Tongue Tied

A baby who is tongue tied can make for a nursing mom with nipple pain or injury when trying to breastfeed.

The linguinal frenulum is the little tad under the tongue that is normally loose. But is less than 10% of newborns, it is tight and can be attached all the way to the tip of the tongue. (there is also a frenulum at the upper lip but that one rarely causes breastfeeding problems)

In order to breastfeed effectively without nipple pain, the baby needs to thrust their tongue forward while sucking in order to draw the nipple deeply into the mouth. With Ankyloglossia, they are unable to do this because of the tight frenulum.

What can be done about Ankyloglossia?

In most cases a simple procedure called a frenectomy or frenuloplasty is performed in the newborn nursery soon after birth. This is a minimally invasive procedure where the frenulum is clipped with a pair of special scissors. It will bleed 2-5 drops of blood and the baby is able to nurse immediately after the procedure. The babies do not like being held still for the procedure but often stop crying immediately after you finish and blanket them.

Here is a video of the procedure:

If you believe your baby has a tight frenulum, then talk to your doctor or lactation consultant about treatment options, and if he/she does not wish to do the procedure, you can find a oral surgeon or ear nose and throat doctor who might be willing to provide care.

My current recommendation for my clients is to be evaluated by a pediataric dentist who does laser treatments.

Don't want to do the frenotomy? In some mild cases, the baby is able to nurse effectively with no treatment at all. In other cases, the baby can nurse with a nipple shield, while in some cases the baby will not be able to latch until the frenulum is released.

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