Update

Here's the update about Monday's frenulectomy:

We woke up bright and early Monday morning. All of us (including Kerri and Luke) pile into the minivan and drop off Rae and Kams with my girlfriend Kelly. Then we make the hour long trek down to the Pediatric Ear Nose & Throat doctor. Shari, the lac consultant meets us there (she is so great!). Evie goes first. Dr. Jim has Shari hold little Evie down so he can take a look. He uses an instrument that looks like Mickey Mouse ears to depress under her tongue and pop out the frenulum. As soon as he does that he stops and steps back. He wants to talk to me before continuing. He says that in his professional opinion she definitely has a posterior tongue-tie and now that it has been confirmed, I have to give him the go-ahead to do the procedure. I told him, yes of course, that's what I'm here for. At which point I had the option of leaving the room. And although I couldn't stand the thought of watching my baby be hurt, I just couldn't leave her side. I didn't watch, but I sat there with my ears covered and watched Dr. Jim grab the different instruments so I knew what was happening. He first applied a gel anesthetic under her tongue. Then used those Mickey Mouse ears to pop out the frenulum again. Then used a clamp to pull her tongue up and forward. Then he reached for the surgical scissors. That's when I closed my eyes tight and just prayed for it to be over. Evie was already crying from being held down, but her cry changed and he made the cut. Then I looked and he began to depress gauze after gauze under her tongue with his thumb to stop the bleeding. He probably went through four or five of them. Then they handed her to me and she was hysterical. I took her into the next room to try to calm her and to try to begin breastfeeding. She was crying on and off while nursing on and off, but the times she was nursing felt very gentle and soft...which before she would suck very roughly in a chewing type motion.

Then Kerri brought Luke and she was already in tears. Evie pulled off and my breast and her mouth were lined with blood. She brought him to the doctor and could not stay in the room because she was nearly ready to pass out already. I was walking-pacing-while nursing and shushing Evie still trying to calm her. I could hear Luke next door...he was silent. Finally one little cry was let forth and then they called Kerri back and she took him and began to breastfeed him. He seemed very comfortable.

Dr. Jim came in to check on us and ask how things felt. He loved the fact that I described her latch as gentle. He told me that they grade the position of the tongue-tie on a scale of 1-4 with 1 being attached closest to the teeth and 4 being attached farther back. Evie was a 3 and Luke was a 2. Which explains why Evie bled more (deeper cut) and was more upset. Then Shari was in to check on us and then back to check on Luke.

After about 10-15 more min she finally fell asleep and I went into the room with Shari, Kerri, and Luke. We gave them some acetaminophen, and Shari said they'd probably have some pain for the next 24-48 hours, as well as a bit extra fussy.

As we were ready to head out and wrap things up, the receptionist asked, "will you be paying separate?" Are you kidding me? I was already shaken up over the ordeal, now I had to think about paying? So I said don't you just bill our insurance? "No, insurance doesn't cover this procedure." Uhh, okay, can you just send us a bill then? "No, sorry, we need payment today." So I slapped down our emergency credit card. We haven't used a credit card in probably 3 years. I almost was having buyer's remorse!

So, we head back, pick up the girls and head home. The rest of the night and all day yesterday were very frustrating and emotional for both Evie and I. It felt like she had no idea of how to nurse. She would bob on and off, take a couple sucks then shake her head back and forth as if she had no idea what to do with the nipple in her mouth. Then she'd cry for a minute or so before trying again. I was engorged and felt like she wasn't eating enough. I was depressed and physically spent. I had to pump a little to take the edge off.

Today, however, is already off to a better start. She is latching on with more confidence and suction and I feel like she is getting an adequate feeding. So far I am not engorged today. She seems happy.

Hopefully it was just the pain that was causing the difficulty for her. And perhaps also that her tongue was set free, so she had to get used to how to control the whole thing. Apparently Kerri was having the same issues with Luke, which make me feel better and that our troubles were all a normal part of the healing process.

Shari called today to check in on our progress. After reporting everything to her she assured me that everything sounds perfect. Phew!

I am going back down to the women's boutique on Friday to re-weigh and also to do a pre- and post-feeding weight to see how much she is taking in. Hopefully she'll gain again as well as be able to take in more ounces in a feeding.

I'll continue to let everyone know how she's doing. Thanks for the support!