4+ weeks after tongue and lip tie release and baby's latch isn't any better
My 14 week old had a lip and posterior tongue tie release with a laser about 4 weeks ago. She’s always had a pretty chompy/poor latch, but somehow she’s always been able to compensate and transfer milk really well.
We worked with an LC for months before the release and did all the pre release therapy, and we also saw a chiro for some body tension. We did all of the stretches/exercises after the release, too.
We had our last LC appointment this past week and she basically discharged us. She said her oral assessment looked great and that she’s come a long way since the release, which is obviously great to hear. But I told her that her latch is still really difficult. She still chomps, pops on and off, doesn’t consistently maintain a deep latch, pushes herself off of me and turns her head, and clicks while nursing.
The LC said she thinks a lot of it is probably developmental at this point, especially because she’s getting more distracted, and that positioning could be playing a role too.
So now I’m torn on what to do.
Do I just keep going and give her more time to see if things improve naturally? Should I go back to our LC for another follow-up? Or would it be worth getting a second opinion?
I’m honestly just feeling really discouraged. We’ve put so much time into trying to improve her latch, and I really want to keep breastfeeding. I’m also worried about what happens once she gets teeth because I feel like with the way she nurses now, I’m not going to be able to tolerate it once she starts biting.
Has anyone else had a baby whose latch was still kind of a mess several weeks after a tongue tie release but eventually improved? I’d love to hear your experiences!
Posted Sep 5, 2026, 3:55 PM UTC