What is a Frenulotomy?

A frenulotomy is a minor surgical procedure to remove the frenulum (small band of connective tissue under the tongue). The procedure is quick, minimally invasive and has minimal risks.

How is a frenulotomy performed?

An assistant helps to hold your baby steady whilst a trained professional uses a pair of blunt-ended, sterile scissors to snip the frenulum under the tongue. The procedure usually takes less than ten seconds.

Does it hurt my baby?

It is understood that the baby experiences no or minimal discomfort. A baby usually cries at being restricted by the assistant, as it feels unnatural. However, once the procedure is complete, the baby usually stops crying instantly and feeds comfortably.

Does it bleed?

There is usually very minimal bleeding. A gauze is pressed gently under the baby's tongue, which commonly has a few drops of blood mixed with saliva. The baby then feeds and sometimes there is a small amount of pinky-tinged blood mixed with the breastmilk. This is normal.

Occassionally, some babies bleed a bit more. In this case, a gauze is gently compressed under the baby's tongue for 10 uninterupted minutes, which in the majority stops all bleeding. In exceptionally rare cases, this process needs to be repeated with a special gauze and even rarer cases an ambulance may be called to transfer to hospital as a precaution.

How long does it take to heal?

A white, diamond-shaped patch sometimes appears under the baby's tongue where the division took place. This is sometimes yellow in appearance. This is completely normal and will disappear in one to two weeks after the procedure

Can it get infected?

It is exceptionally rare but is a reportable risk of having a frenulotomy. Signs of infection include oozing from the site, redness or inflammation or your baby becoming unwell.

Do I need to do tongue exercises with my baby?

Research does not support the need for massage or exercises with your baby, as this can cause disruption to the healing process. Usually, feeding alone is enough to exercise the tongue. If you wish, you can encourage gentle movement by sticking your tongue out at your baby and trying to get them to mimic you, or by gently stroking your finger along their lips to encourage them to stick out their tongue.