Did you baby have a tongue tie snipped with scissors in the hospital after birth but you’re still experiencing symptoms after discharge? Newborns are tiny and all their muscles are very tight from being scrunched up in utero and then being squeezed out of the birth canal. Often times immediately after birth, a provider with scissors will release an anterior tie, but not always do a full release of the tongue, leaving a posterior tie behind. If there wasn’t a diamond shaped wound under the tongue that needed stretched several times a day to prevent reattachment, it was not necessarily a complete release. Many symptoms can be resolved, but some can still linger.

The genioglossus muscle on the floor of the mouth is responsible for sticking the tongue out and keeping it out. This allows the tongue to cup the breast while feeding and not snap back to gum or bite the breast. If the posterior portion remains, the tongue may still be tied, resulting in fatiguing, snapping back, or still not efficient in pumping out milk. The lips may also come in and compensate, which looks like lip blisters, two tone lips, or red creasing in the fold between the nose, cheeks and lips.

If your baby had a scissor release after birth, but you’re still having symptoms, some times a second release or the posterior tie with a laser by a skilled pediatric dentist or ENT can fully release the tongue and improve baby’s feeding skills.