Minor Tongue Tie, WWYD?

CopperT0p · January 2014

On the day he was born, my midwife and a consulting pediatrician noted that DS2 has a tongue tie. I was given the option that they could clip in then or I could wait and see how nursing went. Seeing as he was 6 hours old and DH was at home with a sick DS1 (so I was alone) I didn't feel prepared to make that decision on the spot. They gave me the option to get it done later if nursing became painful.

Here we are at 9 days and nursing has gone well to this point, although now I am starting to get a bit tender in the last day. I really have to work with him to get a deep latch, which can be a symptom of the tongue tie. I feel like I can work with it, but now I'm concerned I should have taken the tongue clip.

They mentioned there is some risk of speech impediment for those tongue tied children that don't get their tongue clipped.

Reflecting on what I just wrote, it looks like I should get it done, but I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around letting somebody cut my newborn. I'm worried as well that he will be in pain after having it done and that it could hurt him to nurse after.

For reading this far, here's a pic of Isaac at 8 days.

peanutmuse · January 2014

We are actually having the procedure done tomorrow. But ours is a serious tongue tie that will not resolve itself and caused significant weight loss and feeding issues. My understanding is that for lesser ones, there are massage techniques that can help. I would definitely suggest talking to your pedi about it and also possibly scheduling a consultation with an ENT and perhaps a lactation consultant whom you trust (the last one is optional, just throwing it out there if you do have someone). But do it soon -- if you end up having the procedure, it's like he'll have a whole new tongue and you basically have to start over with breastfeeding. That's a little more doomsday than I intended or than it actually is, but it is something to consider at least.

kosbo06 · January 2014

@CopperT0p
My dh and I are in the same boat. Gavin has a tongue tie, and I struggled with his latch. I have been pumping and we have been bottle feeding him for probably a week or so now. The LC we went to see said the growth spurts he will go through can help, but she still recommends we get it clipped. Dh and I do not want to do it, so we are not going to. It would be a different story if the tie was severe, but it's not so I can't see a reason for putting him through that. Stick with what you feel is right, that's what our plan is at this point. All that matters to me is that he is getting breast milk.

CopperT0p · January 2014

@peanutmuse - the pedi that consulted on it with my midwife is one that works in an office with an LC and he's known in our town as "the breastfeeding doctor". I trust his opinion on it more than any other pedi in our town. He didn't try to push me either way, he said he could do it if I wanted, but that I could try without. DS2 has done well with weight gain so far, but I do worry a bit about long term supply issues it might cause. He lost 9oz between birth and day 3, then gained 7oz between day 3 and 5. We haven't had him weighed since, but I would expect he's still gaining since my milk came in around day 4/5.

@kosbo06 - I wish pumping was a practical solution, but I am not a great pumper. I can get some but not enough (from experience with DS1).

peanutmuse · January 2014

@CopperT0p -- how much did he weigh at birth?

CopperT0p · January 2014

@peanutmuse - Isaac was 7lb 11oz at birth. He went down to 7lb 2oz, then was up to 7lb 9oz by day 5.

peanutmuse · January 2014

CopperT0p said:

@peanutmuse - Isaac was 7lb 11oz at birth. He went down to 7lb 2oz, then was up to 7lb 9oz by day 5.

So that's 8% of body weight and it resolved itself pretty quickly. This is definitely one of those tricky situations. I really don't have any advice beyond to follow your gut.

FWIW, Brennon's weight at birth was 6lbs 15oz and went down to 6lbs 2.5oz -- which is a loss of a little more than 11%. We're at day 6 and he's at 6lbs 4.5oz, so he's just out of the not good range of >10% loss, and that's with a super aggressive feeding plan. I don't want to supplement with formula and I don't want him to have a speech problem. His is a very clear serious tongue tie. It was an easy decision for us.

MrsBackflipDudley · January 2014

I'm mostly a huge lurker, but I was due Jan 28. Ended up having baby at 34w3d and he was tongue tied. He weighed 6lb3oz at birth but dropped to 5lb10oz because he couldn't latch & didn't know how to eat well anyways being early. We had it done while he was in NICU. He did not bleed at all and started nursing so much better right away. They actually got to take his feeding tube out after we had it done. I think he was away from me for 15 minutes total getting it done. FWIW I was tongue tied at birth and the pedi didn't clip me right away, he said it was fine. They ended up having to do it when I was 13 months old and my mom said it was way more traumatic having to knock out a 13 month old & it required stitches (of course I don't remember it). I would go ahead and get it done

MarkandAbbi · January 2014

We just had the clip done yesterday for our LO. (1 week old for procedure) she latched well prior to the clip. I had no pain in feeding. She was born at 7lb 4 oz. went down to 6lb 12 oz and at the appt for the procedure she was 7lb even. The tip of her tongue is heart shaped and the LC told us it was a possibility that although she fed great now, that could diminish over the next few months and also there was potential speech impediment later on.

The procedure was quick, however it did bleed a lot. She clipped the frenulum and then as she was handing her to me to put to breast she started screaming and the blood started pouring out. The LC took her back and applied pressure and let her calm down a bit and then we started feeding again. (FWIW she was screaming and upset prior to since they recommend to not feed for 1-2 hours prior to appt so they will go straight to feed). There was never a point I was ever concerned for her and it seemed more like the restraint was more upsetting then the actual procedure.

She has had some trouble nursing last night and today. But it's more because she has full use of her tongue now and isn't quite sure what to do. I've found that by putting some breast milk on a finger and letting her start sucking then transferring her to breast works out the easiest for her.

Even after seeing what my LO went through I would still have it done, for us the benefits outweighed the risks.

Good Luck.

Kyliefmaddex · January 2014

We did it today and our son is absolutely fine - barely cried and had forgotten all about it less than 5 minutes later. Much harder on the mommy than the baby, for sure.

jblank03 · January 2014

Kyliefmaddex said:

We did it today and our son is absolutely fine - barely cried and had forgotten all about it less than 5 minutes later. Much harder on the mommy than the baby, for sure.

THIS. My LO had lost over 13% of his weight before figuring out what the problem was, so it was a no-brainer for us. While they said it technically wasn't a severe tongue tie, the thought of him not being able to lick an ice cream cone, stick his tongue out or french kiss also made the decision easy.

We had an ENT do the procedure and they even said I could hold him while he clipped it but I didn't trust myself so an assistant did it. My husband and I were right there, and it did bleed but Noah gets more upset by cold wipes during a diaper change! I nursed him immediately and everything was good

Where he got the clipping done, the area turned a white/yellow color a couple of days later which we called about and is TOTALLY normal, just in case you decide to get it done and experience this.

BettyRu · January 2014

So... I figure that I, myself, am tongue tied. I'm assuming it is when the little tendon on the bottom of the tongue goes almost to the tip of the tongue. I was formula fed, so I'm also assuming that's why I have this little tongue.

Basically it makes for an interesting conversation when you get older, like "stick out your tongue", uh... "it is out". Pretty funny. No other real concerns though. I don't mind it.

You'll probably get REAL frustrated when your toddler/kid has a soar throat and you ask them to "stick out your tongue"... for goodness sake do not say to the "stick it out FARTHER"... they CAN'T!!!!

That's my story!

ac1259 · January 2014

My first DD was tongue tied and it was clipped when she was 5 days old. She cried but it seemed like it was more cause they were holding her down and she calmed quickly afterwards and attempted to nurse. Didn't really seem to cause any lasting pain. Personally, I would've had it done ASAP- my DD1 never latched after 5 days of being bottle fed and then just refused.

LabPupLuv · January 2014

My baby had a mild tongue tie too. I thought bf ing was going well because he would suck and then fall asleep at the breast milk drunk. Yet, a few days later my nipples were so sore, one had scabs. Landon lost more than 10% of his body weight and I learned to my horror that he wasn't getting any of the nutrition that I thought he was! The procedure to snip the membrane took 2 seconds. It was so fast, I missed it and I was standing right there. No anesthetic is necessary because there are no nerve endings in the membrane. I am in the process of trying to grow back my milk supply that had been drying up when I believed I was bf ing but really wasn't. I may never be able to fully bf without supplements now. Btw, he always had the perfect latch from the start, even the LCs were impressed with it. Don't let that have you think all is well.

During this whole process, I learned that I am mildly tongue tied too. The doctor first noticed because of my faint lisp and confirmed by looking in my mouth. I saw speech pathologists when I was a child to try and fix it and none of them ever looked into my mouth. An easy, painless snip could have saved me a childhood of nasty teasing and continued remarks, and mine is mild! Please consider snipping his. He'll never know it happened and tho you'll never know if would have even suffered from speech issues had you not, your LO will never have to relearn how speak in case he does.

CopperT0p · January 2014

Thanks everybody for your input. We've decided we will go ahead with it. I noticing that I have a hard time getting him to have a deep latch, he's not shallow, but half way. I think that's where my nipple pain is coming from. He always pulls back on me when I get him on a deep latch.

I called my midwife and she is getting us in today or tomorrow hopefully with the pedi that is the best at clipping in our town.

As was mentioned, I'm sure the process will be more traumatic and memorable for me than DS2. Time to put on my big girl panties.

peanutmuse · January 2014

@CopperT0p -- we had it done today. Best decision ever. The whole procedure took less than 30 seconds. He cried while they were holding his head then fell asleep literally 10 seconds after it was done. We were nursing 30 minutes later and he was practicing sticking out his new tongue. I think you will be pleased with your choice.

I was also worried and had my husband hold the baby's hands. But now all I feel is relief.

CopperT0p · January 2014

@peanutmuse - My midwife called and is hoping we can get in tomorrow, or possibly see this doctor at the hospital as he is on-call there certain days. I just took him in for a weight check and he is up to 8lb 9oz, so he's gained 1lb in 5 days. This tongue tie doesn't seem to be effecting his weight gain at all which I'm grateful for. I do worry about the long term effect on my supply. I nursed DS1 for 2 years and hope to do the same for DS2.

gina0485 · January 2014

Thanks for posting this @coppert0p. My son has a mild tongue tie and our pedi recommended against the snip because he's been feeding so well but we've had a challenging last 72 hours regarding latching and I'm wondering if the tongue tie is the issue.

CopperT0p · January 2014

@blondie7385 - That's crazy the hospital didn't notice it. I was out of the hospital within 7 hours after he was born, but my midwife watched him nurse twice and my nurses required me to show them two nursing sessions as well before we were released. My midwife noticed it the first time I nursed. She thought he looked like he was pulling back, then when I was done skin to skin time and they took him to weigh him, she checked out his tongue and noticed the tie.

jblank03 · January 2014

blondie7385 said:

My son has a minor tongue tie and a really bad lip tie. We go back to the per on Feb 11 so I am going to bring it up. No one noticed in the hospital, which makes me angry since he would hardly latch most of the time and I ended up quitting breastfeeding because of his weightless and my dislike of pumping. I'm really hoping that the ped will be on board with us getting it taken care of.

This happened to us too. LO lost 13% of his body weight and it was a different hospital where an LC took one look at Noah and told us he was tongue tied. I was so angry that the multiple nurses, peds and 2 LC's where I delivered never thought to check this! How is that not on a checklist?! He latched ok which apparently is all they looked for but clearly he still wasn't eating effectively.

twobluelines · January 2014

Our baby has a minor tongue tie, significant weight loss and in weighed feedings consumes no milk but the doctors won't clip her tongue because they don't believe it is an issue even though all the lactation counselors do. It is so frustrating.

gina0485 · January 2014

If you haven't seen an ENT specialty doctor, see one!

CopperT0p · January 2014

Isaac had his tongue tie clipped yesterday and it went smoothly. He didn't like being held down and stopped crying as soon as they handed him back to me. Since then I have been working on getting a deeper latch. I'm noticing less pain already on my left side which was due to his latch.

bellamatson · January 2014

Maddox was born at 6 pounds 6 oz and dropped to 5 pounds 9 oz by 2-3 days old. I started bottle feeding him and pumping which made a whole big difference

Want a personalized experience?

Minor Tongue Tie, WWYD?

Re: Minor Tongue Tie, WWYD?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards