What are peoples experiences on tongue tie division?

[Newbiemum21]

Is it worth it? Does it cause distress and is private better over NHS? We have an appointment at the Royal London Hospital and l'm apprehensive due to previous hospital experiences at Whipps Cross (different hospital and department, but same Trust). wouldn't want DD to go through any distress and she already has colic.

Definitely worth it in my opinion, DS finally started to follow his percentile and seemed like a different baby. No more painful breast feeding, feeds last between 8 & 12 minutes now instead of 45 minutes+. No more colic/reflux.

Can't comment on NHS vs Private as ours was NHS so no experience of private.

For DS it didn't seem to cause much stress at all, was a super quick process and he cried less than he did with his immunisations! He latched on and fed immediately after too.

Good luck op

We finally got our sons done at 7 weeks privately. Nhs went with the “see how you get on” approach which finally broke me after weeks of 45 minute feeds an hour apart.
So glad we did it, won’t lie he screamed blue murder for about 20 seconds while the lady popped some gauze (spelling?) in his mouth then he fed straight away and was fine. Little bit grouchy the next day. But feeding improved and I managed to breastfeed a few months longer. I was also worried about the potential for speech and weaning issues if we didn’t get it done.

My friend had her baby’s done and she said she didn’t even flinch during or after it. So think it depends on how bad it is and the baby.

My chunky 10 month old loves sticking his tongue out at me now and my friends baby’s weight gain has improved. No regrets!

Had my sons divided privately at 3 weeks old, his tongue was tucking underneath and feeding was a nightmare. He is bottle fed, more milk was coming out of his mouth than he was able to swallow so he was soaking at every feed and i was having to make up larger feeds than required to ensure he got some of what he needed.
According to my health visitor Glasgow doesn't do tongue divosion on NHS so I paid for it privately. It was expensive but worth it, immediately saw a change in feeding but also he was less gassy. It greatly improved over days and now at 8 months he's had no issues.
He didn't cry and it had a tiny dot of blood

We went private for speed as nhs was unhelpful locally (this was a long time ago) DS was 7 weeks.

Absolutely no regrets. Do it .

Yes, absolutely no regrets. Younger DD had this, I had to pursue it myself and got a private appointment. The consultant did the actual procedure under NHS in the end though. I think she was about 6 weeks when it was done, and it made a big difference pretty much straight away.
The procedure itself was really quick and didn't seem to bother her in the least.

We had it done when DC was around six weeks. NHS midwife did it. Very little fuss and made a huge difference to breastfeeding for both of us.

No regrets at all, massive improvement in feeding, able to stay on the breast and latch properly and all colic/ crying stopped immediately.

DS was 5 months when the dr finally diagnosed a tongue tie as being the issue with his feeding- health visitors had all failed to spot it and kept suggesting other reasons eg my letdown was too fast, he's a greedy baby etc ??!!.

Anyway, he had the snip at 5 or 6m old even with 2 teeth! He cried for about 2 seconds then latched on for a massive feed and fell asleep afterwards. Dr said there's no nerve endings where they cut so it doesn't hurt them.

So wish it had been done sooner!

I was advised that tongue tie is a trendy diagnosis and 20 years ago it wasn’t heard of. The specialist said in most cases surgery is an unnecessary trauma for the child and I shouldn’t allow it. So I didn’t. DS is four and perfectly healthy, none the worse for me refusing to let them poke him with a scalpel.

Sorry to be a neg, OP, but since you ask...?!

I really regret ours. Went private in north London on advice from lactation consultant. DS would have been 1 month or so, his weight gain had been dire. I was desperate to try to salvage BFing and so paid the £200 or so. The nurse who did it examined and said he had a double tie, and she snipped twice.

Well OMG he howled like nothing on earth. He wouldn't latch on the boob so I gave him a comfort bottle but had to finger feed through NG tube as he couldn't suck.

He never latched on my boob again - ever. It was the end of our BFing journey. I tried for weeks, he had craniosacral therapy, everything I could think of. Nada. Had to stop going to some baby groups because it was so sad that he would scream and push the boob away...

Now he's 4yo and has a lisp, SALT says every chance there's some damage to his tongue from over-zealous cutting. :(

Have a 10 month old who had similar weight gain issues and we mix fed until resolved but no way would I cut another child of mine, having had this experience. But obviously we were unlucky, you've got lots of positive reports up-thread! Just my 2 cents.

DD1 was done at 4 weeks after absolute agony for me. She briefly cried and latched on straight away. Solved all the feeding issues.

DD2 was done at 10 hours old. I'd specifically asked them to check, and they agreed to snip straight away. She was asleep- and didn't wake up.

Took seconds. Made a huge difference. I was a bit horrified though to be fair as they literally wrapped DS in a blanket lifted his tongue up and cut it with scissors... No pain relief. Then they just handed him back to me to breastfeed blood dripping from his mouth. He screamed for about 1min then it was like it hadn't happened. He was feeding better within 24 hours.

I don't regret getting two of mine done. We had it done on the nhs. One child took five weeks and my other three days. They were different trusts so I think it's a bit of a lottery. It massively improved feeding and my discomfort (torture) but if I'm honest it didn't massively improve colic (but didn't make it worse either).

Tongue ties have always been an issue and aren't a trendy diagnosis like a pp mentioned. I remember reading midwives would keep one nail sharp so they could snip it there and then...so I think safe practice has improved and it's recorded more.

@Delphinna

I was advised that tongue tie is a trendy diagnosis and 20 years ago it wasn’t heard of. The specialist said in most cases surgery is an unnecessary trauma for the child and I shouldn’t allow it. So I didn’t. DS is four and perfectly healthy, none the worse for me refusing to let them poke him with a scalpel.

I find that very interesting. After observing my dc3s issues with feeding, my mum realised that my brother (now mid-40s) had undiagnosed feeding issues. Potentially a tongue tie. He'd take up to an hour to drink a bottle and suffered awfully with colic. I don't think it's trendy, but rather that a lot of tongue ties were missed and/or not necessary to snip once bottle feeding became the norm. And a lot of the expertise was lost.

My experience is that I had 3 babies with problems bf. First two resolved with nipple shields, variety of positions and a LOT of patience until they figured out a technique that worked. Took about 6 weeks each. I do wonder about a more significant tt with my second though, because she was very slow to gain weight and quite an unsettled baby.

Third child had much more significant issues and her tongue actually couldn't make the movement to create enough force to squash the nipple and transfer milk. Took a while to diagnose because at first she was getting enough milk from my let down. But I knew there was something wrong when my supply dwindled.

Got the snip and felt horrific guilt and regret for the first 2-3 days. But within a week she went from a baby that couldn't latch to a baby exclusively breastfed. Feeds were quick and efficient and she became very settled.

Hers was a thick posterior tie - the snip site is very obvious in her as a 10 year old when she lifts her tongue. I vary between thinking - "oh, was it a mistake" to "I'm so glad we did that when she was a baby because she'd have bigger issues now trying to fix it"

No regrets.
Baby was struggling to feed from bottle and boob. Had it done privately at 3 weeks old because his Nhs appointment got cancelled due to covid.

I hope in the future that tongue tie should be snipped before leaving hospital

@Danikm151

No regrets. Baby was struggling to feed from bottle and boob. Had it done privately at 3 weeks old because his Nhs appointment got cancelled due to covid.

I hope in the future that tongue tie should be snipped before leaving hospital

Exactly the same here.

Interesting it bring considered trendy.

My mum and a midwife in the 60s. Back then if they spotted tongue tie, they dealt with it themselves.

I don't think it is trendy but I think that for a hood while it got overlooked.

I had a real struggle getting my daughter's recognised 16 yrs ago. I could see it was there, but I had to really push to get it noted on discharge records after birth I was told they didn't really do anything about it unless it caused a problem with speech! I was not impressed.

Her latch improved massively once it was snipped so I am glad I pushed for that.

Mum was a midwife, sorry!

DS was about 5/6 weeks old I think. Absolutely magical difference it was astonishing. Done through the NHS, tiny squawk then latched straight on for a feed and never looked back. No more supplementing absolutely adored breastfeeding, was definitely the right choice for us. We went on to breastfeed for four years which I never would have imagined happening but it just kept working and eventually he just stopped of his own accord, he was happy and I was happy

In contrast his older brother had an undiagnosed tongue tie (which I realised once my younger child was diagnosed). He breastfed for six months, mixed fed from about four weeks and it was a painful torturous experience for both of us. Looking back I can't believe we even made it to six months tbh. Put him onto bottles and it was a sigh of relief and the right choice at the time but I wish his tongue tie had been picked up. Having DS2's divided made me finally realise why people said breastfeeding could be so lovely and easy

Oh and interestingly, talking of genetic side of things from other posters. I also realised with DS's diagnosis that not only did older DS have an undiagnosed tt but so did I! And my mum always talked about how she struggled to feed me because I'd slide off and 'bite' her with my gums!

Cousins baby had this done elsewhere and feeding was very much improved afterwards.

I've previously worked at both Royal London and Whipps Cross. I don't know about the exact paediatric clinic you would visit, but Royal London is a much newer hospital (re-built 2012), whereas Whipps is much older. This shouldn't sway your choice, but I always found Royal London seemed to be nicer/newer and better IMO. Possibly due to it being more central and prestigious than Whipps, but also the perceived idea of it being cleaner (simply because it looks newer). I'm not saying the staff are worse at Whipps at all, but The Royal does seem to attract a different staff base IMO. Best of luck with your little one.

No regrets here, except that I didn't get my baby's one sorted sooner. Had a 75% posterior tongue tie and NHS wouldn't sort it, so went private. Before it was done, he would choke & go blue on occasion, to the point where ambulance called. NHS said it was a milk allergy (their default for this stuff) and even when my lovely GP fought for us to get it done on the NHS, the hospital wouldn't do it because baby was bottle fed. Ignored the breast nazis, and even my GP said to go private. Best thing I ever did!
Worry for those with less chutzpah and confidence than I have who get fobbed off.

Thanks all for posting your experiences, good and bad, really helpful. I suppose I also wonder if it's worth it considering I've been asked to express 8 times a day which I find impossible. My milk supply hasn't been great likely due to combination of my hospital experience, recovery and the tongue tie. DD is 5 weeks now, mainly on formula even though initial plan was BF

DS had his snipped at 9 weeks. Loads of blood but he fed straight away. I knew it was necessary because I'd fed my other children and I knew what it should feel like so I really pushed for it in spite of midwives and health visitors. Goodness knows what I would have done if he'd have been my first. My broken nipples and his colic were resolved within 24 hours. On the other hand, I know two people who had private lactation consultants tell them to get tongue tie snips that weren't necessary so it's a bit of a lottery.

No regrets. DS finally regained birth weight at 4 weeks, about 5 days after the division. The 24-36 hours after division were horrific. So much so DH went and bought formula. But DS eventually worked out what to do and that one formula feed was the only one he ever had.
DS2s tounge was asked about at birth, appointment booked sooner, and he wasn't half as painful to feed. I'd guess if he was my first I'd not have done anything about it, as he was possible to feed, but the division made an immediate improvement.

@Newbiemum21

Thanks all for posting your experiences, good and bad, really helpful. I suppose I also wonder if it's worth it considering I've been asked to express 8 times a day which I find impossible. My milk supply hasn't been great likely due to combination of my hospital experience, recovery and the tongue tie. DD is 5 weeks now, mainly on formula even though initial plan was BF

My supply with dd2 was awful by the time she got the diagnosis. There was nothing there - my breasts felt empty and no longer got full/engorged between feeds, and let down felt almost non-existent. There was barely half an ounce each side when I started expressing. But it recovered, so don't lose hope entirely.

Her latch was so bad that I didn't even put her to the breast for 2 weeks - it was too stressful for both of us. I expressed, but not 8 times per day. It was too much alongside bottle feeding and trying to get through a day. I prioritised sleep despite all the received wisdom about the importance of night feeds/expressing. I needed sleep more. I think I aimed for 6 sessions, but tried to use the power pumping technique in the evenings - basically like cluster feeding a baby. I used a decent double pump that I rented.

I made fenugreek seed tea a lot and found it really boosted supply. I also took Motilium to boost supply, but I'm not sure that's recommended anymore.

She was 6 weeks when she has the tt release, and has been exclusively bottle fed (gradually more pumped milk as supply improved) for nearly 3 weeks of that. Lactation consultants told me afterwards that they didn't think I'd be able to breastfeed dd - they still had doubts that tt was at the root of our issues. But it was 100%.

If she was my first, I'd have assumed I had poor milk supply, but having fed 2 other babies I had the confidence to say this isn't right and push for solutions. It's so hard to know what to do when you're sleep deprived and trying your best to to take care of a tiny human. I cried so many tears. And my partner hated seeing me upset and stressed, too.

Wishing you all the best with it