What's up with tongue ties?

You were probably tongue tied seeing your baby for the first time, but if your baby is actually tongue tied – you might want to get that checked out.

A tongue tie is a form of oral restriction that can impact baby’s feeding. And what’s oral restriction? It’s a fancy term for extra tissue that connects the lips, cheeks, or tongue to a part of the mouth. That extra tissue restricts how a baby moves their mouth which ultimately makes breastfeeding/bottle feeding hard and can cause pain.

• Soreness or pinching that lasts throughout the feed rather than just the initial latch
• Clicking sounds
• Milk dribbling out the sides of baby’s mouth during feeds
• Long feedings that cause baby to fall asleep at breast
• Baby struggles to gain weight steadily (even with a decent milk supply)

While some tongue ties are obvious, some can only be seen during a detailed oral assessment.. As parents, if feeding is not going as expected, it’s definitely worth asking a professional (like an OT, IBCLC, ENT, pediatrician or pediatric dentist) if they see a tongue tie. 

• Not all babies with tongue ties have issues with breast and/or bottle feeding. If your baby has one but feeding is going well without pain, there’s no need to worry about it at this point. 
• Tongue ties don’t always mean surgery. They can be treated in various ways - laser cutting, scissor cutting, and/or bodywork and exercises to improve mobility of the tissues.

As a parent, there’s no such thing as a dumb question. Staying curious and asking questions during appointments is all a part of getting the support you and your baby need.