Is Virtual Lactation Care Suitable For Tongue-Tied Babies?
In general, online breastfeeding support is absolutely a viable option for assessing & addressing oral function in tongue-tied babies!
But with a caveat...
Not all virtual lactation care is created equal.
Unfortunately, this is true for in-person breastfeeding help as well, which is why we often hear stories about families who sought the care of an IBCLC and report that it was not helpful.
The type of care that babies with tongue-tie need is unique.
General suggestions for latch and positioning that work for other parents often do not entirely resolve the pain or discomfort caused when a baby is tied.
Also, because a short frenulum is just one factor contributing to the signs & symptoms that parents see, tied babies need specific "rehabilitation" to restore strength and function, even post-release.
So when considering online lactation care, it's essential that you find a provider who
understands the specifics of tied babies,
is skilled at assessing oral function
While it may seem like a daunting task in your already hectic and stressful days, luckily, I meet all the criteria above & booking with me is easy peasy!
How does Online breastfeeding support differ from an in-person visit?
Virtual Lactation Care looks different than in-person support.
During in-home or in-clinic visits, it's not uncommon for parents to feel like the provider is the expert, and there's no role for them outside of "performing" a feeding session.
For virtual visits, parents are active participants at every step of the process, including the assessment process. As a result, parents can feel & see what a provider would see during hands-on care but may not share with the parent, leaving them confused as to why particular suggestions are made.
In general, communication is better between providers & parents in an online setting which is invaluable if feeling heard & validated is vital to you.
How can online support be beneficial for tongue-tied babies?
I can't speak for other providers, but my 3 goals for cases of tongue-tie are
to help parents see how their baby's impaired feeding function is leading to the symptoms their seeing,
provide guidance for release if that is the chosen path
to optimize a baby's oral function so that compensations are safe & comfortable until the release of if parents decide not to release
All three of those goals are the same for any online or in-person visit I conduct. Ultimately it is up to the parents to implement the care plan between visits, so it matters less what method of consultation is done.
Are there times when in-person care is better?
Absolutely! There are limitations to virtual care, and it may not be the best choice for every family.
An in-person visit will be better if...
You don't feel comfortable putting your fingers in your baby's mouth, or the idea of doing the assessments increases your anxiety.
An in-person visit with a skilled provider who is an expert on oral function will be less work for parents than an online visit with an equally adept provider.
Sometimes parents don't feel confident about their assessment or prefer to not take on that responsibility.
I rarely find parents are unable to do a fantastic assessment. The method I've designed makes it super easy to get the information I need to get a clear understanding of the cause of feeding dysfunction virtually. But in the off chance that a parent isn't comfortable taking the lead of the hands-on part of assessing their baby, I always suggest an in-person consultation.
Your baby is significantly underweight or regularly coughing/choking during most feeds with or without color changes.
When weighted feeds are critical to the immediate management of care, such as significantly underweight or not gaining babies, or when there are clear signs of airway compromise during feeding, I do not recommend virtual visits.
The unfortunate reality is that not every family has access to good lactation support. Sometimes there are no IBCLCs close by; other times, there are no GOOD IBCLCs close by. For families dealing with a known or suspected oral restriction such as tongue-tie, a virtual visit with a skilled provider like myself is a viable option.