Dr Helen Fung
As a Paediatric Dentist who has treated tongue ties for years, I always knew that breastfeeding should not be painful, but a comfortable, pleasurable experience for both mum and bub.
With the arrival of my own daughter, I was able to get first hand experience on breastfeeding. I was very lucky to experience a relatively easy birth experience. She fed straight away for over an hour, and managed to latch on without intervention. However, over the next few days, despite having a great latch, I started experiencing nipple pain. Being experienced in assessing tongue and lip ties, I was confident that the pain wasn’t because of the presence of a tie, but only due to my hungry little girl’s cluster feeding whilst trying to bring my milk in. The blisters and cracked nipples was an experience I simply couldn’t have imagined by reading from a textbook or speaking to mothers. I was lucky that the problem resolved itself after a few days, but it truly made me empathise with just how excruciating the pain could be.
This experience made me realise how much I wanted to breastfeed my little girl. Despite the pain, I kept on breastfeeding, without knowing if the next feed would be just as painful, or if it would start feeling better. In time, both of us learnt how to fit in with each other, and I was lucky enough to be able to exclusively breastfeed her until she was 6 months old. We went on happily breastfeeding alongside solids long after that. So happy, in fact, that she consistently refused the bottle, and I relished our breastfeeding relationship around 3am every morning!
Whilst my journey with her was fairly straightforward, those first few days of pain every time she latched on has shown me first hand what some mothers experience, sometimes for months, before a knowledgeable provider assesses the breastfeeding difficulties. It seems obvious to me that the earlier the diagnosis is made, the quicker it can be managed appropriately, to allow the breastfeeding relationship to continue.
Amongst my many goals, my priority is to help mothers to experience the wonderful breastfeeding journey I have travelled with my own daughter. Breastfeeding shouldn’t be painful, it shouldn’t be a struggle. My hope is that I can help minimise the problems caused by the presence of tongue and lip ties as early as possible, and to help all breastfeeding mothers experience the joys of being able to nurture their infant successfully and comfortably.
If feeding is hard right now, you do not have to wait it out. See what happens at an appointment, or get in touch.
Further reading
Brisbane Tongue Tie Clinic is part of Tooth Town, a specialist paediatric dental practice in Coorparoo, Brisbane. These longer guides for parents are on the Tooth Town site.