Quick snip fix for tongue-tied babies

Tongue-tied babies throughout Rochdale and across the North West are getting instant help to feed thanks to a pioneering service.

Babies born with a frenulum that is too tight, the skin attaching their tongue to the bottom of their mouth, can undergo a painless procedure at the Royal Oldham Hospital.

The common condition can affect a baby’s ability to breast feed properly, causing it to miss out on vital nutrients, and can put mums off breast feeding.

But a new clinic where the frenulum is quickly snipped to allow the tongue to move properly is proving a real success.

New mum and Royal Oldham Hospital midwife Lydia Faulkner (26) can vouch for its success after her daughter Grace, born on December 17, was diagnosed with the condition.

She said: “Being a midwife, I was aware of the condition and procedure but still a bit concerned.

“When I breast fed Grace, she was managing to feed but wasn’t latching on properly which left me sore and suffering mastitis.

“She was referred to the clinic a week after her birth and the surgery has made a huge difference.

“She slept all the way through it and the effect was immediate as she fed properly and has since put on lots of weight.

“I was determined to breast feed but had she not had the surgery, I would have been tempted to give up.”

The clinic is the first of its kind in the North-West and was set up a year ago by Val Finnegan, infant feeding co-ordinator for the Pennine Acute Trust.

A total of 150 babies have benefited from the service which is hoping to expand.

She said: “It runs every Monday and we have six bookings every week.

“But word of mouth means we are always fully booked referrals from across Greater Manchester and the North West.

“Babies are only away from mum for two minutes and the procedure is so painless, 50 per cent of the youngsters sleep through it.

“Mums are spreading the word and I firmly believe we should share expertise and ensure women have the right type of care and support.”