Improving the Latch: How a Laser Frenectomy Supports Breastfeeding Success
Babies are sometimes born with tongue, buccal, or lip ties, which can make breastfeeding uncomfortable and exhausting for both mother and child. Dr. North and her team at Bitty Bites Pediatric Dentistry offer gentle solutions, such as laser frenectomies, to help your little one thrive. Using our cutting-edge soft-tissue laser, we can perform tongue or lip tie release with minimal discomfort, less bleeding, and a lower risk of complications. Contact our Richmond practice to get started today!
What Is a Poor Latch and How Does It Impact Both Mother and Child?
A good latch is not just about the baby’s mouth being open wide enough. It requires the tongue to move in specific, coordinated waves to effectively draw milk from the breast. When a tongue tie is present, the frenum, the small band of tissue under the tongue, is too tight or too short to allow for a full range of motion. The result is a baby who compensates by clamping down harder or relying on the gums and lips to create suction. The breast tissue becomes compressed rather than drawn in, and the nipple ends up flattened or misshapen after each painful feeding session.
What Is the “Lipstick Nipple” Sign?
One of the most obvious signs of a poor latch caused by a tongue tie is what lactation consultants call the lipstick nipple. After your baby unlatches, look at your nipple. If it comes away looking flattened, angled, or shaped like the tip of a new lipstick, your baby is likely compressing the tissue rather than drawing it in correctly. This happens because the tongue cannot cup and lift the breast tissue as it should.
Other signs of a poor latch may include the following:
- Clicking or smacking sounds while your baby feeds
- Milk dribbling out the sides of your baby’s mouth
- Your baby coming off the breast frequently or being frustrated
- Prolonged feeding sessions with your baby still seeming unsatisfied afterward
- Painful nursing that does not improve even with repositioning
- Blistering or creasing on the lips
Lip ties can also contribute to the problem. A tight upper lip tie prevents the lip from flanging outward to form a proper seal, also disrupting suction and placing strain on the breast tissue.
How Does a Frenectomy Help?
A laser frenectomy releases the restricted tissue, restoring the tongue’s ability to move freely. Once the restriction is gone, the tongue can lift, extend, and cup the way it needs to during feeding. A lip tie release can also improve the breastfeeding experience.
At Bitty Bites Pediatric Dentistry, Dr. North uses the DEKA CO2 soft tissue laser to perform tongue or lip tie releases. The procedure is gentle and fast, taking only a few seconds per area. The laser eliminates bacteria in the treatment area, significantly reducing the risk of infection and speeding up healing.
Improvements in feeding are typically gradual after a baby’s laser frenectomy, with meaningful changes unfolding over the following two to four weeks.
Our Team Approach
Releasing a tie removes the structural barrier, but the baby still has to relearn how to use the tongue correctly. Muscle memory and compensatory habits built up over weeks of feeding do not disappear overnight.
Our practice works closely with Katie Skaggs and Kelsey Carroll, both International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs), who are also certified in craniosacral fascial therapy (CFT). They work with your baby before and after the laser release, right here in our office, to enhance your little one’s long-term outcomes.
We also encourage families to follow up with their referring provider within two to five days of the procedure. Continued support during the healing period makes a real difference in outcomes.
What Should You Do If You Suspect a Tongue or Lip Tie?
Start by reaching out to your lactation consultant or pediatrician. If they suspect a tongue or lip tie is contributing to your child’s feeding difficulties, they can refer you to our Richmond practice. We are typically able to see referred families within the same week.
You can call or text us at (804) 215-8600, and our front desk coordinator, Diana, will walk you through exactly what to expect. If you want to learn more about what the process looks like from start to finish, visit our laser frenectomy page for a full breakdown.
Laser Frenectomies for Breastfeeding Support in Richmond, VA
If a tongue or lip tie is interfering with breastfeeding, contact Bitty Bites Pediatric Dentistry to schedule a consultation. Dr. North may recommend a laser frenectomy to provide you and your baby with relief. We invite you to call or text us at 804-215-8600 to schedule your child’s appointment or request one by following this link today!