What is a tongue tie?
Just like you, I never heard of a tongue tie until becoming a mom. So what exactly is a tongue tie? Kids Health states, “It’s when a band of tissue (frenulum) connects the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth, which keeps it from moving freely.”
Tongue ties can range from mild to severe. Some babies may have no issues at all and it can be left untreated. Others may have a more severe tongue tie that will need to be treated.
My son had an extremely hard time breastfeeding when he was an infant.
It honestly felt like I was nursing him 24/7 but I thought that was normal. When we went to his check-up, we were told he wasn’t gaining enough weight. This was completely unexpected and I really thought with all the breastfeeding he was doing he’d be right on track.
To hear he wasn’t gaining weight was like getting punched in the gut. I cried as soon as we got in the car. I was freaking out. He was already a tiny baby and now he isn’t gaining weight?! I felt like all that hard work and barely sleeping was to feed my baby and make him healthy.
The worst part was, that the pediatrician really didn’t seem to get to the issue as to why he wasn’t gaining weight. She just told me I’d probably have to supplement with formula and I should see a lactation consultant.
I followed her advice and saw a lactation consultant and thank God I did. When we went in for our visit, she wanted to see how he breastfed. After that, she looked into his mouth. She immediately said he has a tongue tie. Very confused, I asked what that was and what that has to do with breastfeeding.
How does a tongue tie affect breastfeeding?
A tongue tie can affect breastfeeding because the baby can’t get a good latch on the nipple. “Symptoms of tongue tie can include a weak latch, easy loss of latch, gumming or biting the nipple, and nipple pain or injury in breastfeeding moms.”
My son did always lose his latch and sometimes he did gum my nipple. But as a first-time mom, I thought this was all normal.
We talked about how we can treat his tongue tie. She recommended I see either a child dentist who specialized in this or an ENT doctor.
I first went to the dentist who suggested using a laser to cut the frenulum. Then, I went to the ENT doctor who said he could use a scalpel to cut the frenulum. These both sounded horrible. But we decided to go with the ENT doctor because it seemed quicker as far as the procedure and the recovery.
The procedure was done in an outpatient facility. And it lasted about 5 minutes. I was able to breastfeed him as soon as he was done to comfort him.
What happens if a tongue tie is left untreated?
Leaving a severe tongue tie untreated can cause failure to thrive in infants as it affects breastfeeding. As children get older, it can cause speech issues.
I’m extremely grateful for the lactation consultant I saw. Without her, we wouldn’t have been able to continue breastfeeding and would’ve ended up using formula.
When I told my son’s pediatrician the lactation consultant said he had a tongue tie she almost snickered. She said that’s what most lactation consultants would say when a baby is struggling with breastfeeding.
Both the ENT doctor and the dentist agreed my son did indeed have a tongue tie. So needless to say, we did not go back to that pediatrician. Always advocate for yourself and your baby.
Tongue ties seem really scary but they can be treated and there are no long-lasting effects. Your little baby will be ok! 
