Infant Frenectomy

Baby Symptoms


• Difficulty achieving a good latch

• Falls asleep while at the breast

• Slides off the breast

• Reflux/ spit up

• Poor weight gain (or weight gain that slows or decreases around 12 weeks)

• Frequent feeding

• Apnea- snoring, heavy breathing

• Unable to use pacifier

• Congested in the mornin

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• Cannot sleep laying flat

• Gags easily

• Milk leaking out the side of the mouth

• Gassiness/fussiness


Mother’s Symptoms

  • · Creased, cracked, blanching nipples

  • · Painful latch

  • · Gumming or chewing of the nipples

  • · Bleeding, cracked, or cut nipples

  • · Infant unable to achieve successful latch

  • · Incomplete breast drainage

  • · Infected nipples

  • · Mastitis

  • · Plugged ducts

  • · Oversupply

  • · Undersupply

  • · Depression

  • · Strong letdown

What is a tongue tie? According to the IATP, a tongue tie is "an embryological remnant of tissue in the midline between the undersea of the tongue and the floor of the mouth that restricts normal tongue movement." The key component of this definition is whether it restricts normal tongue movement. What is a lip tie? A lip tie is the attachment of the upper lip to the maxillary gingival tissue according to the IATP.


Infant frenectomies are different that an older child or an adult frenectomy. Why is this? Infants use breastfeeding or paced bottle feeding as a starting point for the rehabilitation post release whereas an adult or older child uses myofunctional therapy as the therapy to help re-pattern or retrain the tongue.

Optimal Feeding verses Restricted Feeding

 
normal_feeding.jpg

Optimal.

Note the tongue position- tongue is past the ridge of where the teeth would be. The nipple is deeply inserted and tongue is able to push nipple against the palate.

 
tongue-tie.jpg

Restricted.

Note the tongue position here- tongue is not able to go past the ridge of where the teeth would be. The nipple is unable to be deeply inserted. Due to tongue/nipple not making contact with the palate, the palate will be vaulted (high) and baby will likely have a gag reflex.

 

Our Process

Your first phone call begins with a brief over the phone assessment with our pediatric nurse/lactation consultant. She will set your appointment time for a consultation and give you thorough paperwork to fill out. Your first visit with us will be a functional feeding evaluation and a diagnosis by the dentist. Due to compensatory patterns the baby learned while in utero, we recommend bodywork by a skilled provider in order to help eliminate compensations and loosen the fascia prior to any release. When the baby is deemed ready by the lactation consultant or the bodyworker, we perform the release. We work with all lactation consultants and bodyworkers. However, we do have one on site for the first latch post release and to help intra-operatively.

Releases are not performed on the day of the consultation due to recommending bodywork prior and beginning intra-operative exercises.

The Day of the Release

 

For optimal success….

We ensure moms understand the post operative exercises and medications to give for pain management. The baby is prepared by an onsite bodyworker and then mom and baby are met by our lactation consultant who will briefly review a few things and swaddle the baby. Topical anesthetic is applied. Eye pads are placed and photos are taken. After the quick procedure with a LightScalpel laser, the baby is handed back over to mom for feeding and comforting. We see the baby afterwards 2-3 times for post operative appointments.

 

Feeding for Optimal Airway Function

The foundation for a healthy airway and optimal growth and development begins with the first latch and a healthy breastfeeding relationship. Compensations begin within the first days after birth. If a dyad (mom and baby) are nursing, it is of utmost importance to establish proper form and function to help develop the face. This will establish a lifetime of health for the baby.