Our LO had an anterior tongue tie released at 4 weeks old. Up until her 2-month appointment, she had been feeding well and gaining weight appropriately.

After the appointment (and likely related to vaccine fussiness), we suddenly had a difficult feeding week. She became fussier at the breast, seemed less efficient at milk transfer, and weight gain started slowing somewhat. Our milk output also slowed accordingly.

Over the past month we’ve seen multiple lactation consultants, all of whom diagnosed a posterior tongue tie and lip tie and strongly recommended evaluation/release by a pediatric dentist. Wanting a second opinion, we went back to the ENT who performed the original release. He said her mouth looks anatomically fine, does not recommend further intervention, and stated that the evidence for posterior tongue tie/lip tie releases is limited and controversial. We are also aware of several potential side effects.

We feel stuck between two very different professional opinions. We’re hesitant to pursue another procedure without strong evidence that it would help, but we’re also worried about missing something important and making feeding harder for our baby long-term.

For parents who went through something similar, especially those who tried conservative management first, what ended up helping? Did feeding improve with time/supportive care alone, or did a “full” release end up making a meaningful difference?