Validation for 100 dollars, please. (two of three)

Part two of three

Joaquin’s pediatrician took a look and confirmed that he was in fact tongue tied, but he said it wasn’t too severe and that over time it would stretch. I was exasperated. Over time? I didn’t have time. I tried to explain how painful and difficult nursing was, but he kind of shrugged me off. It was quite disappointing as he has always listened and been respectful to me and my many opinions, both before and after this. He said that he could clip it but that he wouldn’t do it in office like some other pediatricians, but they would have to put Joaquin under general anesthesia. That wasn’t an option for me. I wasn’t putting my one-week-old baby under. No way.

I went back to my LC’s office and they referred me to another pediatrician that had worked with many mothers with the same issue and he generally clipped it in office. I called and made the appointment. Because they were out of my medical group, I was going to have to pay out of pocket. I didn’t care. I just wanted it fixed. But, as we got closer to the appointment date, things got better for Joaquin and I. I kept second-guessing my decision to getting it clipped. Maybe the ped was right, and it would stretch? Finally, a couple of days before the appointment I chickened out and cancelled it.

I don’t know how we did it, but we made it through nursing. We used the nipple shields and I kept him on the breast as much as possible to keep my supply up. Finally my nipples healed and we were able to stop with the shields. There was some discomfort for a while, but it never got back to how bad they were in the beginning. So I just assumed my pediatrician was right and it did stretch. It was over, or so I thought.

Part three is here.