02/09/2026
"What am I actually looking for in your baby's mouth?" 👅🔍
A tongue-tie assessment isn’t just looking for a bit of skin under the tongue! As an IBCLC and Tongue-Tie Practitioner, I perform a holistic, head-to-toe assessment to see how your baby moves and functions👇
👶 1. The Structures
• Frenulum: Is there tissue tethering the tongue or lip? Where does it attach, and how tight is it?
• Palate Shape: Is it high or narrow? (A restricted tongue can’t rest against it to widen it naturally in the womb).
• Jaw & Cheeks: Is there jaw asymmetry or cheek tension compensating for weak muscle control?
☝️ 2. Movement & Reflexes
• Elevation & Extension: Can the tongue lift to the roof of the mouth and extend past the lip?
• Lateralisation: Can it move side-to-side?
• Suck Dynamics: Is baby cupping with their tongue, or squeezing with their gums/jaw?
• Peristaltic Wave: Is there a smooth, wave-like motion to sweep milk efficiently?
🌿 3. Full-Body Posture
• Is baby favouring turning their head to one side (torticollis)?
• Are fists clenched, shoulders pulled up, or back arching during feeds?
• Tension in the head, neck, and shoulders directly impacts latch width.
🤱 4. Evaluating a Feed
• Can baby achieve and maintain a deep, comfortable latch?
• Are there clicking sounds, milk leaking, or frequent slipping off?
• Is feeding peaceful, or marked by fussiness and air swallowing?
💙 Why It Matters
A tongue tie is only clinically significant if it causes functional impairment. My goal is to find the root cause of your feeding challenges—whether that requires bodywork, oral exercises, position tweaks, or a frenulotomy.
💬 Having feeding problems? Drop me a DM or tap the link in my bio to book your home visit today!