Tongue-tie

Tongue-tie can cause breastfeeding problems in some babies, while others breastfeed well without treatment. If your baby is gaining weight as expected and breastfeeding is working well, the tongue-tie does not need to be divided.

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Newly mother breastfeeding her newborn baby boy while in pain

Tongue-tie and breastfeeding

What is tongue-tie, how can it affect breastfeeding, and how is it assessed and treated? Swipe to learn more about tongue-tie and breastfeeding.

What is tongue-tie?

The tongue-tie is the fold of tissue under the tongue that connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth. The length and tightness of this fold vary from person to person. It also varies how clearly it can be seen.
In some newborn babies, it is easy to see that the tongue-tie is tight, for example if the tip of the tongue becomes heart-shaped. In others, the tongue-tie is more hidden and therefore more difficult to assess.

Can you breastfeed with tongue-tie?

Some babies with tongue-tie breastfeed well, while others have problems with breastfeeding.
If the tongue-tie is tight, it can affect how much your baby can move their tongue. This may mean that your baby cannot latch on to the breast as well and therefore cannot stimulate milk production sufficiently. Your baby may then find it difficult to get the milk they need.
At the same time, breastfeeding can be painful for you if your baby does not latch on properly, and your nipples may become sore or cracked.

Some babies with tongue-tie may also have problems sucking from a bottle, but for most babies it is easier to suck effectively from a bottle than from the breast.

If you are unsure whether your bottle-fed baby needs treatment for tongue-tie, ask your health visitor for advice.

Common breastfeeding problems with tongue-tie

Here are some common problems you may experience with breastfeeding if your baby has tongue-tie:

  • You have long-lasting pain and often sore or cracked nipples.
  • Your baby has poor sucking technique.
  • Your baby is not getting enough milk, spends a long time at the breast and may be unsettled during breastfeeding.
  • Your baby breastfeeds very often.
  • Your baby is not gaining enough weight.
  • Your milk production decreases because your baby’s sucking technique is not effective.

Please be aware that these problems can also have other causes. It is therefore important to talk to your health visitor or the staff at the maternity unit, so you can work together to find the cause of the problems.

How do we know whether our baby has tongue-tie?

If you are experiencing one or more of the common breastfeeding problems seen with tongue-tie, and there are no other explanations for the problems, the staff at the maternity unit or your health visitor can examine your baby together with you.

When babies are examined for tongue-tie, the healthcare professional looks at how the tongue appears and how much it can move. This is done using a form called TABBY (see the form below). The examination is not uncomfortable for your baby.


If the examination shows that your baby has tongue-tie, the first recommendation is usually to try to solve the breastfeeding problems by helping your baby improve their sucking technique.

If this does not solve the problems, your baby can be referred to an ear, nose and throat specialist, who will assess whether your baby can be treated by dividing the tongue-tie so the tongue can move more freely.

How is tongue-tie divided?

In Denmark, tongue-tie in newborn babies is usually divided by an ear, nose and throat specialist.

In babies, this is a very small procedure, and complications are rare. As pain relief, your baby may be given a little sugar water just before the procedure.


How breastfeeding goes after tongue-tie division varies from baby to baby. For some babies, the breastfeeding problems are solved immediately after the procedure. For others, it may take a few days before the baby learns to use the tongue in a new way.

Ask your health visitor for advice if breastfeeding is still not working for you.

It is not necessary to do tongue exercises with your baby after the tongue-tie has been divided, as it can be painful for the baby.

Your baby already moves their tongue many times during each breastfeed.

If you need to wait a few days for an appointment with the ear, nose and throat specialist, it may sometimes be necessary to give your baby extra milk by cup or bottle. This may be because your baby is not getting enough milk at the breast, or because breastfeeding is painful.

It is a good idea to express milk and give it to your baby by cup or bottle, so you can keep your milk production going.

Pain and sores on the nipples

Good to do

  • Ask your health visitor or the maternity unit during your baby’s first week to check whether breastfeeding problems could be caused by tongue-tie.
  • First, try to improve your baby’s latch and sucking technique.
  • If the problems continue and your baby has a low TABBY score, a specialist doctor can assess whether your baby may benefit from having the tongue-tie released.

Who can you contact?

If you experience challenges with bottle feeding – big or small – do not hesitate to seek professional advice. Swipe to see whom you can contact and when.

Who can you contact at the maternity ward?

You can contact the maternity-ward staff both during pregnancy and after birth.

Before birth, your midwife is the person to speak with about the early time with your baby and your thoughts about feeding – whether breastfeeding or bottle-feeding. If you have had previous breastfeeding problems, you can create a plan together.

Most maternity wards also offer antenatal classes, and your midwife can inform you about these.

After giving birth, you can receive help with breastfeeding from staff on the delivery or maternity ward while you are admitted.

All parents can also contact a breastfeeding hotline at their maternity ward within the first week after birth if they need help or guidance.

You can contact your municipal health-visitor service

The health-visitor service is available to all pregnant and new parents in Denmark. After birth, you will be offered free home visits with support and guidance to help you get a good start with your baby. Depending on your municipality and your stage in the process, different services and contact options may be available.

Some municipalities offer prenatal visits from a health visitor, where you can discuss breastfeeding, bottle-feeding, and preparing for life as a new family. Check your municipality’s website to see whether this is available where you live.

If you have special needs, you can contact the service to ask whether prenatal visits are offered to you.

Your health visitor will contact you and offer the first home visit. You can always call your municipal health visitor service for advice or guidance.

You can contact your GP if needed

Always speak with your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding and need medical treatment. In most cases, there is a medication that is safe to use during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Contact the on-call doctor or call 112 in an emergency

For sudden illness or worsening symptoms that cannot wait until your GP is available, or for minor injuries, you can contact the on-call doctor – or call 1813 if you live in the Capital Region.

In emergencies, if something is life-threatening or dangerous, call 112.

Contact volunteer breastfeeding counsellors

You can also contact volunteer breastfeeding counsellors if you need advice or guidance. Denmark has two support organisations: Forældre & Fødsel and Ammenet. The volunteers are mothers who have breastfed themselves, and both organisations provide guidance based on the recommendations of the Danish Health Authority.

Get help from Forældre og Fødsel

Get help from Ammenet

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