Any tongue tie experts on here?

[withorwithoutyou]

Prob not possible to diagnose from a photo but I wondered if anyone could give it a shot?

Have always wondered if DD2 has some degree of tongue tie - the m/w thought not but wasn't exactly thorough.

Have put some pics on profile if anyone wants to give their opinion.

Thanks!

Is her tongue heart-shaped? I can't see from the photos. That's usually an indication.

Not really heart shaped, I don#t think its a very pronounced tie if there is one at all. But there's quite a pronounced dividing line throuh the tip, if that makes anyt sense.

The second picture - is that as far as she can get her tongue out? Not that its easy to tell with a little one.

Yes, that's as far as it will go.

Looks like a tongue tie to me... I'm not an expert, just someone with an interest in it.

In the first photo I can see a definite strand at the back - if its at the far back they are called posterior. In the second it seems to be creating a dividing line right along the top of her tongue.

I have been told that it is very, very common: on a bf training day when we all stuck our tongues out at each other (!) it seemed to be those without that were in the minority.

Are you having difficulties bf with what MWs tell you is good positioning and attachment?

Gorgeous girl btw!

There's a really good website:
www.tonguetie.co.uk that have some pictures with tongue tie. I'm not sure looking at the photos.
Have you had any problems with feeding or any other problems???

Ah, thank you processyc!

With both my girls we had issues of constant feeding and never getting full. My DD1 was bigger at birth and lost 20 per cent of b/w in 5 days.

DD2 only lost 9 per cent but she was feeding for hours and hours and hours and getting frustrated and upset.

I've been told TT can be genetic so wondered if they both had it.

I am mixed feeding DD2 now (as I did with DD1) but still v curious as to whether it's a tongue tie issue - she never takes in much of the breast although things have improved as she's obviously got bigger.

I mean things have improved as her mouth has got bigger.

Fingeroffudge, thanks I will look.

Ok, her tongue looks very like the pic on the right on that website.

(second set of pics, not the ones at the top)

yes I think if also there was the constant feeding and never seeming satisfied then it could be quite likely she does have a degree of tongue tie.
There are different types of tongue tie btw, but I could go on for hours about it, but won't as you probably know anyway!!
How old is she??

She's 14 weeks now, is it too late to do anything about it if it is tongue tie?

She is probably on about 50 per cent formula 50 per cent breast milk at the moment.

some hospitals will divide tongue tie up to 12 weeks, some until 4 months, so depending on where you live it may or may not be too late. This is another good article:
www.babyfriendly.org.uk/page.asp?page=152

I suppose if there was a hospital who divides tongue tie (there are more places that do it than are listed on the baby friendly website by the way) then they could have a look at it anyway, even if you or they didn't necessarily want it divided.
I think the ongoing problems aren't that common, sometimes it takes longer to wean onto solids.

This is all from personal experience (well DS3's)

Thank you.

Not sure about getting a referral - m/w said she didn't have it. Wonder if GP would be a better route.

or ask a health visitor, hmm, perhaps GP is best!
Whereabouts are you??

Sorry, may not reply til tomorrow, need my sleep, DS3 has had tonsillitis all week and I've been up to him very frequently during the last 6 nights!!

Ok, thanks so much finger of fudge.

We're in bucks - mky HV isn't all that great with b/f but not holdin g out much hope for GP either!

Hope DS3 feels better soon btw

My DD had a tongue tie. She had it snipped at 5 weeks. Made such a huge difference in her nursing. She went from constantly feeding and needing winding, to feeding like a star and actually sleeping for longer than 10 minute naps. She could not get a proper latch, so she would be constantly gulping in air, could feel her sliding back a lot and gumming the nipple. The first five weeks were awful, 23 hours a day of feeding and winding her!

The gp, hv and mw were of little help. I went to the Infant Feeding Coordinator at the local hospital, and within the week we were referred and she had it snipped. The difference was huge!

I believe that up to 8 months old, they can still snip it without a GA. DD did not even have a Local, a quick snip, then a feed and she was fine.

It does look like she has some degree of tongue tie. I have one, but not as severe as my DD's was, and my Mam stopped bfing me at 2 weeks old due to problems she had.

I had to fight to get her tongue sorted, was only due to an awful lot of support and help from another forum I use I got anywhere, they found me numbers, even got in touch with people and generally saved our breastfeeding relationship. As DD was putting on weight fine at that point, and I oddly had no pain, then they did not see it as a problem. The fact she fed or screamed in pain due to wind for 23 hours a day and was slowly driving me up the wall were irrelevant.

These are the links I was given, sorry if I am repeating any already given.

www.babyfriendly.org.uk/page.asp?page=154

guidance.nice.org.uk/IPG149

www.lcgb.org/images/shop/Tongue_Tie_Leaflet.pdf

It does look like she might have a tongue-tie - possibly a posterior one. I don't know of any TT specialists in Bucks off the top of my head (although I'm sure there are plenty of people who would snip it privately), but if you are anywhere near Luton there's a bf clinic that assesses TT at Luton & Dunstable hospital.

You can find more TT info here

The NCT BF helpline may have info too: 0300 330 0771 (8am?10pm)

She's a cutie :)

Hi, it doesn't look like it because most babies with one can't stick their tongue out beyond their lip. How old is she?
Nothing is usually done if babies are feeding well, bottle fed and over 12 weeks. They only consider it if there are problems such as excessive dribbling in toddlers/ speech delay.

Browneyesblue thats a good idea as well, but you could also ask a HV, GP but as I said it isn't often they will do something as under 12 weeks its very simple, after that it requires surgery.

Thank you,will call Luton as that's not too far.

I am sorry I cannot help, but your little one is utterly yummy! Sorry for frivolous post, couldn't help myself.

thanks anonymousbird

I would say yes, looks like tongue tie (my DS had one).

It wasn't picked up at birth despite me asking several people several times.

GP was next to useless, said as I was a SaLT I probably knew more about it than he did, and that in our area the NHS wouldn't do anything unless it was causing problems with feeding - by that point I was expressing full time as surprise surprise DS couldn't latch - or talking at age 3/4.

In the end had it done privately at 16 weeks, was in the consultant's office for 20 mins, no anaesthetic or anything needed, cost £150.