If you’re a parent to a young child, you’re probably well aware at this point that you can’t trust everything that you hear about parenthood. While there are plenty of helpful resources out there, you’ll find just as many offering misinformation.
For example, you might have heard this one before: “Breastfeeding is always painful! It’s just part of the process.” People often use this as a way to shame young mothers for complaining, when in reality some very real concerns could lie at the center of their frustrations. Here’s the truth about pain during breastfeeding, what you should be expecting, and what could lie at the center of it.
Where the Frustration Lies
Often, young parents are told that babies feed instinctively, and that every aspect of it should be easy. While this is true, it doesn’t always feel that way. Mothers can sometimes feel a fair amount of pain while breastfeeding, or find that their child has trouble latching at all.
When they bring up these concerns, parents are often met will all kinds of excuses: “A little pain is normal,” “Your baby is just a lazy eater,” or even “Your nipples just need to toughen up.” These aren’t helpful, but more than that, they actively harmful; they ignore the real issue at the heart of many of these complaints.
Tongue Ties and Breastfeeding
In most cases, breastfeeding really should be easy. In fact, when it’s not, it’s often because the child is suffering from a tongue or lip tie.
Everyone has a small piece of connective tissue between their lips and gums, and one under their tongue. This is called a frenulum, and you can probably feel yours in your mouth right now. In some children the frenulum is thicker than it ought to be, which restricts the motion of the lips and tongue.
As you can imagine, this can impair the child’s ability to latch properly. To compensate children can suck excessively hard, causing pain and even bleeding on the part of the mother. Sound familiar?
Dealing with a Lip or Tongue Tie
Thankfully, the treatment is simple. A dentist can painlessly trim the frenulum, a process called a frenectomy. It’s quick, easy, and has no negative impact on the child’s long-term development. And if a tongue tie is responsible for their problem with feeding, these issues should subside quickly after the procedure is complete.
About Our Practice
We know that as a family dental practice, we’ll have to earn your trust before you feel comfortable bringing your children to see us. That’s why at Texas Dentistry and Braces we take the time to get to know your family, to make you feel comfortable, and ensure that you understand our thought process through every step of your children’s treatment.
If you have any questions about lip or tongue ties, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (972) 932-3918.