Tongue Tie
Q. When should I deal with the Tongue Tie?
A. Tongue tie is a small thin membrane under the tongue holding the tongue to the bottom of the mouth. This is present at birth. Tongue tie can cause two problems in babies. A baby who has tongue tie may not be able to latch on properly. They can't open their mouth wide enough or keep their tongue over the lower gum while sucking. If an infant is unable to hold their tongue in the correct position they may chew rather than suck, causing both a lack of nutrition for the baby and significant nipple pain for the mother. In case the tongue tie is coming in the way of successful latching and breastfeeding, it should be dealt with. A simple surgical procedure can correct the condition.
If the tongue tie is not causing the problem in latching on, it should be left as it is. Later, when baby starts talking if baby has problem with pronunciation of few words and if it seems to be due to tongue tie, it should be corrected immediately before baby starts talking those words wrongly.