Nipple Biter

Hannah is a nipple biter.
Well, that really doesn't explain it.

You know when you're sucking on a lollipop and then you pull it out of your mouth and make a loud POPping noise.

Hannah does that with my nipple.
At. Ever. Feed.

Needless to say, it sucks.


When she was a day old we discovered that beyond just my good looks and ear lobes, she also inherited my labial (upper lip) frenulum.

Is that a new word?

Your Frenulum is the band of tissue that connects your upper gum to the inside of your upper lip.
Run your tongue in between your gums and lip. 
WAY up at the top you should feel a little tiny flap of skin.
Hannah's extends ALL the way down, so in effect her upper lip is tacked in place and she can't flange her lips out to breastfeed properly.

We asked the pediatricians at the hospital about it.  They had checked to see if she was tongue tied (she's not) but they hadn't even though to look at her labial frenulum as it's  'so rare'.

I said earlier that I had an issue with my frenulum as well. 
Mine wasn't snipped until I was about 8 years old and by that time it had effected my front teeth causing a HUGE gap that I was very embarrassed about, as well as it became pretty invasive oral surgery since it had gotten thicker over the years.

I wanted to avoid this at all costs because I remember this experience - and it wasn't a good one.

So I asked the pediatricians at the hospital "Oh it'll be fine!"
I asked her pediatrician at her 2 week and 2 month check ups "She's gained all her weight back so she's feeding fine.  I say leave it alone."

Well now she's 4 months old and I want something done about it.

Her suck is starting to be affected as she's not able to form a good seal.  Now that she's a little older and distractable, anytime she turns her head it POPs my nipple out and I want to scream.

Or throw her.

Seriously, it hurts.

Since it'll need to get cut sooner or later and it's affecting her ability to nurse, we've decided to get it done sooner.

As in Friday.

I'm so nervous about it - it feels like there is a fish out of water flopping around in my tummy when I think about anything being cut on my baby.

Hopefully she forgives me. :)

If you could keep her in your thoughts and prayers through, that would be great.

~Carla