If you type “lip tie” into Google, hundreds of results appear on your screen. Instantly, you might feel terrified of what those articles might uncover. Is a lip tie dangerous? Have I done something wrong to give my child a lip tie? Will my child have a lip tie for the rest of their life? Although the term “lip tie” seems a bit scary (and confusing?), it’s pretty standard in many babies and can easily be treated. Read on to learn more about your child’s lip tie.
Lip Ties: What Are They?
In short, a lip tie is a medical condition with insufficient space between your baby’s upper and lower gums. It is called a lip tie because your child’s lips seem almost “tied” to their gums, leaving little room for your baby to move their lips normally. If the tie is too thick or too tight, it can affect your child’s lip movement as well as pose difficulty for your baby to breastfeed. Lip ties usually aren’t highly severe, however, they can pose some problems for your little one down the road such as speech problems or sleep apnea.
What Does a Lip Tie Look Like?
Lip ties can look a little different depending on the severity. In mild cases, they look like a small, string-like appearance. More severe lip ties look like a vast, fanlike band of connective tissue.
Based on the Kotlow scale that measures lip ties, there are four grades to rate the frenulum (a fold of skin beneath the tongue or between the lip and the gum) depending on its appearance. The higher the grade, the more severe the lip tie is (for instance, a level 4 lip tie is the most severe, while a level 1 lip tie is the mildest). The most important factor in determining severeness is to determine if it restricts the upper lip’s movement. If not, then it’s usually not a huge issue. However, any limitations to the upper lip’s movement can cause your baby to have feeding problems.
What is a Lip Tie vs Tongue Tie?
If your baby has a lip tie, their frenulum is too thick or stiff, preventing the upper lip from moving freely. On the other hand, a tongue tie occurs when your baby’s frenulum is too short, tight, or positioned too close to the tip of the tongue. This can prevent your baby’s tongue from moving freely and hinder maneuverability. Regardless, a tongue or lip tie is something you should monitor closely as your baby feeds.
Signs of a Lip Tie in Babies
Many times you can identify a lip tie in newborn babies fairly quickly, and tongue and lip tie symptoms are sometimes identical. Many signs and symptoms are quite noticeable while others are a little more difficult to nail down.
- Difficulty latching onto a mother’s nipple or pacifier Sometimes you may hear a clicking or smacking sound while your baby is nursing. If that’s the case, they may not be getting a great latch.
- Gassiness which is caused by your baby sucking in too much air as they try to nurse.
- Fatigue (your baby may even fall asleep while nursing because they are so exhausted).
- Extra short or extra long feedings due to discomfort, your baby might quit feeding early or take longer to feed.
- Breast milk leaking from the mouth which is a result of having a poor seal or latch while feeding.
- Poor weight gain Your baby is not getting enough of the nutrients from feeding.
- Painful breastfeeding If you’re experiencing pain when breastfeeding, it might be a good idea to check your baby’s mouth for signs of a lip tie.
How a Lip Tie Affects Your Baby
When your baby is a newborn, the most important complication from a lip tie will be breastfeeding. Your baby needs to get essential nutrients from your breast milk. If your baby can not latch properly to get the milk they need, your baby might experience slow weight gain.
- Chewing & swallowing food may be difficult for your child because their lip may not be able to move enough to clean the food off of a spoon. Likewise, they may struggle to move around bits of food with their lip for chewing. Sometimes, children may develop picky eating habits due to having difficulty chewing their food.
- Dental issues can be caused by lip ties because milk and food can get trapped in your baby’s teeth due to their upper lip. Make sure you thoroughly clean behind the upper lip so that tooth decay doesn’t build up!
Read more: Facts About Brushing Your Teeth: It Doesn’t Prevent Cavities
Treatment for Lip Ties
Some lip ties do not pose a huge problem for babies, so surgery is not needed. Other times, doctors recommend a treatment called a frenectomy. In a frenectomy procedure, the doctor severs the tissue connecting the lip to the gums so that the lip tie can be resolved. In many cases, a baby might have a tongue tie and lip tie, in which the doctor will perform a frenectomy to release both. Talk to your pediatrician so that you can make the most informed decision possible on if a frenectomy is right for your baby.
How to Help a Baby Breastfeed With a Lip Tie
Having a lip tie definitely makes breastfeeding more difficult, but there are a few tips you can use to help make it a more enjoyable experience for you and your baby. Always consult a lactation specialist first to see if the lip tie is the problem. If so, the following tips may help:
- Special Nipple Shields can help you and your baby and are specifically designed to help moms with challenges nursing.
- Strategic Positioning while breastfeeding may help ease some of the problems, as sometimes holding your baby in a different way may help them get a fuller latch on your breast. Talk to your lactation specialist for ideas that may help.
- Softening your breasts before feeding might actually help your baby latch on! It might sound a little odd, but try spreading your baby’s saliva on your breast before having them latch. Lactation specialists swear by this one!
Whatever You Do, Don’t Panic!
While lip ties are common in babies, they certainly aren’t anything to panic over. If your child is breastfeeding normally and gaining weight as they should, an untreated lip tie should be no other cause for concern. However, please note that many of the above signs can all be indicators of a lip tie in your little one. If you are ever in doubt, always talk to your child’s pediatrician or a lactation specialist to get the best treatment plan for you and your baby.
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