11/09/2026
When is a “tongue tie” NOT actually a tongue tie? 👅👇
It’s a question I hear many times a week: “Is this a tongue tie?”
Here is the truth: We do NOT diagnose a tongue tie based on looks alone.
A visible frenulum is just anatomy. A true tongue tie is a functional diagnosis.
If your baby has a prominent frenulum, but is:
✅ Latching comfortably
✅ Transferring milk well
✅ Gaining weight
✅ Feeding without compensatory strain
..their tongue is doing its job! An anatomical variation without functional restriction isn’t a medical issue.
Evaluating function is not always accurate right after birth, which is why we generally like to assess, improve positioning and technique and try other methodologies to improve oral function before referring a newborn for release.
A baby needs time to learn and adapt to life outside the womb. Fast or intense births leave temporary neck and jaw tightness that can mimic a tie until baby uncurls.
Oral mechanics change once mature milk comes in, and babies are typically not so great at breastfeeding in the beginning; giving baby a week or two to practice lets us see true tongue mobility. I find that most often it’s a positioning issue, not a tongue issue.
Our goal is ALWAYS to avoid referring your perfect newborn for an unnecessary surgery. If a release isn’t clinically needed for feeding, we don’t recommend it.
Instead, we assess together. We look inside your baby’s mouth with you so you have baseline data on their anatomy for the future. Major medical organizations agree: we do not perform surgical procedures on infants for hypothetical future problems like speech or orthodontics when current evidence doesn’t support “just in case” releases.
We treat the baby, not just the tissue.
I have trained with some of the best, including hands on with our local providers. I’ve even had a frenectomy myself 👅 as an adult. I’m not anti-frenectomy, I’m just anti-unnecessary interventions and costs during the most vulnerable time of you and your babies’ lives. 💗
Questions about your baby’s latch or oral function? Let’s evaluate the full picture together. 💛
💗, Jess
