Pune doctors help newborn with unique condition feed again with timely laser treatment

A joyful and effortless bonding experience between a mother and her newborn recently became a challenging journey marked by feeding difficulties discomfort and concerns about the babys growth due to a unique conditionDiagnosed with tonguetie at birth the infant struggled to latch properly during breastfeeding making feeding painful for the mother and affecting the babys ability to gain weightHowever doctors in Pune came to the rescue to help the child and mother THe multidisciplinary team comprising Dr Abhinav Talekar paediatric dentist Dr Abhimanyu Sengupta senior consultant paediatrician and Amrita Desai lactation consultant at Ankura Hospital conducted a carefully planned laserassisted tonguetie release The procedure led to an immediate improvement in breastfeeding bringing immense relief and reassurance to the family while supporting the babys healthy growth and developmentThe couple were delighted after the birth of their first baby boy Unfortunately shortly after birth the baby was diagnosed with tonguetie condition in which the tissue connecting the tongue to the floor of the mouth restricts tongue movement The infant had difficulty latching during breastfeeding produced a clicking sound while feeding and struggled to feed effectively The mother also experienced discomfort and pain during breastfeeding The doctors closely monitored the babyrsquos feeding pattern and growthDr Talekar immediately initiated myofunctional exercises to improve tongue mobility and support better feeding Despite consistent efforts and conservative management the infant continued to face feeding challenges and showed inadequate weight gain After a detailed assessment and exhausting myofunctional exercises the team decided to proceed with a laserassisted tonguetie and liptie release under local anaesthesiaThe Punebased health dentist said ldquoTonguetie can affect an infantrsquos ability to breastfeed effectively When a baby is unable to move the tongue freely it can lead to poor latch prolonged feeding sessions maternal discomfort and inadequate weight gain In many cases conservative measures such as feeding support myofunctional exercises and lactation guidance can be helpful However when these approaches do not provide adequate improvement timely intervention becomes important to support both the babys growth and the mothers breastfeeding journeyrdquoHe further added ldquoIn this case we worked closely with the family and a multidisciplinary team to ensure that every possible nonsurgical option was explored before considering the procedure Following the laserassisted tonguetie and liptie release we observed an immediate improvement in the babyrsquos latch and feeding ability After assessment from a Lactation Consultant and Paediatrician tonguetie release was done with the help of a laser exclusively designed for infants in painless and bloodless form Over the following days feeding became more efficient maternal discomfort reduced significantly and the baby began gaining weight appropriately Seeing a baby feed comfortably and a mother regain confidence in breastfeeding is immensely rewarding The procedure was completed successfully and the mother was encouraged to breastfeed immediately afterward The improvement was noticeable from the very first feed In the days that followed feeding became smoother and more effective allowing the infant to receive adequate nutrition and continue growing healthily Baby was discharged immediately in one hour after establishing latch and training the mother for the same Our focus remains on delivering compassionate specialized care that supports both children and parents throughout their healthcare journeyrdquoldquoWhen we welcomed our baby we never imagined that something as natural as breastfeeding would become such an emotional struggle Watching our baby struggle to feed and not gain enough weight was heartbreaking and it left us feeling anxious and helpless Thanks to the doctors and lactation consultant at Ankura Hospital our baby can now feed comfortably and we finally have the peace of mind and confidence we had been hoping for We are grateful for the timely care and support that changed our babys early journey for the better said the babyrsquos parentsEarly diagnosis and collaborative care can make a meaningful difference in a childrsquos development and wellbeing during the critical early stages of a babyrsquos life