Tongue Tie

Tongue tie is also called ankyloglossia and refers to the strip of skin underneath the tongue, when it is short and tight and affects feeding.

If your baby has tongue tie, you may notice the following symptoms:

• Baby has difficulty attaching to the breast to feed.
• Baby may feed for a long time, have a short break, and then feed again.
• Baby may be unsettled and seem to be hungry all the time.
• Baby does not gain weight as quickly as they should.
• Baby makes a clicking sound as they feed.
• You have sore or cracked nipples.
• You have low milk supply.
• You have recurrent mastitis.
• Baby has difficulty lifting tongue up or from side to side.
• Baby has difficulty sticking tongue out.
• Baby has heart shaped tongue when sticking it out.
• Baby has reflux.
• Baby has colic/wind/hiccoughs.
• Frequent bottle feeding.
• Baby dribbles a lot during bottle feeds.
• Baby pushes teat out when bottle feeding.

Some things that might help:

• Support with breastfeeding positioning and attachment.
• Trying different positions – i.e. laid-back nursing.
• Nipple shields.
• Expressing.
• Paced bottle feeding.
• Longer teats with narrow base.

Who to see:

• For feeding support speak to your Midwife/Health Visitor/Infant Feeding Team.
• Referrals can be made by a Healthcare Professional to the Tongue Tie Clinic at Russells Hall Hospital, Dudley if your baby is under 10 weeks of age.  If your baby was born at Warwick Hospital, you can be referred to their Tongue Tie Clinic by your Healthcare Professional until your baby is 8 weeks old.
• You can speak to your GP.
• You can self-refer privately. Visit the tongue tie website to find a practitioner.

Further information:

• NHS Conditions