Tongue-tie is where the skin joining a baby's tongue to the bottom of their mouth is shorter than usual. It sometimes makes it harder to breastfeed.
Your baby may have tongue-tie if they find it hard to breastfeed. They may struggle to attach to your breast and might make your nipples sore.
Tongue-tie does not always need to be treated. If it stops your baby breastfeeding, a simple procedure can be done to cut the skin under their tongue.
Your baby may have tongue-tie if they find it hard to breastfeed. They may struggle to attach to your breast and might make your nipples sore.
To breastfeed successfully, the baby needs to latch on to both the breast tissue and nipple, and their tongue needs to cover the lower gum so the nipple is protected from damage.
Some babies with tongue-tie are not able to open their mouths wide enough to latch on to the breast properly.
If you're breastfeeding your baby and they have tongue-tie they may:
Tongue-tie can also sometimes cause problems for a breastfeeding mother. Problems can include:
Most breastfeeding problems, however, are not caused by tongue-tie and can be overcome with the right support.
If you're finding breastfeeding difficult, ask your midwife, health visitor or a breastfeeding specialist for help.
Tongue-tie does not always need to be treated. If it stops your baby breastfeeding, a simple procedure can be done to cut the skin under their tongue.
Treatment is not necessary if your baby has tongue-tie but can feed without any problems. If their feeding is affected, treatment involves a simple procedure called tongue-tie division.
Tongue-tie division involves cutting the short, tight piece of skin connecting the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth (the lingual frenulum).
It's a quick, simple and almost painless procedure that usually resolves feeding problems straight away.
Tongue-tie division is carried out by a specially trained doctors, nurses or midwives.
In very young babies (those who are only a few months old), the procedure is carried out without anaesthetic (painkilling medication), or with a local anaesthetic that numbs the tongue.
The procedure does not seem to hurt babies. This is because there are very few nerve endings in the area around the floor of the mouth. Some babies sleep through the procedure, while others cry for a few seconds.
A general anaesthetic is usually needed for older babies with teeth, which means they'll be unconscious throughout the procedure.
The baby's head is held securely while sharp, sterile scissors are used to snip the tongue-tie. Some practitioners use a laser instead of scissors.
It only takes a few seconds, and you can start feeding your baby immediately afterwards.
There should be little blood loss, although some bleeding is likely. A white patch may form under the tongue, which takes 24 to 48 hours to heal, but does not bother the baby.
Research suggests most babies who have treatment for tongue-tie find breastfeeding easier afterwards.
The Association of Tongue-tie Practitioners (ATP) has a directory of NHS tongue-tie practitioners.