Upper lip tie

Dear Matthew

When you were born, your dad and I both noticed that your tongue was tied, so when you were a couple of days old your paediatrician cut it (you didn't even cry so I doubt it hurt). 

However he never mentioned your upper lip tie. I must admit I noticed something small there but as you are my first baby and I wasn't sure what was normal (and you have always breasted well), I didn't question what I saw. 

However as you grew it became more obvious. Then recently I read that upper lip ties can affect speech, and given you are learning to talk I decided to show your dad your upper lip tie, to get a second opinion on what was there. He confirmed he thought you had one (you do) and so I freaked out and booked you into the best paediatric dentist in Perth to be assessed. 

The dentist confirmed that you do in fact have an upper lip tie however given your age, he did not recommend you have a laser frenectomy (where you are conscious but restrained and the tie is lasered) as you are too big and will thrash about (which could both traumatise you so you never want to go to a dentist again and potentially do damage to your currently hidden adult teeth). 

The only safe option, should we want to have it cut, would be to put you under general anaesthesia. We have decided against that because:

1. Even if you have it cut there is no guarantee you will breast feed better as your mouth muscles are so used to latching on the way they do (and you're a good breast feeder anyway)

2. The position of the tie will not contribute to cavities or speech problems (contrary to popular belief)

3. You will have a gap between your baby teeth but that doesn't mean you'll have a gap between your adult teeth as they're much bigger and will take up more space in your mouth 

4. You can have it lasered when you begin orthodontic treatment around age ten, when you can consciously sit still in the dentists chair so the lasering is completed accurately

5. There are always risks to putting a small child under general anaesthesia. 

I hope we have made the right decision. I'm sorry you will have to put up with it until you're older but it isn't hurting you so we figure if it ain't broke don't fix it. We do our best baby boy. I have been quite upset about it as its the reason you're a poor sleeper (as you don't form a complete seal when breast feeding, meaning you suck in lots of air, which gives you a gassy tummy, leading you to wake, on average, ten times a night). We have been given the heads up that its genetic so we can help your future sibling/s but I'm sorry you will have to put up with it for now. The mummy guilt never ends, I promise. 

Love,

Mum xxx