Does My Baby Have an Oral Tie?
Breastfeeding is one of your goals, but it seems like nothing is going right. You may have nipple pain from a bad latch, your baby may not be gaining weight as expected, or this just may not be the beautiful experience you had dreamed of.
Cue the feelings of defeat…
As lactation consultants, we can say with full confidence that we wish oral ties were discussed more often. Oral ties affect 5-20%of newborns, with an increased frequency in boys. Ties can be genetic and cause life-long issues.
Tongue and oral ties are often missed due to inexperienced providers who miss the signs or downplay the role of ties in infant feeding. But what exactly is the role of a tie in infant feeding? Keep reading to find out!
To put it simply, there’s a lot of movement and coordination that goes into breastfeeding.
In order to breastfeed well, babies have to open their mouths wide and keep their lips flanged to create a seal.
Then, they must extend their tongue past their lips, hold the nipple and areola with the cupping of the tongue, all the while the tongue is moving in a wave motion that creates a vacuum in the infant's mouth and pulls milk out of the breast. Waaa-laa! Bon Appé-titty.
When a baby has an oral tie, there is tension from a lip or tongue frenula. Whether the frenula is too short or too thick or just not in a good position, these abnormalities can cause a lot of problems for baby and mama.
If you’re worried your baby has an oral tie, here’s what you should look out for:
Nipple pain and damage
Clicking sounds while breast or bottle feeding
Very frequent feeds
Fussy baby
Sleepy baby at the breast or bottle
Slow or no weight gain
Don’t forget these sneaky signs that are often missed:
Reflux in baby
Excessive gas in baby
Oversupply in mom
Frequent clogged ducts or mastitis in mom
Leaking milk at corner of lips while breast or bottle feeding
Baby choking or sputtering at breast or bottle
Long feed times at breast or bottle
Torticollis or asymmetrical head shaping
If you or your baby is experiencing several of these symptoms, it’s time to find a provider that can offer a functional oral assessment and provide referrals for revision. A good assessment looks like extensive history taking, a feeding assessment, and a lengthy oral evaluation with a headlamp and gloves that tests many different reflexes and movements of the mouth.
If you suspect your baby has oral ties, or exhibits any of these symptoms, it’s important to contact us for an evaluation. Early intervention can help prevent any long-term impacts a tie may have on oral and facial development!
We perform oral assessments at our Springfield office. You can schedule your appointment online or by phone!
