Should we get tongue tie cut?

[Moonshine160]

DS is 12 weeks old and has reflux type symptoms since birth and always had a shallow latch. He has also been a really gassy baby from taking in air when feeding. He is breastfed. Reflux medication didn’t really help. He has always fussed at the breast, latching on and off. We were told by the midwife, GP and health visitor that he doesn’t have a tongue tie, but they never seemed to properly look or feel in his mouth. I still wasn’t convinced so paid to see a lactation consultant who is also a tongue tie practitioner who confirmed that he has a posterior tongue tie.

We are booked in to have the tongue tie released on Tuesday, it’s going to cost £120 so not too much but also not ideal right before Christmas. Over the last couple of weeks his feeding has significantly improved and he is less gassy. His latch is still quite shallow and we still have some breast fussiness. The consultant told us that the tie is only a subtle one and she can’t guarantee that that’s what’s causing the fussiness and his latch may still be shallow if it’s released.

I have until 11am tomorrow to cancel the appointment without losing my 50% deposit. Is it worth having it done? I don’t want to cause him any pain or discomfort unnecessarily if it might not actually make any difference at all.

For us it was definitely worth it. We had it done at a similar age, and overnight they were a different baby in terms of wind and fussiness (they were breastfed).

What age does the practitioner divide up to? I would say it is worth a call to see if you can change the date and gauge a wait and see approach and give it another 2 weeks to see what happens and then decide.

Agree w poster above, made big big difference for us, and who knows what issues it may save in the future.

Have it done ASAP

I would, turned my DD into a different child, it made such a difference. Unfortunately hers wasn't diagnosed until 11 months and it had such a big effect on weaning as she couldn't swallow lumps, if I could've had it done much sooner I definitely would

Mine had posterior tongue tie and it made a huge difference when cut. Si.ilarly wasn't spotted initially.

Believe me, if it was a car repair you wouldn’t think it twice spending £120.

Go by what your baby’s “mechanic” advice. Your baby comes way before the costs of Christmas.

Thanks for all your advice. I think I will keep the appointment and get it released on Tuesday. How were your babies afterwards? I’m worried about him being in pain and unsettled and it all being for nothing.

It isn’t the cost that would put me off - the consultant said herself that it’s only a very subtle tie and it may not make any difference. The fussiness and shallow latch is still there though so it sounds like the right thing to do.

My Dd has posterior tongue tie. Also snipped at 12 weeks. We were told it might not make a difference as 12 weeks is pretty late, but she was a different baby afterwards. Best thing we did. Couple of mins of discomfort - that was it.

Our baby had tongue cut - it took a second and no crying, blood or anything. Fed him straight after and went home. It changed everything and made his latch and feeding him etc much better. Would do it again if we had to- good luck x

DD had a subtle posterior tie cut at 5 weeks and it made a huge difference. They said that sometimes the subtle ones can be more problematic than the obvious ties.

I’d still do it - asap! Hope it works for you, even if it doesn’t cure the reflux you will help them have better teeth when older and sleep!

life changing for myself and my baby at 5 weeks. Best thing I ever did. Don’t remember any on-going pain or upset to be honest, just a few seconds after the actual snip until she was given back to me.

Please don't cancel. It will be so worth it. It won't be a problem over Christmas, the effects are very quick.

He won't be in pain or unsettled. It's very quick. He won't be affected badly the next day, only in a better way.

Yes! Do it! Ours had a tongue at birth and we were advised not to bother getting to cut. Big mistake. Aside from minor feeding issues, he had speech difficulties that GP said were probably caused by the tongue tie. Just before we were going to get it snipped at 4 it eventually ripped of its own accord! But it caused no end of issues, eg. Delayed learning phonics in reception whilst his speech was being sorted.

I spent 3 weeks expressing and feeding DD1 from a bottle because her latch was awful and I was in agony trying to feed her. Eventually a midwife decided she did have a tongue tie. Went to the hospital and was told it was a very obvious tongue tie. Took seconds and DD2 was snipped and I was told to feed her straight away. She cried for a second then latched on and didn't latch off for another 15 months! Turned out to be the happiest, easiest baby ever.

It made no difference to my DD, still swallowing huge amounts of air immediately afterwards and ever since. Also it was extremely traumatic for her. I'm glad it's made a lot of difference for other babies but I thought I'd give an alternate experience as it doesn't always work.

DD was totally fine immediately after and didn't seem in any pain

Definitely have it done, I really wish DS had his spotted earlier and I might not have given up BF so soon.

Get it done please OP. My DS' was found quite late and we didn't get it done. We had years of reflux symptoms, lack of sleep, trouble with weaning and speech & language therapy. If I could go back and pay £120 to avoid all of that I would have done it.

We had the same situation, they said it was a 1/10 (eg very minimal) posterior tie, but baby's feeding issues were obvious. We opted to divide the tie and it made an immediate difference to baby's latch and he was much less gassy.

Oh and my son latched immediately after the procedure and he wasn't noticeably unsettled afterwards but I gave him paracetamol and extra cuddles anyway just in case.

Get the tongue tie divided but also follow up with osteopathy. Osteopathy helped our baby with the tension that resulted from the tongue tie, but also resolved his reflux. After two weeks he was like a different baby - so much more content and happy.

My son had such a bad tongue tie that he couldn't breastfeed. We had zero help. The consultant I eventually got to see said it wasn't necessary to cut it and if my baby was losing weight then it meant I wasn't making enough milk (I BFed two kids before DS so was a bloody pro at it). I told him there was plenty but DS couldn't suckle properly and could only drink from bottles. Consultant actually shrugged and told me to "pump then". I told him that it wouldn't work because I didn't get enough via a pump and he smugly said "See, you obviously aren't making enough milk then"

Dick. Imagine a paediatrician knowing fuck all about BFing and how boobs work. (Or don't work sometimes when it's plastic and not a baby suckling)
He then told me that my "breastfeeding ideals" shouldn't be more important than my baby and to keep pushing the agenda was not in DS's best interests.

He devastated me and by the time I managed to speak to a HV and the lactation consultant, I'd heartbreakingly had to switch to formula (nothing wrong with formula but I didn't want to have to use it) They were horrified and the according to HV later the consultant was absolutely ripped a new one and was made to go on a breastfeeding course. Next time I went back, they changed my appointment with him for a different doctor and every wall in the waiting room and office was plastered with BF posters, leaflets and lactation consultant contacts.

And to think, they could have just snipped DS's tongue tie in minutes.

DS has a full tie. Right from the very tip. He's 10 now. We had to do speech therapy for years to overcome it. Sad as it sounds but I feel bad every time I see him eating an ice cream cone. Poor will never cheekily stick his tongue out either.