Supermodel Nicole Trunfio Finally Able To Breastfeed Her Son

Australian supermodel Nicole Trunfio was finally able to breastfeed her 5-month-old son Zion after having him undergo a paediatric dentistry surgery to aid him since he was born tongue- and lip-tied. A month ago, the new mom posed on the cover of Elle Australia carrying and breastfeeding her baby at the same time.

According to the Australian Breastfeeding Association, Tongue-tie occurs when a baby has a short and restrictive lingual frenulum, or the thin piece of skin located under the tongue. This condition affects about 5 percent of the population and makes it hard for the babies to suckle on their mothers’ breasts.

Lip-tie is almost the same except that it is the labial frenulum or the piece of skin under the upper lip, which is problematic by being very short or very thick. Some babies with the condition have no problem with suckling. However, those who do have mothers who suffer from nipple damage and mastitis or blocked milk ducts due to ineffective milk flow.

In fact, in an interview in Access Hollywood Live, Trunfio said that she experienced difficulty while breastfeeding. She had a natural birth and was hesitant against doing anything atypical to her baby; however, she was in so much pain and was crying and kicking her feet that she considered doing the surgery.

The procedure involves the snipping of the frenulum to enhance the baby’s ability to latch on and suckle. The supermodel clarified that the process only took a few minutes and that it did not hurt her baby a lot.

After the operation, Zion was able to breastfeed with an ease that surprised her. She looked at her fiancé asked if it was real since there was a remarkable improvement in the experience. She plans to breastfeed her baby for about a year, likening breast milk to liquid gold due its benefits to the babies. She was also grateful for the opportunity to be able to breastfeed since there are women who cannot.

Nicole is engaged to Zion’s father and her long-term partner, Grammy awardee Gary Clark Jr.

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