🌟For parents who haven't gone through a revison yet and are debating- I will say to you what I wish someone had said to me: ♡
- It is normal to have fear. Fear of your baby being in pain. Fear of the stretches. Fear of a bad outcome. Fear of the financial cost. Fear of an invasive procedure being done by a dentist. Fear of not being allowed in the room during the procedure. Fear of feeding problems not resolving. And other fears... Know that these are normal and reflect that you are a caring parent. But they are not reasons to not revise! Listen to the countless reasons TO revise. Listen to the many many many success stories.
- Not all providers are equal. Not even all so called "perferred providers". Do lots of research. Ask around. Ask tongue tie savvy IBCLCs in your area who they recommend. They see the results - good and bad. Travel if necessary. Pay out of pocket if necessary. Use Care Credit if necessary. Seeing a true expert with a high skill level makes ALL the difference! (My little one saw 3 providers. Two were "preferred", but only one was a true expert.).
-You are giving your child the gift of normal anatomy and function of the tongue and lip. Never lose sight of this. The post revision care is no joke. It is hard. It is gut wrenching to stretch a sore mouth and hear your baby cry. It is arduous. Days can feel quite long. But, it is all so worth it. That first amazing deep latch feels like heaven. Watching your baby use their tongue in new ways is as thrilling if not more then watching their first steps.
- There is so much misinformation and incomplete information out there about tongue ties. You as a parent will have to shoulder the burden of knowledge. Read. Research. Read. The files section in here is great. Look at the infographics in this group. Read Dr. Kotlow and Dr. Ghaheri's facebook pages and websites. Search for them on youtube. Know as much as you can and then read even more. Seriously! But don't let this overwhelm you. Seek out tongue tie experts to get the support that you need. Ask lots of questions when you see the provider and ask how you can best reach them after the procedure. The great providers will make themselves very available though text and/or email.
-It is not always straight forward. You will likely need to work with a chiropractor, a cranial sacral therapist, a speech language pathologist who specializes in infant feeding and a lactation consultant. The support and expertise that these providers offer can make a huge difference!
Don't give up. 😊 Don't give up! 💗
- Margot L.
