Heidi Wicks

Drs. Tiffany Lee and Laurie Twells received $18,800 from the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) for their work on the topic of ankyloglossia (tongue-tie) and infant nutrition. 

With a special focus on the assessment and management of tongue-tie, the local context of breastfeeding support and services in Newfoundland and Labrador will be discussed. 

“NL has the lowest breastfeeding rate in Canada and it is so very important to support mothers who want to breastfeed. Breast milk is the ideal food for the healthy growth and development of infants, providing all necessary energy and nutrients,” explained Dr. Lee.

“Tongue-tie has been linked to infant feeding difficulties and early cessation of breastfeeding. We want to better understand the potential impact tongue-tie can have on breastfeeding, as well as the psychosocial impacts on the infant and parent feeding relationship.

The Breastfeeding Research Group, led by Dr. Twells is conducting a longitudinal birth cohort study called Feeding Infants in Newfoundland and Labrador. The objective is to examine what determines the intent to breastfeed as well as what makes mothers continue or discontinue.

“Preliminary findings show that tongue-tie is a relatively common problem which presents significant challenges for the mother-infant breastfeeding dyad, said, Dr. Twells. “In fact, approximately 5% of respondents who had intended to breastfeed pointed to tongue-tie as a serious problem affecting their breastfeeding experience. Some of the things the mothers noted were difficulty latching, sore nipples, pain, inadequate milk transfer, low milk supply and poor weight gain in the infant.”

These findings coupled with Dr. Lee’s own personal challenges with breastfeeding an infant with tongue-tie have sparked interest in exploring the potential impacts of tongue-tie on feeding.

Drs. Twells and Lee are also currently supervising a graduate student (Faculty of Medicine, Clinical Epidemiology) who is conducting a qualitative study looking at mothers’ experiences and emotional wellbeing.

Public forum being held

With the funding, a research forum and public engagement event will be held on Sept. 28 and 29 at the Suncor Energy Fluvarium, titled, “Identifying Areas for Future Research and Clinical Management Strategies.”

“We will have local, national and international speakers discuss a number of relevant topics, including the experiences of a breastfeeding mother, an evaluation of the current evidence and a discussion on where we go from here, and much more," said Dr. Lee.

On Sept. 28, a public forum will be held. Families who have been affected by tongue-tie are strongly encouraged to attend.

“The parents will listen to a presentation about understanding the myths and facts of tongue-tie and its’ potential impact on breastfeeding, and they can then discuss their feeding frustrations, ask questions and receive information on where we go from here."

Event title: It takes a village: Working together to support the challenges for breastfeeding families living with tongue-tie

Date: Wednesday, Sept. 28
Time: 6:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Location: Suncor Energy Fluvarium, St. John's, NL 

Speakers:

• Dr. John Fayad, Dentist at Chapman Mills Dental, Ottawa
• Dr. James Murphy, Private Practice Pediatrician in Solana Beach, California (specializing in breastfeeding medicine)
• Edith Kernerman, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and Clinician in Toronto; co-founder of the International Breastfeeding Centre (IBC)
• Dr. Jessica Bishop, family physician with Eastern Health and Assistant Professor at Memorial University (specialty in prenatal and obstetrical care, as well as breastfeeding and newborn care)
• Janet Fox-Beer, International Board Certified lactation consultant and public health nurse with Eastern Health

Snacks and refreshments will be provided. Space is limited.

Please RSVP by Sept. 21 at http://tonguetiepublicengagement.eventbrite.ca. 

For more information, please contact Jillian Waterman.