Resources

Need help right now? See sources below for some frequent questions.

Latching a newborn is not always easy. It's the most natural thing in the world, but if you've never seen a nursing infant, you may not know what to look for. This is a video explaining and demonstrating a proper latch.

Med Standford Latching Newborn 

Hand Expression is a necessary skill for all lactating parents. In the event the infant cannot nurse directly at the breast and a breastpump is not available, hand expression can help protect the milk supply. The following link has a video demonstrating effective hand expression.

Med Stanford Hand Expression 

Thrush Can occur at any time, but people are more susceptible after antibiotics. Red, shiny, inflamed nipples and shooting pains during nursing and pumping are some signs of thrush in breastfeeding parents. A white coating on the tongue, palate, gums, cheeks, and lips is a visible sign of thrush in infants. Infants may be fussy, and have a hard time holding a latch. Oftentimes contact dermititis on the breast is misdiagnosed as Thrush. I urge you to find a provider experienced in knowing the difference. Thrush is actually pretty rare on the breast!

Thrush 

Breast milk Storage Guidelines often vary source to source. The CDC is always my go to when referring clients to guidelines.

CDC Breastmilk Storage guidelines 

Tongue Tie

We all have a frenulum under the tongue. We have one attaching the lip to the gumline. We even have them connecting the cheek to the gumline. They're normal! So when is it not normal? When the frenulum under the tongue is too thick or extends too far, or too tight. These variations can cause a not so optimal latch. It may or may not cause nipple pain. Nipple pain should not be the end all decision maker for if an infant should have a release. Infants who have oral tethers may suffer from a variety of signs and symptoms. 

A few signs and symptoms:

• Painful latch (pinching, chomping, biting feeling)

• Milk blisters around infant's lips (signs they're using their lips to grasp and hold on to the breast)

• Clicking sounds at the breast

• Slow/poor weight gain

• Long feeds

• Colicky 

• Reflux

I always encourage families to work with a bodyworker (chiropractor, cranial sacaral therapist, occupational therapist, etc.) pre and post release. Infants get tension and tight muscles from trying to compensate for not having a great latch. Working with a bodyworker can help with alignment and tension. Below you'll find some lists of providers in the Greater Cincinnati Area and Indiana that may offer oral tether releases. These lists are not comprehensive, some have been forwarded to me, some names I've gathered over the past few years. Please reach out if you hear of someone new or if you call one and they say they no longer provide this care so I can update my lists! And PLEASE if not me, find another IBCLC to work with you pre and post procedure!

Newborn Nursery. (n.d.). A perfect latch. Newborn Nursery. https://med.stanford.edu/newborns/professional-education/breastfeeding/a-perfect-latch.html

Newborn Nursery. (n.d.-b). Hand expressing milk. Newborn Nursery. https://med.stanford.edu/newborns/professional-education/breastfeeding/hand-expressing-milk.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, January 24). Proper storage and preparation of breast milk. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/recommendations/handling_breastmilk.htm