Infant Tongue Tie Patient Thank You Card

“Dr. Johal,

Thank you so much for releasing Zach’s tongue & lip!

Within a week he was latching. About 3 days after that we stopped giving bottles and only using breast. Today we stopped using the shield and he’s eating (plus gaining weight!) like he should be!

Thank you for all your help!”

I can’t even tell you how much notes like these warm my heart. 🥰 With both of my boys having had #tongueties, I know exactly how this moment of relief feels.

If your baby's not #latching, most of us wouldn't automatically jump to, "they must have a tongue tie!". In reality, unless you deal with tongue ties as part of your profession, you've probably never even heard of them!! 👅

The reality of tongue ties is this: sometimes when your #baby tries to lift their tongue or move it forwards, it may be held back. It could appear misshapen, short or heart-shaped, with the frenulum clearly pulling its centre down and restricting its movement. You might also see or feel firm tissue where their tongue meets the floor of their mouth.

So, what effect does this have on #breastfeeding? Well, the shorter and tighter the tongue tie is, the more likely it is to affect breastfeeding. And while some babies with a tongue tie breastfeed well from the start, others need to have their tongue tie released in order for breastfeeding to not become a frustrating fight, filled with tears 😭 (for both the #mom and the baby!!!).

If you're having trouble breastfeeding and/or suspect that your baby may have a tongue tie, PLEASE do not hesitate to reach out to me. 🙏🏻

I can't even tell you how much I wish I had known about tongue ties back when I was #pregnant, so I could have prepared myself for the possibility.

If you’re over 2 hours away from @familydentalguelph, I’m offering Zoom consultations so you’ll only need to make one trip!