Upper lip tie

[habzamaphone]

Okay, so DS had a posterior tongue tie and an upper lip tie. His tongue tie was divided at 9 weeks, but the upper lip tie is still there and he can't flange his upper lip. (You can just about see the top of his lip after flanging it by hand). Feeding him is better after the tongue tie division, but still hurts and because he can't make a seal, I am constantly re-latching him which also makes me sore.

I am meeting a speech therapist tomorrow to try and get some help, but I've been told that there isn't a doctor in the UK that will divide an upper lip tie because they don't believe it causes feeding issues. His upper lip tie is very tight and joins the bottom of his gum as well, so he's likely to need it divided when he's older because it's likely to cause dental problems.

Has anyone had any success with upper lip tie problems? Either that as they got bigger, it got less painful, or success getting it divided at a young age? I'm getting so frustrated with my LO and myself and it's starting to get me down. He's nearly 3 months old, won't take a bottle and I'm essentially forced to experience pain 8-12 times a day. I'm dreading his next growth spurt. :(

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Poor you, haven't got anything to offer apart from my sympathy.

Hope someone comes along soon with some experience or training.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Thought I'd bump this again for you

[WoTmania]

I had an upper lip tie and my mum found nursing me excrutiating (sorry ) I had it cut at the age of 5-6 as it was creating a big gap between my teeth. Involved an overnight stay in hosp etc. Surely it would be better to have it done now than later?

Could you get a lactation consultant to refer you?

[Grandhighpoohba]

DS had one of these, to the extent that he has a gap between his front teeth. The doctors basically said that they do not snip them because in the vast majority of cases, the child will break the tie themselves during early childhood. DS banged his lip against his headboard while bouncing about, and sure enough, the tie broke.

However, that's no help to you if it is causing feeding issues. Have the doctors who are declining actually witnessed you feeding?

[Lynzjam]

After seeing this thread it has made me wonder if DD has this too. The bit of skin goes all the way down to her gum. DP doesn't believe me!

Her top lip has always looked pursed when feeding (never flipped out) and we have only just stopped using nipple shields. She's nearly 6 months.

So they just have to keep these lip ties?

[habzamaphone]

I was told no one in the UK will snip them, although they do in the US. I always figured it would make more sense to snip it now rather than later too, but common sense isn't a forte of the nhs. He's got an appointment with a paediatrician coming up now, so I'll see what they say.

Lynzjam if there's s bit of skin down to the gum then it probably is a lip tie.

[Lynzjam]

Yeh, there's definitely a bit going all the way down the gum.

Will be interesting to hear what they say hab!

[habzamaphone]

Pediatrician is referring me to a paediatric surgeon. By the time I get an appointment, DS will probably need general anesthetic if they do snip it which is what I was trying to avoid. Oh well, at least I'm getting somewhere.

[Bert2e]

I'd call the tongue tie team at Southampton General Hospital and ask them to suggest someone.


Southampton General Hospital
Contact: Helen Cei-Bangs (023 8079 6489; Fax: 023 8079 4750).
For training to divide tongue ties please email Carolyn Westcott,

[habzamaphone]

Mervyn Griffiths snipped my son's tongue-tie. He doesn't snip upper lip ties at this age though. He said he snips for dental issues around age 6 or 7.

[lunafire]

This blog post re one lady's struggle with tongue tie has a link to a Manchester paed who snipped her boys tongue and lip tie at 14 weeks.
lazyseamstress.blogspot.com/2011/03/eight-months-of-pumping.html

[habzamaphone]

Thanks for that! Someone suggested there might be someone in Manchester who snips. If I don't get anywhere with the nhs, I'll definitely try and get a referral. If it does improve feeding, I will be shouting from the roof tops about it to try and get it addressed as a feeding issue in the UK.

[CakeAndTea]

hi there, my 2 month daughter had her posterior tongue tie snipped yesterday at kings, and we had an upper lip tie confirmed. I asked the surgeon if she knew where we could find out more about it and she mentioned a private surgeon

Graham Smith at Kingston Hospital
grahamismith.com/

I believe she said it cost approx £60 if you wanted to proceed with a clipping.

I may look into it myself if the feeding doesn't improve, but my daughter's top lip also doesn't flange and she seems to loose her grip lots, with lots of lip smacking noises and tightening around the nipple. so far this is the same after the TT clip, only day 1 though.

good luck

[bluebliss]

My 3 year old son was born with a notable tongue and lip tie, however, this did not prevent me from breastfeeding sucesssfully.

My main concern became his speach. This also does not appear to have been hindered by his ties. His speach is clear and strangers can understand and follow his conversation.

I talked to many medical proffessionals and not one of them recommended his ties to be cut. However, our dentist does recommend that his lip tie should be lazered at about the age of 8 for dental hygene reasons.

[NotQuiteCockney]

A friend in the US had her son's lip tie cut, and it made a big difference for them.

My DS1 had a hard time feeding initially (couldn't latch without a shield) but that improved by three months. He had a strong tongue tie and a strong lip tie. The orthodontist will get the lip tie cut.

[KafCurt]

Please can everyone read, sign and share with others our petition to get Lip Tie checked at birth: epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/44390.
To follow our campaign please like us on facebook at: www.facebook.com/LipTieSupportGroup

Thanks!

[Kytie]

Hi can dentist or orthodontist snip lipties and can they reattach ? Thankyou

[rachna6]

Hi Hapzamaphone, did you get your son's upper lip tie snipped and did it help feeding issues? My 1 month old ds has an upper lip tie that is causing feeding issues and aggravating reflux and we cannot get beyond gaviscon on the NHS :-\

[CaptainSinker]

rachna my DD had an upper lip tie and it tore when she was gumming a teether when she was a few months old. Some blood but no long term effects/problems.

[geekaMaxima]

Afaik, the Manchester ENT surgeon who used to divide tt and lt moved his practice in Aug 2013.

There is a private place in Huddersfield - actually a dentist who uses a laser rather than scissors - who will treat very young babies. Link here.

[mawbroon]

You need either Malcolm Levinkind in North London or John Roberts in Huddersfield.

They are both dentists who trained with world leading expert Dr Kotlow. They use laser and will revise a lip tie should it be deemed necessary.

Just to say on this thread that lip ties are almost always accompanied by a tongue tie, usually a posterior one.

[MyNameIsAnAnagram]

How do you detect a posterior tt? Ds2 (9m) has an upper lip tie, but as far as I can tell no tt. We have no feeding issues so as far as that is concerned it doesn't matter but could it cause issues further down the kind for him?

[lils12345]

hello if i were you i would get it sorted as soon as possible. i had mine cut when i was 13 before braces and it was really quite painful. lip tie causes a gap in the two from teeth and leads to many dental problems, if not sorted soon.

i wish you the best of luck

[fluffandnonsense]

I'm going to have my daughters lip tie and posterior tongue tie done tomorrow in Huddersfield at the above mentioned Cote Royd dentist. I'm really nervous but praying it makes her latch better as its bloody agony ATM! It's costing £250.

[cloggal]

Sorry to hijack - I posted earlier about my son's tongue tie - I will definitely sign the petition but can we do something to get HCPs properly aware of tongue and lip ties, and make them part of standard checks? An MN campaign maybe?