My newborn is "tongue-tied". Should I have her frenulum clipped for breastfeeding? She has latched on, and I've been bfing for 4 days now, but it is very painful. Any ENT recommendations for having this done? Both her pediatrician and lactation consultant have diagnosed the 'tongue-tie'. Any success stories with tongue tie and bfing?
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Newborn
05.17.09, 07:53 AM
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Yes, get it clipped. My dd, now 5, had a tight frenulum under her tongue and under top lip. My dad, who is a surgeon, noticed it 1st thing and said I needed to get it clipped. I didn't believe him since my ped said to do nothing
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General Topics
05.17.09, 08:28 AM
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^^easy procedure. dr. numbed area w/q-tip; snipped; dd cried for 10 seconds; I nursed her and she was fine. Totally happy 5 yrs later!
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05.17.09, 08:33 AM
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ENT Mom: yes, you should, the earlier the better. It's a very simple procedure, could be done in the office for very young babies. Less invasive and less painful than circumcision. Important for proper feeding and speech development. Look for a Pediatric ENT: someone with ENT training and then Pediatric ENT fellowship. If you are in NYC, I can give you some names
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05.17.09, 08:31 AM
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^^forgot to mention that I've heard tight frenulums are hereditary. My brother had a tight frenulum and my dad clipped it when he was 4 because they thought he had a lisp. Crazy of course.
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05.17.09, 08:32 AM
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I'd definitely consult a speech and language pathologist(yes, for an infant)before opting for clipping the frenulum.
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05.17.09, 05:00 PM
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FYI -- my lactation consultant said my ds was tongue-tied, and ped. gave me rec. for ENT. ENT said no, he wasn't, just had a short frenulum. So it's good to get a 2nd opinion from an ENT that isn't into "clipping" just to do it. Can't remember who I saw -- someone at Schneiders' Childrens hospital but I liked him.
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05.17.09, 12:18 PM
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Dr. Max April or Dr. Bob Ward at Cornell. Dr. Joseph Bernstein at NYU. Dr. Rosenfield at Downstate. This, of course, assuming you are in NYC
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05.17.09, 01:28 PM
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does this affect articulation later in life? can i be tongue-tied - have a very bad diction in my native language, however doing absolutely fine in english.
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05.17.09, 02:12 PM
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Three of my children were "tongue-tied", clipped within the first 10 days. Quick and necessary. My pediatrician told me that they routinely clipped the tongue ties in hospital before baby went home in days of old. It really is a quick procedure. It would be difficult to do later, and if not done could result in speech problems later.
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05.17.09, 02:18 PM
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No. My dd is now 6. She speaks fine. She also breastfed for 2 years. The lactation specialist at hospital recommended it, but pediatrician said she didn't think it was necessary, and to wait and see. So glad I did.
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05.17.09, 04:41 PM
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Like most of medicine (I'm a physician) I would think there's no clear cut answer. My son had a tight frenulum and we did fine (though initially it was painful) with breastfeeding and he is now 3, ahead developmentally with speech. Hard to know, I could be telling you a whole different story.....
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05.17.09, 04:43 PM
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Thank you so much. I've consulted pediatrician and lactation consultant. Both agree it's a first degree tongue tie. Bfing is not awful, just a little painful, and being a first time mom, maybe that's to be expected? I am in NYC (BHeights). I have a referral to see Ari Goldsmith or Richard Rosenfeld. It's so hard to know if it's the right thing to do though. Maybe I could live through the bfing pain. Lactation consultant has showed me new positions to try. I'd hate her to have future speech difficulty though.
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05.18.09, 08:09 PM
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ENT Mom: I know both Dr. Rosenfeld and Dr. Goldsmith: both are experienced and excellent Drs. If one of them recommends a frenulectomy (the procedure), go ahead and do it ASAP, before your nb even is able to remember. It will be OK. Let us know how it went. Good luck!
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05.19.09, 06:29 PM
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Dr. Goldsmith was wonderful. He said my daughters case was a no brainer, and suggested the frenulectomy. We did it right then and there. My daughter was uncomfortable for a minute, but nursed right away afterwards. I could feel the difference immediately. I am so grateful that I had people around me (doula, lactation consultant, ped) who recognized the issue, and helped us get the appropriate treatment. At 10 days old, she will never remember, and it will not cause issues down the road. Dr Goldsmith said her case would have caused periodontal issues as she got older.
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06.09.09, 09:34 AM
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