5 Ways Infant Physical Therapy Can Support Your Baby Before and After a Tongue Tie Release
Have you been told your baby may have a tongue tie, and you’re wondering what support options are out there?
If having a tongue tie or a tongue tie release (i.e. frenectomy, frenotomy) is a part of your baby’s journey, an infant physical therapist can play an important role in your baby’s function and recovery!
Research and advocacy has come such a long way with oral restrictions, and there are several amazing multidisciplinary roles involved in tongue tie support (including lactation consultants, PT, Feeding Therapists, bodyworkers/CST/massage, and more)! Tongue ties (ankyloglossia)-- their impact, the types of release, paths of recovery, and more– can be an entire blog post on its own! The topic is fascinating, and coming from a mom who has been there myself– it can also be challenging and emotional. You and your baby are not alone.
As a physical therapist (PT), I look at your baby’s body as a whole, and how their little body is working together to function! Feeding and breastfeeding involve many parts, such as your baby’s head, mouth, neck, body, hips, and their nervous system. A PT can be an important part of your baby’s support team to help with movement, neurodevelopment, and flexibility before and after your baby’s tongue tie release!
**Something important to note is that not every baby that has a tongue tie may need a release, every baby is different! I am providing information on how PT can provide support if you’ve been told your baby has a tongue tie by a provider. This is not medical advice. Tongue ties are diagnosed by specialized providers (i.e. pediatric dentists, ENT, pediatric practitioners, etc), and it is important to have a comprehensive feeding evaluation and multidisciplinary team (which can include lactation consultants, PT/OT/Feeding Therapists, bodyworkers, release providers, etc) involved throughout your baby’s journey.**
5 Ways Be Still Wellness LLC Can Provide Support Before and After a Tongue Tie Release:
I look beyond the tongue– whole body support is key!
I am a firm believer that tight muscles, restricted fascia, your baby’s movement and posture can impact how your baby feeds–and how they may feel after they feed. If there are tight muscles making your baby uncomfortable to feed in certain positions, or if they are uncomfortable during or after feeds, we can work on gentle stretches and strengthening activities for overall symmetry.
What I can address with your baby:
Head and neck movement
Head/neck turning preference (torticollis)
Body symmetry with strength, flexibility, & movement
Head shape and positioning
Posture and alignment
Positioning for feeding
Neurodevelopment and nervous system regulation
Why is this important?
Babies don’t move the tongue alone, all by itself-– they rely on the coordination and strength of their body to provide stability throughout feeding! Babies who have a head turn preference or tight hips/pelvis may have a harder time feeding when held a certain way, for example. We want to look at the whole picture to help your little one succeed!
2. Identify how your baby compensates throughout movement
If there are restrictions or tightness within the fascia, muscles, or possibly oral ties, babies are amazing at problem solving and will find another way to move. These can be called “compensations”, and we see how a baby may move, want to be held, or how they may feed.
As a PT, I identify how your baby may be compensating based on how they move, function, and rest their sweet little body. Every baby truly is unique in their own way, so each baby will move differently. This isn’t a “bad” thing by any means, but compensations can add some extra work to your little one when they are trying to move a certain way. My goal is to help your baby find ease of mobility, function, and comfort, which can help with your baby’s feeding as well!
3. Support neurodevelopment
This is so important and what makes Be Still Wellness LLC unique! Neurodevelopment— what on earth is that?!? It is how your baby’s brain and body learn to move, coordinate, and develop new skills.
Everyday your baby is learning and practicing new skills, such as:
Tracking or following you with their eyes
Bringing their hands to their mouth
Lifting their head while on their belly, rolling, etc
Moving their tongues, feeding, and much more!
Every experience gives your baby’s brain the information they need to organize movement and learn new skills! As a PT, I work with this every day. Not only is neurodevelopment important for strength, mobility, and milestones– it is so important for feeding skills as well. Which segways perfectly into the next point——
4. Integrate your baby’s new movement and flexibility!
PT helps support the movement, strength, and postures that are involved in feeding– and after a tongue tie release, your baby has gained more flexibility of their tongue! To help your baby find coordination and strength with this new flexibility, I find it so important to continue looking at the whole body picture when providing support! This can look like addressing the flexibility of your baby’s neck, upper body, hips, etc–which plays a role with feeding posture. Strengthening of head control, neck muscles, and milestones also support your baby’s recovery and lasting success. At Be Still Wellness LLC, I also provide craniosacral therapy, infant massage, myofascial release, and other forms of manual bodywork that can help your infant before and after a tongue tie release—and I provide this even on the first visit!
5. I support the whole feeding team!
Collaboration matters, and we are stronger together! I value all perspectives when providing care for your little ones, and we all have the same goal– to truly care for you and your baby, and to help your little one thrive and succeed! It is such a gift having families trust in my services for their family’s care, and you and your little ones all deserve individualized and caring support. At Be Still Wellness LLC, I look through the lens of supporting your baby’s development and function, while providing gentle bodywork and hands on techniques.
If you have more questions, or are interested in booking a session with me, please go to my “Contact” page or “Book With Emily” button. If you’re interested, be sure to check out my “What Is Craniosacral Therapy?” blog if you are curious about CST and bodywork, which I also provide here at Be Still Wellness LLC!
Thanks for being here,
Emily Colatruglio PT, DPT, CBS, NTMTC
Further Reading:
Genna CW. The influence of anatomical and structural issues on sucking skills In: Genna CW, ed. Supporting Sucking Skills in Breastfeeding Infants. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett; 2022.
Grace, T, Oddy, W, Bulsara, Hands, B. (2017). Breastfeeding and motor development: A longitudinal cohort study. Human Movement Science, 51, 9-16.