# Tongue-tie release

**Should we have our baby's tongue-tie released?**

Whether to have a quick procedure to release the tissue under the tongue if a baby is thought to have a tongue-tie that affects feeding.

In short: Parents choose between 3 main approaches: Lactation support first; Release only a clear tie with documented feeding problems; Early release on suspicion. Evidence: evidence leans one way. Research or guidance points in a direction, but it's thin, small or correlational. Best settled: 0–6 months.

- Area: Newborn medical choices
- Evidence: Evidence leans one way
- Best settled: 0–6 months
- First published: 2026-10-03
- Last updated: 2026-10-05
- Page: https://www.raisingyourchild.com/topics/newborn-medical-choices--tongue-tie-release

## Tongue-tie release: what are the options?

1. **Lactation support first**: You work with a lactation specialist before considering a procedure.
2. **Release only a clear tie with documented feeding problems**: A release is done only if there is a definite tongue-tie and feeding problems that have been checked.
3. **Early release on suspicion**: A release is done early if a tongue-tie is suspected.

## Tongue-tie release: what does the evidence say?

**Evidence leans one way.** Research or guidance points in a direction, but it's thin, small or correlational. (Leans toward caution)

AAP (July 2024 clinical report): tongue-tie is a variation of a normal structure, diagnosed in 1.7% to 10.7% of newborns across studies, with diagnoses rising almost tenfold between 1997 and 2012 and doubling again by 2016; fewer than half of babies with the physical finding have trouble breastfeeding. Reserve release for significant functional problems that persist despite non-surgical help, assess feeding with lactation and other specialists first, and skip preventive release and post-procedure stretching; evidence on frenotomy is limited, with a short-term drop in nipple pain and an inconsistent effect on feeding

Sources:

- [AAP via HealthyChildren.org](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/news/Pages/AAP-report-addresses-rise-in-tongue-tie-diagnoses-for-breastfeeding-concerns.aspx)
- [AAP clinical report](https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/154/2/e2024067605/198022/Identification-and-Management-of-Ankyloglossia-and)

## What else is worth knowing?

A tongue-tie is a short or tight band of tissue under the tongue that can limit movement. It is sometimes blamed for breastfeeding problems, which often have other causes. A release is a quick snip, and experts advise trying feeding support first.

## Questions to ask each other

- How would we decide whether a feeding problem is a tongue-tie or something else?
- Who would we want to examine the baby first?
- What would we try before agreeing to a procedure?

---

General information, not medical advice. Two parents can each answer this and compare: https://www.raisingyourchild.com/explore?cat=newborn-medical-choices&topic=newborn-medical-choices--tongue-tie-release