Untangling Tongue Ties: A Lactation Consultant's Guide to Treating Breastfed Babies with Melanie Henstrom

In this episode, we had the pleasure of interviewing Melanie Henstrom, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) from Baby Bonds, who specializes in tongue ties and has helped close to 2,500 breastfeeding dyads.

During our conversation, we delved into various topics, including: 

• Common symptoms of ties and why they are so often missed or ignored by other healthcare providers
• How to spot ties, when to treat them, and how to find great providers to help
• Melanie’s background in various bodywork modalities, such as Infant Massage, Rhythmic Movements, Craniosacral Therapy, and Craniosacral Fascial Therapy, and how these techniques can greatly improve tongue tie issues
• Some incredible outcomes she's had with challenging patient cases, showcasing her dedication to providing the best possible care for her clients
• Changes in healthcare over the last 5-10 years and Melanie’s predictions for the future of tongue tie assessment & treatment

A glance at this episode:

• [4:35] How Melanie got into the IBCLC field
• [10:03] What a tie release looks like after the procedure
• [14:49] What cranial sacral therapy is and how it works
• [22:07] The role of an IBCLC in treating ties
• [26:31] How to find a lactation consultant that accepts insurance
• [30:47] Melanie’s most rewarding patient story
• [35:07] Why you should treat the symptoms, not the diagnosis
• [39:41] Advice for parents with tongue tie issues
• [44:47] How to communicate your success with tongue tie treatment to your doctor

Related Links:

• Melanie’s Website
• Melanie’s Facebook
• Melanie’s Tongue Tie PDF

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Chapters

• 4:35 How Melanie got into the IBCLC field
• 10:03 What a tie release looks like after the procedure
• 14:49 What cranial sacral therapy is and how it works
• 22:07 The role of an IBCLC in treating ties
• 26:31 How to find a lactation consultant that accepts insurance
• 30:47 Melanie’s most rewarding patient story
• 35:07 Why you should treat the symptoms, not the diagnosis
• 39:41 Advice for parents with tongue tie issues
• 44:47 How to communicate your success with tongue tie treatment to your doctor