A tongue tie is when the membrane of skin that connects the tongue to the bottom of the mouth is short and/or tight.
Most babies with a tongue tie have no problems. For some babies it might cause problems with feeding, this is more common when establishing breast feeding.
If you think your baby may have a tongue tie there is support and advice available for you.
It can be hard to tell the difference between problems caused by a tongue tie and those caused by much more common feeding problems.
Often a feeding problem can be solved with support on attachment and feeding technique. Even babies with a tongue tie are often helped a lot by this.
There is a lot of online support and advice that can help you improve your babies feeding techniques too. You can find some recommended links below.
If your baby needs further assessment following this support, we will be able to explain the next steps.
What Support is Available?
Your midwife and /or health visitor can give you advice if you think tongue tie may be affecting your baby. These are the numbers to call if you need advice:
Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital
If your baby is under 28 days old please call Medicom on 01603 481 222 and you will be allocated a call back from a Community Midwife.
Queen Elizabeth Hospital
If your baby is under 28 days old please call your community midwife OR call the Infant Feeding Team on 01553 613710 or 01553 613950 (9-5 pm 7 days a week).
James Paget Hospital
If your baby is under 28 days old please call your community midwife on 01493 452011 OR Infant Feeding Co-ordinator Kay Horn on 01493 453076. You can also leave a private message for Kay through the JPUH Bumps to Breastfeeding Facebook page.
If your baby is 28 days or older please call Just One Number on 0300 300 0123 and you can speak to a Health Visitor or Infant Feeding Champion.
How Will Assessments Take Place?
Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital
If your baby requires an assessment of their tongue and feeding (to consider if they need further referral for tongue tie release), they will initially be offered a video assessment to discuss and assess a feed; their positioning and attachment when feeding; their tongue function and their suck and swallow during a feed.
Not all babies who have an initial assessment will need a referral.
If it isn’t possible to fully assess these things in a video call you will be asked to bring your baby to a face to face clinic.
If it is decided that your baby needs a further referral for tongue tie release you will be sent an appointment date and time to attend the hospital for the procedure.
Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Babies who meet the referral criteria detailed above will be offered a hospital assessment in the RLF (Tongue Tie) Clinic and full PPE will be in use for any procedure required as detailed above.
If this assessment is declined or the criteria are not met parents will be offered telephone advice by the Infant Feeding Team.
James Paget Hospital
Babies who meet the referral criteria detailed above will be initially offered a telephone or video call through the Infant Feeding Co-ordinator.
If this indicates that your baby requires further assessment you will be offered a hospital appointment and full PPE will be in use for any procedure required as detailed above.
Your midwife and /or health visitor can give you advice if you think tongue tie may be affecting your baby. These are the numbers to call if you need advice:
Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital - If your baby is under 28 days old please call Medicom on 01603 481 222 and you will be allocated a call back from a Community Midwife.
Queen Elizabeth Hospital – If your baby is under 28 days old please call your community midwife OR call the Infant Feeding Team on 01553 613710 or 01553 613950 (9-5 pm 7 days a week).
James Paget University Hospital – If your baby is under 28 days old please call your community midwife on 01493 452011 OR Infant Feeding Co-ordinator Kay Horn on 01493 453076. You can also leave a private message for Kay through the JPUH Bumps to Breastfeeding Facebook page.
If you feel worried and would like more advice you can speak to your midwife throughout your pregnancy and up to 28 days after the birth of your baby.
If you live in Norfolk
If you live in Suffolk
You can speak to other Norfolk parents and carers by clicking our online community forum below.
