Are you contemplating a tongue tie for your new baby? The results are not wholly determined by the release provider. Your role is huge! Take these tips for the best outcome from a laser frenectomy:
- See a feeding specialist – A functional assessment is a great first step. Find a tongue-tie savvy feeding specialist to work out challenges as much as you can. This person can help you become comfortable putting your finger in your babies mouth and teach oral motor exercise for best suck, swallowing and breathing. Addressing both parent and babies symptoms with an infant feeding expert may solve many problems!
- See a body worker – The birthing process will push and strain different parts of an infants head, neck and trunk. Sometimes poor feeds can be a result of restrictions not in the mouth. The opposite is also true, an oral restriction often caused tension or twisting in others areas of the body.
- Consult with an experienced release provider and ask all your questions. When you are confident in your decision, trust that gut feeling.
- Do your part by following the instructions given for after-care. The healing process takes weeks and is a window of time that is critical to success. The appointments with the release provider to follow-up are crucial.
- Follow-up with your feeding specialist and body worker. Therapy, and not the release, is the real “magic.” A tongue-tie can be released, but until that baby uses their tongue in a different and better way, your symptoms will likely persist.
