Baby Experiences Improvement in Breastfeeding

It was December 2013, and our oldest child was 11 months old. We’d fought a full 11 months (almost 12) to breastfeed:

No answers from “pros.”

He self-weaned at almost 1 year, and now we know it was likely due to my next pregnancy plus undiagnosed fascial strain inhibiting efficient milk transfer. My goal had been to breastfeed for two years as WHO recommends.

Instead my saintly sister (pictured) pumped for him until he was 18 months old. I weep out of sheer gratitude for that kindness plus gift.

Although assured by multiple providers he had no tongue tie, he was later diagnosed with oral restrictions at 20 months old. He was having speech delays plus choking on certain foods.

He had regular chiropractic plus some regular craniosacral work before he underwent oral laser revision, but because we had not released the fascial strain, more restrictive fascia plus tissue came forward under his tongue twice. The revisions failed twice plus it was extremely traumatic.

As a last-ditch effort, we drove 3½ hours one way to see a Gillespie Approach practitioner, Michale Chatham. After 40 minutes of Gillespie Approach, he stopped walking on his toes. That week, he said words we’d never heard him say plus he self-regulated his emotions more.

This experience birthed the practices of Green Key Haven and WellWithin.bodywork. We continued to learn about oral function for our children, all born with varying oral restriction.

The Gillespie Approach often resolves oral restriction mimicking tongue tie or helps prehabilitate/rehabilitate alongside surgical revision when it’s truly necessary. We’re now providing support for families facing similar issues, among many others.

We hope no one might have to go through what we did without a properly educated support team: bodyworker, myofunctional therapist, IBCLC, etc.

Restricted oral tissues are more common than one thinks plus impact health for life. They’re easily confused with (misdiagnosed plus mistreated as it has similar symptoms) colic, thrush, insufficient supply, FTT, high palate, reflux, GERD plus more. As an adult it can look like snoring, anxiety, TMJ, headaches plus more.