Breastfeeding Experiences and Changes in Feeding Plans Among Parents of Infants Diagnosed With Tongue-Tie

To explore parents' plans for infant feeding before birth and their perceptions of feeding success in light of tongue-tie diagnosis for their infants.

A qualitative descriptive study design using content and thematic analysis was used.

A dental office in Massachusetts with parent-neonate dyads undergoing infant frenotomy procedures.

Twenty-five parents between the ages of 27 and 40 years with infants from 1 week to 28.6 weeks of age were surveyed.

Data were collected in an electronic survey using the Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) data capture tool.

Content analysis of the data from surveys showed themes that correspond to parents' plans for feeding before birth and the ways in which feeding plans or goals may have changed based on the presence of infant tongue-tie. Themes were categorized into three main categories: feeding plans and breastfeeding goals before birth, the parent's experience with breastfeeding an infant with tongue-tie, and how plans or goals changed because of perceived challenges with tongue-tie.

Findings suggest that there are challenges feeding infants with tongue-tie and that feeding plans may change as a result of those challenges. Implications for further research and practice include exploring how these perceptions and challenges affect the maternal role, success for individuals wishing to breastfeed, and parental self-confidence.