A tongue tie release performed by laser, is not a painful procedure. As the procedure is often performed on infants and babies, it is however very important that everything is done to ensure as little pain and discomfort as possible.
Treatment
General anesthesia is almost never used by any skilled practitioner, in some cases local anesthesia is used though. Before the procedure, the practitioner will use a numbing cream. Most practitioners do this, but check up with yours, as this is very important. For most babies, this should be enough, however if you want to be sure that as little discomfort as possible occurs, you can use Tylenol.
For a detailed timeline of tongue tie treatment including bodywork and IBCLC, click here.
Dosage: About 30-60 minutes before the procedure, administer according to schedule below using the dropper in the manufacturers package.
- 6-11 pounds – 1.25mL
- 12-17 pounds – 2.5mL
- 18-23 pounds – 3.75mL
- 24-35 pounds – 5mL
For children above 6 months old, you can use ibuprofen instead, or together with Tylenol. Please follow the dosing instructions on the package.
You can also use arnica if you prefer a homeopathic remedy instead.
After the treatment your baby will probably be fuzzy regardless of pain relief, so do whatever you can to soothe it. You can breastfeed and bottle-feed right after the procedure.
Aftercare
Performing aftercare exercises is paramount for a good recovery. Often babies get very fuzzy during aftercare, however aftercare exercises should only be painful for the first three weeks, and then only a little.
Before using pain relief medicine, try applying either Arnica 30C or coconut oil. This will make aftercare exercises easier to perform as it moist the area, and they also work as a mild numbing agent.
To find out how to perform aftercare exercises (with video), click here.
If you suspect that your baby is not in pain, but still very fuzzy, consider using rescue remedy to ease anxiety. If you do suspect that your baby is in pain during aftercare exercises, you can use Tylenol up front. For children 6 months or older, Ibuprofen either alone or with Tylenol can also be used. Always follow dosing instructions on the package.
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