Tongue and lip ties can cause an array of  issues for a mother trying to breastfeed their child.

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A tethered lip does not allow the lip to properly fan out and create a seal on the breast. An improper or no seal on a breast during breastfeeding will cause the infant to slip off the breast or to use their gum pads to bite down on the nipple essentially “holding onto” the nipple. This can be extremely painful for a mother. Symptoms on the mother would include “lipstick nipples” or flattening of the nipple as a result of being bitten and/or nipple blebs/ clogged ducts and/or episodes of mastitis as a result of the breast not being completely drained.

 

A tethered tongue or tongue tie does not allow the tongue to grasp the breast tissue and bring it far enough into the oral cavity for the baby to get a sufficient latch. The tongue must be able to go out past the lower lip to grasp the tissue and bring it into the mouth. Signs that an infant has a tongue tie and is having difficulties is a clicking sounds on breastfeeding, as the child looses suction due to the tethered tissue, bleeding, flattened or cracked nipples as the nipple is not far enough back and is rubbing on the infants hard palate, cupping of the tongue when crying, colic/ gassiness/ excessive spitting up as the infant is sucking in air with their feeding due to poor seal on the breast.