When you see an IBCLC you may get the feeling that you were not given a solid yes or no about tongue or lip ties.. Like any other medical professional, we too have a scope of practice and diagnosis along with prescriptions is not included. An IBCLC can not diagnose whether or not your baby has tethered oral tissues. What we can do is show you what we see, talk about the symptoms you and your baby are experiencing, and share the most common signs of tethered oral tissues.
Often we hear, ‘Well my pediatrician said there is no tie and they can diagnose’. You are correct they can diagnose. It is also important to consider how much training have they sought out on tethered oral tissues. Like Breastfeeding, Tethered Oral Tissues is not really covered in med school. Most doctors receive 2 hours of lactation information. There is no requirement for doctors to continue education on up to date information on Breastfeeding or tethered oral tissues. There is no medical specialty that covers Tethered Oral Tissues in standard curriculum. You’ll want to seek out a provider who has taken extra steps to learn more about tethered oral tissues and how they impact feeding.
Who is a good resource?
As we understand more about the function of the tongue and how tethered oral tissues are playing a role throughout a person’s life (not just breastfeeding) we are seeing more providers seeking out the training and information. The International Association of Tongue Tie Professionals is a great organization with a directory you can trust.
As IBCLC’s we sought out training because we want to help mothers and babies. To become an IBCLC is no easy task. It requires hundreds of clinical hours, on top of classroom hours, and recertification through continuing education and practice hours every 5 hours. Just as all specialists are not created equal, not all IBCLCs have the same education on tethered oral tissues. To find out who your local expert is, ask what professional development on tethered oral tissues they have taken.
We will often suggest you see a provider who can officially diagnose and treat ties. This is based on a full evaluation of the physical restrictions in your baby, paired with your experience in feeding, and the knowledge of how your baby is transferring milk We may not be able to diagnose but we do know how the tongue and mouth are supposed to work. When we recommend you see a specialist in ties it’s because we see something that is not working as it should be.
As supporters of moms and babies we work with local providers that we know will do a good job, and take care of you and your baby. Our recommendations come from our first-hand experience and knowledge.
