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Babies provide new experiences for parents every day. From learning their different cries, to what foods they like, and how they respond to new activities. But when babies have trouble breastfeeding, it may be because they have a short frenulum under their tongue.
What is a frenulum?
A frenulum is the connector tissue that bridges different parts of the body together. In the mouth for instance, a frenulum connects your upper lip and upper gums together, while another connects the bottom of the tongue to the bottom of the mouth, called the lingual frenulum.
What is a frenectomy?
Sometimes a baby is born with a short or tight lower lingual frenulum, also referred to as a “tongue-tie”. It can make it difficult for them to latch for breastfeeding, cause pain to the mother’s breast, or make it difficult for enough milk to come out.
A frenectomy is the procedure to cut the lingual frenulum. It’s a quick procedure done by a pediatrician, and confirmed by a lactation consultant, in the office or a hospital setting, usually within the first month of a baby’s life. Because the procedure takes under a minute, babies are not usually given anesthesia and are typically comforted afterward by feeding.
Why your child might need a frenectomy
Not all babies born with a short lingual frenulum need a frenotomy, but for others, it helps them move their tongues more freely so they can breastfeed easier and the mother experiences less pain during breastfeeding. When it is recommended that a baby needs a frenectomy, parents typically notice an immediate improvement in pain and milk expression within the first two weeks after the procedure.
There is no evidence that babies need frenectomies for future speech difficulties.
Risks and Benefits
Benefits to a frenotomy are that the baby can breastfeed more effectively and the mother experiences less pain from breastfeeding because there is an easier latch. There are other factors that can cause discomfort or poor latching in breastfeeding, which is why this procedure includes both a physician and a lactation consultant to confirm its necessity.
The bottom line
While you can’t plan everything when preparing for a new baby, doctors and lactation consultants are part of a new mom and baby’s support team. They are there to help make sure both are thriving. And if not, they will provide advice and help so they can.
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