How to Bottle Feed a Tongue tied Baby
How to Bottle Feed a Tongue tied Baby
Tongue ties are no laughing matter. It’s a very serious issue that can affect those who have it, as well as those around them.
Ankyloglossia (tongue tie) is a rather common congenital anomaly where the tongue is attached to the floor of the mouth by an unusually short and thick lingual frenulum (also called “tied tongue”).
According to studies, about 4-20% of all children suffer from this condition and some even don’t know they were born with it until later in life.
The most common symptom of someone with ankyloglossia is difficulty sticking out their tongue but there are also people who have low muscle tone or even trouble.
Tongue ties are a common cause of feeding problems in newborns. This blog post will cover the basics of how to bottle feed a tongue tied baby, including signs and symptoms, diagnosis, treatment options, and potential complications.
Tongue tie is when there is an extra tissue connecting the underside of your child’s tongue to their palate that restricts mobility. Tongue ties are most often diagnosed by doctors or midwives during pregnancy ultrasounds or at birth.
A tongue tie may not be noticeable until after you have started breastfeeding because it takes time for the tissues to swell up with milk; once they do become swollen enough, your nipple can’t get past them and your child will start refusing feeds or making latching difficult.
Tongue tie is a condition where the tongue’s natural ability to move freely is restricted. It can cause feeding problems, including difficulty latching on and poor weight gain. Here are some tips for bottle feeding your baby if he or she has a tongue tie.
In this article, we will explain how to feed a baby who has tongue tie.
What is a tongue tie in babies and should you be worried?
A tongue tie, also known as ankyloglossia, is when the thin piece of skin connecting your baby’s tongue to the floor of the mouth (called the lingual frenulum) is shorter than normal. The shortened frenulum limits how far back into the mouth that a baby can stick out its tongue – restricting it from doing some of its normal functions such as sucking and licking.
HOW TO BOTTLE FEED A TONGUE TIED BABY
1. Preparing the Feeding Bottle
The first step is to prepare the feeding bottle. If you are using Silicon bottles, go ahead and place them in hot water for 5 minutes so that the formula easily mixes with the water inside. You can also pop it in your microwave for 30 seconds but make sure to check on it constantly.
If you are using Playtex bottles, then all you have to do is take out the slow flow nipple from one of their packages and attach it to your chosen bottle. The next thing you want to do is pour some boiling water into the bottle just enough to cover the bottom. Once that’s done, shake it well for about a minute and then let it sit for 5 more minutes.
You also want to make sure you check your baby’s temperature before starting feeding.
2. Test Your Baby’s Temperature
Before you do anything else, test your baby’s temperature by placing their cheek against your wrist or under your armpit- whichever is warmer- to see if they are warm enough. If they are too cool, you should wait another 10 minutes because babies tend to feed better when their tummies are full of warmth rather than food. We all know how difficult it can be when they get hungry particularly in the middle of the night while you’re asleep!
3. Place Baby in an Upright Position
Next, you want to place the baby in an upright position because this allows for better drainage so the milk doesn’t get stuck inside their mouth and cause them discomfort. There are some mommies who swear by breastfeeding but if your infant is unable to stick out their tongue or lift it over their lower lip, then you will be forced to do it the old-fashioned way which seems less popular these days!
A lot of moms complain about how difficult breastfeeding can be especially if the infant has a really small mouth and refuses to stay open long enough for mommy to shove her nipple inside. If this happens, we suggest getting a properly fitted nursing pillow that supports your baby’s head and body while keeping her mouth at the right angle.
You can also use your forearm but make sure to place a towel between you and your baby so that she doesn’t slide off while you’re doing it.
4. Hold Your Baby’s Head in Place
The next thing you want to do is hold onto your baby’s head with one hand while placing the nipple in their mouth with your free hand- this prevents them from panicking which makes it harder for them to swallow! Once they start feeding, hold the bottle steadily in one position so that milk won’t spill or choke them if it goes down too fast. Keep in mind that some babies need time to suckle but others may not have a problem latching on immediately especially if they are super hungry.
5. Watch Out for Milk Coming Out of Your Baby’s Nose!
If you’re using a pacifier to feed your baby, then this is the part where you need to make sure no milk comes out of their nose by wiping it with a soft cloth. If they are not used to having anything in their mouth other than a liquid substance, a lot of them tend to take deep breaths which causes the liquid to go down their windpipe- there is nothing more terrifying than watching your baby choke on milk!
In case you have been feeding your child from bottles or breastfeeding doesn’t seem to work for you, there is another alternative that works just as great and that’s using a dummy nipple. These gadgets may look very similar but they are designed to fit perfectly in the mouth of infants so they suckle on it just like a normal nipple.
You can buy these farm animal-inspired designs at any good baby store or online for that matter and since they come in various shapes, you will definitely find one that suits your infant’s preference.
Most babies tend to reject replacement nipples because they’re either too big or too small which is why we recommend buying several ones made by different brands to see which one works best for you! Note: make sure whichever nipple you choose has an air vent (hole) at the bottom otherwise milk might spill all over your baby’s face while she’s breastfeeding! Also, make sure to sterilize them well before using them because dirty nipples are not what you want to shove in your child’s mouth.
6. How to Know if Your Baby is Full…or Sick!
If you are using pacifiers, then watch out for when the suction stops after sucking on it for a few minutes because that means they’re done- when babies get full, they usually stop sucking on their pacifier because their tummies are too full to accommodate any more food which causes them discomfort afterward.
Needless to say, this isn’t good for them so make sure not to overfeed them by continuing feeding them once they stop suckling- of course, your baby might cry but you want to avoid making him/her vomit later on!
7. Avoid Doing Too Many Things at Once
Remember how we told you not to do too many things at once while feeding your baby? Well, we meant it! You should also avoid doing something that requires all four of your hands while bottle-feeding because if the nipple slips out of their mouth and milk spills everywhere, your baby is going to get really upset and there’s no better way to add salt to injury than by making them cry in frustration.
8. Never Give Your Baby Any Type of Bubbly Liquid…
The only type of liquid babies need is breast milk or formula and water- giving them juice, soda pop or any kind of carbonated beverage can cause tummy problems and even tooth decay later on.
Always ask a doctor before introducing other types of liquids into your baby’s system- remember, your little one’s digestive system hasn’t fully developed yet so he/she might have trouble breaking down the sugars in most types of drinks!
9. How to Get Milk Out of Your Baby’s Hair!
Once you’re done feeding your baby and cuddling up with them for a few minutes, it is imperative that you go ahead and remove any milk residue from their hair because this will cause permanent damage otherwise- if left untreated, they might start losing some hair which can be quite traumatizing for them when they get older especially since kids are so sensitive about their appearance at such a young age.
Here’s how to do it: freeze the bottle you used to feed him with until all the contents have been emptied out completely, use a fine-toothed comb to remove the milk (you might not be able to get every single strand because the bottle itself is pretty much filled with milk) and finally, go ahead and wash their hair with shampoo just like you normally would.
10. To Burp or Not to Burp
When it comes to burping your baby during or after feeding, it truly depends on how comfortable you are doing so- however, we recommend against bending over forwards as this puts way too much pressure on their digestive tract which can lead to tummy aches later on!
Here’s what you should do instead: place your baby in an upright position while patting their back gently until they burp- now there are some parents who swear by this technique while others don’t seem to mind as long as their baby is burped.
11. How to Clean Your Baby’s Mouth Before Swallowing Their Milk!
Once they’re done feeding, milk usually spills out of the corners of their mouths which can cause tooth decay if not wiped off with a soft damp cloth- never use a handkerchief or any kind of paper towel because these items are way too abrasive for your child’s delicate skin and can lead to even more discomfort later on.
12. When You Should Stop Bottle Feeding Your Baby…
Before we tell you when you should stop bottle feeding your baby, it is important that you understand the difference between breastfeeding and bottle feeding first- essentially how breastfeeding is a bonding experience while bottle feeding is one of convenience which makes it necessary for you to introduce the latter to your baby at some point.
Now, as far as when you should stop bottle feeding them goes- this really depends on their age and how comfortable they are with taking milk from a cup or sippy cups- thankfully, most kids transition pretty easily into various types of drinking vessels which means that if they don’t want to continue being bottle fed, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll be able to wean them off within a few weeks time!
Conclusion
Hope after reading this complete article you got the answer about How to Bottle Feed a Tongue tied Baby if you still have any query then comment below.