Tipperary tongue-tie centre issues important message ahead of Mother's Day

As Mother’s Day approaches this Sunday, March 30, The National Tongue Tie Centre, based in Tipperary, is seeking to raise awareness amongst mothers and healthcare providers, of Tongue Tie, a condition that affects approximately 5-10% of babies.

A tongue tie is a condition in which the band of tissue, called the frenulum, underneath the tongue is shorter or tighter than usual, affecting the tongue’s normal function.

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This can lead to a variety of issues, including difficulty with breastfeeding or bottle feeding in infants.

This in turn can cause serious issues for the baby including a difficulty gaining weight.

It can also significantly impact the mother-baby connection, making an already demanding period even more stressful and overwhelming for mothers.

One such mother who was in this position was Amanda Phillips.

At 12 weeks, Amanda’s little baby, Phoebe (now 7 months) was having huge difficulty breast feeding.

Amanda had noticed a clicking noise while Phoebe was trying and the whole experience had become difficult, painful and stressful for both Amanda and Phoebe.

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Feeling lost, she reached out to Nursing Mamma, an Instagram-based support resource run by lactation consultant Katie Mugan.

Katie recommended Amanda to Tongue Tie expert at The National Tongue Tie Centre in Tipperary, Consultant Paediatrician, Dr Justin Roche.

Amanda said: "Following the quick treatment, the difference was immediate. Feeding became a much smoother experience. Amanda now bottle-feeds her daughter without difficulty, and their bond has grown stronger every day. What was once a stressful and frustrating experience has turned into a time of connection and ease for both of us. Phoebe is now thriving and the stress of feeding is gone. We are so relieved to have found the help we needed."

Kate Roche, Clinical Director at The National Tongue Tie Centre said: "For many mothers, painful feeds and feeding difficulties can make the experience overwhelming. Whether you breastfeed, bottle feed or combination feed, every journey is unique but when challenges arise, a tongue tie could be the hidden culprit of a lot of discomfort. If left untreated, a tongue tie can then go on to cause further problems for toddlers and children with speech and sleep for example. However, the good news is that a Tongue Tie is something that can be immediately and easily treated once identified so it is important to raise awareness of it so it can be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible."

The National Tongue Tie Centre, based in Tipperary, is Ireland’s leading facility for tongue tie assessment and treatment, offering expert care through a multidisciplinary team specialising in CO2 laser surgery, myofunctional therapy, physiotherapy, feeding support and lactation consultancy.

The Centre was founded by Chartered Physiotherapist, Kate Roche and Consultant Paediatric Surgeon, Dr Justin Roche Clinical Director following their own personal experience with infant feeding challenges.

For more information, visit: https://tonguet.ie/.