gradual progress and every little suck of hers on my finger made me feel like I climbed mountains. She played pivotal roles in explaining the issue to my family members who were reluctant to even admit that there is such thing as tongue and lip tie. Another two gems I found on this journey was DrMeenakshiKherand Drveeralewho are also a good listener and best at their job.
They treated my little one’s lip and tongue tie with such a gentle approach that it gave me strength to carry on with post frenectomy stretches and simply just keeping positive and faithful approach to the entire process.
Yes the journey involved lot of trial and errors, it took time, tears and traveling a lot with my little baby but I was determined to not only make my breastfeeding journey peaceful but also to avoid any future complications that could have arrived with her lip and tongue tie. These oral restrictions not only affect baby’s feeding but it might affect baby’s posture, solidfeeding habit, their gait, their speech and so much more. Yes things don’t magically turn rosy as soon as their ties are released, yes your baby will be in pain for few days, yes you have to give your baby time to unlearn and relearn things but it would spare your baby from future possible complications, something that is in your hands.
My breastfeeding journey story is not a smooth one but finally it’s improving, finally after four months I know what actually feels like when baby latches on your correctly, finally its becoming what I wanted it to be, finally her feeding sessions and troubles related to it are not consuming me completely. I and my little one are still learning, we have come a long way and we have long way to go. As a mother I’m committed to breastfeed my baby as long as she requires and now with support of Dr Manisha, Dr Meenakshi and Dr Veerale this seems like a reality.
These ties are no longer holding me and my baby.
