Tongue Tie and Breastfeeding: What Ann Arbor Parents Need to Know
Your baby has been struggling to latch. Nursing is painful. Your little one isn't gaining weight as quickly as expected. And now your pediatrician or lactation consultant has mentioned the words "tongue tie" or "lip tie."
If this sounds familiar, you are not alone — and you are in exactly the right place.
As Ann Arbor's only dedicated Breastfeeding and TOTS Center, Lactation Loop is here to help you understand what tethered oral tissues mean for breastfeeding, what the process looks like, and how we support families every step of the way — from evaluation through frenectomy and beyond.
What Is a Tongue Tie or Lip Tie?
A tongue tie (ankyloglossia) occurs when the frenulum — the small band of tissue connecting the tongue to the floor of the mouth — is too short, thick, or tight, restricting the tongue's range of motion. A lip tie occurs when the frenulum connecting the upper lip to the gum is too tight, limiting the lip's ability to flange outward during feeding.
Together, tongue ties and lip ties are referred to as Tethered Oral Tissues, or TOTS.
How Do TOTS Affect Breastfeeding?
When a baby has a tongue tie or lip tie, they may not be able to latch deeply or maintain suction effectively during feeding. This can cause a wide range of breastfeeding challenges for both mom and baby, including:
For baby:
Shallow or slipping latch
Clicking or popping sounds while nursing
Difficulty sustaining a feeding
Slow weight gain or poor milk transfer
Excessive gas, colic, or reflux symptoms
Fatigue during feeds
For mom:
Nipple pain, cracking, or bleeding
Nipple compression or "lipstick shaped" nipple after feeds
Incomplete breast drainage leading to engorgement or plugged ducts
Low milk supply developing over time
Mastitis
It's important to know that not every tongue tie requires treatment, and not every baby with tight-appearing tissues will have feeding difficulties. This is exactly why a thorough evaluation by a board-certified IBCLC is so essential before any procedure is considered.
The Team Approach: Why IBCLC + Dentist Together Matters
At Blossom Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics — where Lactation Loop's Ann Arbor TOTS Center is located — a team approach to tongue tie diagnosis and treatment is required. In fact, Blossom requires that all infants be evaluated by a board-certified IBCLC lactation consultant before performing a frenectomy.
This is the right approach, and here's why: a frenectomy alone does not automatically fix breastfeeding. The baby still needs to learn how to use their newly freed tongue, and mom still needs support through the transition. Without concurrent lactation support, many families find that breastfeeding difficulties persist even after a successful procedure.
With Lactation Loop inside Blossom's practice, Ann Arbor families get seamless, coordinated care — your IBCLC and your frenectomy provider are working together from day one.
What Does the Process Look Like?
Step 1 — IBCLC Evaluation (before the frenectomy) Your journey begins with a lactation consultation with Heather Carnaghi, our Ann Arbor IBCLC. Heather will assess your baby's oral function, observe a feeding, evaluate the frenulum, and determine whether TOTS appear to be contributing to your breastfeeding challenges. She will share her findings with Blossom's dental team to inform their evaluation.
Step 2 — Dental Evaluation at Blossom Blossom's doctors will perform a thorough clinical exam, review your baby's history, and discuss treatment recommendations with you. If a frenectomy is recommended, they use a state-of-the-art Light Scalpel CO2 laser — a precise, fast procedure that minimizes discomfort, healing time, and risk of scar tissue formation.
Step 3 — Post-Frenectomy Lactation Support After the procedure, Heather will work with you on wound care stretches and exercises, help re-establish latch and positioning, monitor milk transfer, and support you as your baby learns to use their tongue and lip with full mobility. This follow-up phase is critical and often overlooked — we make sure you don't navigate it alone.
When Should I Reach Out?
You don't need to wait for a tongue tie diagnosis to contact us. In fact, we encourage you to reach out as soon as breastfeeding feels difficult. Many of the challenges caused by TOTS — latch pain, poor weight gain, low supply — can begin to be addressed right away while the evaluation process is underway.
Early support makes a significant difference. The sooner we can observe a feeding and assess what's happening, the sooner we can start helping.
Book Your Evaluation at the Ann Arbor TOTS Center
Lactation Loop's Ann Arbor Breastfeeding and TOTS Center is located inside Blossom Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics at 3680 Packard Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104. Our IBCLC Heather Carnaghi is available every Monday and Tuesday, with virtual and in-home visits available throughout the week.
We accept most major insurance plans including Aetna, Cigna PPO, UnitedHealthcare (UHC), UMR PPO, Meritain, and Wildflower. Many families find their visits are fully covered under the Affordable Care Act.
Call or text us at 941-254-2502 or book online below. You don't have to figure this out alone — we are right here in Ann Arbor.
Lactation Loop's Ann Arbor Breastfeeding and TOTS Center serves families in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Saline, Chelsea, Dexter, Canton, Plymouth, Northville, South Lyon and surrounding Washtenaw County communities.