You’ve seen me mention it a couple of times already, and you may have even heard it on those moms group you are in, that your baby or someone else’s baby may have a tongue tie. So what is a tongue tie? As Mayo Clinic states, “a tongue-tie is a condition present at birth that restricts the tongue’s range of motion.”If you lift up your tongue as far as you can, you should see a piece of skin that connects the base of our tongue to the bottom of your mouth. This is called a lingual frenulum. Some people are born with them more prominent than others. Some may not develop any issues from it and others may have some from birth.
Are you unsure if your baby has a tongue-tie? Here are some symptoms that may point to a tongue-tie that needs to be evaluated, and possibly corrected. Baby’s symptoms can include:
-A tongue looks like a heart shape or appears short or misshapen when lifted
-Reflux or colic
-Difficulty latching
-Excessive drooling
-Gassy
-Poor weight gain
-Makes a clicking noise while sucking
-Gumming or chewing nipples-Choking on milk
-Popping off the breast to gasp for air
-Frequent nursing that doesn’t improve
Parent’s symptoms:
-Cracked, bleeding or blistered nipples
-Discomfort while nursing
-Clogged milk ducts
-Nipples appear flattened after baby unlatches
-Compromised milk supply
-Thrush
-Mastitis
If you and/or your baby have any of these symptoms, it is worth getting an evaluation. It is important to know that a lot of pediatricians are not experts when it comes to tongue-ties. It is best to see someone who has a lot of experience and training, including an IBCLC. Once properly diagnosed then you can get an evaluation to see if the tongue tie needs to be released.
If you would like me to help you figure out if your baby has a tongue-tie and give you more information on where you can find a place that can properly treat it (and how!) please don’t hesitate to contact me! I would love to help you and your baby have an amazing breastfeeding relationship!
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