Tongue Tie
Tongue Tie
The Frenulum Lingua is a small piece of skin which attaches the bottom of your tongue to the bottom of your mouth. It helps stablise the tongue, making it easier to swallow and plays a role in eating as well as helping us shape sounds and words.
A small percentage of babies (around 3%) have a shorter than normal frenulum which ties their tongue more tightly to the mouth, making it more difficult for the baby to move their tongue. This can influence how well they can breast feed. Tongue tie varies from baby to baby and can be moderate to severe.
There are a number of signs your baby might have a tongue tie, but it is always best to confirm any observation with an assessment by a qualified Lactation. They will be able to determine if your baby has a tongue tie and if it is contributing to feeding issues.
These Signs Include
- Not being able to poke their tongue out
- The tip of the tongue has a v shape
- The tip of the tongue looks heart shaped
- The baby makes a clicky sound when trying to breast feed
- Your baby comes off the nipple often during feeding
- Your baby swallows a lot of air if you’re bottle feeding
- Has little weight gain
- Your nipple looks creased after feeding
Tongue tie can be addressed quite easily.
It involves a simple snip of the frenulum to free up the tongue. There is no need for a local anaesthetic. And it has a very low risk of complications.
Guy will consult with a lactation specialist to determine the severity of the tongue tie and to identify the best way to address the issue.
If you’d like further information – the Australian Breastfeeding Association has a very informative page which will help. (https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bf-info/tongue-tie)