Lactation Spot

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If your doctor or specialist has recommended a frenectomy for you or your child (release of tight tethered oral frenum), it’s important to understand the process and what to expect before and after the procedure.

Pre-Frenectomy Preparation:
Before the procedure, it’s essential to see a skilled Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) who specializes in Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT). This step is crucial because:
👩🏻‍⚕️Assessment: The SLP will conduct a thorough evaluation to determine the extent of the tongue tie and how it is impacting oral function.
👩🏻‍⚕️Pre-Surgery Therapy: Engaging in specific exercises helps build strength, improve range of motion, and prepare the tongue for post-surgery adaptation. 🗝️This is key to achieving the best surgical outcomes.

What Happens During the Frenectomy?:
👅The frenectomy itself is a quick and minimally invasive procedure, typically taking about 15 minutes.
⚡️The doctor will apply a topical numbing agent before using a special laser to release the restrictive frenum. Stitches are used in some cases. Bleeding is very minimal.

Post-Frenectomy Recovery:
The first few days & weeks post-surgery are critical for healing:
❤️‍🩹 Expect some manageable discomfort for children and adults, peaking around day three.
💊 Manage discomfort easily with over the counter medications as recommended by your release provider
🧪 Some providers recommend specific supplements for healing such as Arnica or Enzymes
🧊 Cold drinks & Ice Pops Help
❌ Avoid hot or spicy foods
👶🏼 For babies undergoing frenectomy, expect a day or two of fussiness and provide more skin to skin
🤱🏻 Some babies will feed less for the first day or two and some will find comfort and soothing in breastfeeding.

💡Remember: Your commitment to this process is an investment in your health and well-being. Let’s work together to unlock the full potential of your oral function! Contact us today for a consultation!

Grateful for an amazing afternoon of connection and collaboration at the Healthy Biz Connect! Huge thanks to for bringing us all together. 🌟

This applies to all ages - Infancy through Adults! Symptoms present differently throughout the lifespan. Learn more at Myofunctional Spot or PM me! Don’t forget to follow Myofunctional Spot!

Mouth breathing might seem harmless, but it can lead to a surprising array of health issues over time. It has become very “normalized” but is a red flag for Airway concerns. Imagine your airway as the roots of a tree—when obstructed, it can affect every branch, from your sleep quality to your mental health.

🌳 Root Cause: Mouth breathing often begins in childhood for various structural, functional or habitual reasons. It can also develop later in life.

🗣️ Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy - Speech Pathologists (SLP) who specialize in treating Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders play a crucial role in retraining the muscles of the Orofacial Complex to encourage nasal breathing.

🚨Branching Effects: Mouth breathing is a sign of an inadequate airway, which can manifest in a variety of symptoms and conditions:
-Behavioral Issues & Brain Fog: Lack of restful sleep can cause irritability, focus problems, and mimic ADHD.
-Jaw Clenching & Teeth Grinding: Stress on the jaw from improper breathing can lead to head/neck tension, TMJ disorders, and worn-down teeth.
-Sleep Apnea/Snoring: Interrupted sleep means you wake up tired, no matter how long you rest.
-Hypertension & Heart Problems: Poor oxygenation can increase blood pressure and strain your heart.
-Hormonal Imbalance: Issues like hypothyroidism and insulin resistance are often linked to chronic stress from poor breathing.
-Mental Health Struggles: Anxiety, depression, and even migraines can stem from inadequate sleep and oxygen intake.
-Physical Changes: Obesity, asthma, and fibromyalgia can be exacerbated by chronic mouth breathing, creating a vicious cycle.

☑️Take Action: If you or your child are mouth breathers, consider seeking help from a Speech-Language Pathologist who specializes in Myofunctional Therapy. They can assess the underlying issues and provide tailored therapy to improve breathing patterns, enhance sleep quality, and prevent long-term health complications.

Your health is deeply rooted in how you breathe. Let’s focus on nourishing those roots with the right therapy for a healthier, more vibrant life! 🌟

When undergoing a Tongue Tie Release (Frenectomy), it is so important to understand the difference between Passive Stretches (Healing Wound Care Management) and Active Functional Exercises to improve latch and feeding. Both are needed for an optimal outcome and improved function! However they are not the same thing. Passive stretches alone are not sufficient for full functional improvement.

If you have a provider who wants to do a release without connecting you to the right SLP/Infant Feeding Specialist to ensure proper Pre and Post Frenectomy Care, please find a new provider.

Reach out - I can help connect you to the right providers🤍🤱🏻

🌟 **10 Steps to Breastfeeding Success** 🌟

1. 🤱 **Skin-to-Skin Contact**: Start early with skin-to-skin contact to promote bonding and stimulate milk production.

2. 🕰️ **Feed on Demand**: Respond to your baby’s hunger cues rather than sticking to a strict schedule.

3. 🤲 **Proper Latch**: Ensure a deep latch to prevent discomfort and support effective milk transfer.

4. 🪑 **Comfortable Position**: Find a nursing position that feels right for both you and your baby, whether sitting or lying down.

5. 💧 **Stay Hydrated**: Keep a water bottle nearby and stay hydrated to support milk supply.

6. 🍽️ **Balanced Diet**: Nourish yourself with a balanced diet rich in nutrients to keep your energy up.

7. 😌 **Rest and Relaxation**: Make time to rest and manage stress—both are crucial for maintaining a healthy milk supply.

8. 👩‍⚕️ **Seek Support**: Find a skilled and experienced Lactation Consultant & Speech Pathologist (SLP) who specializes in Infant Feeding who can help you achieve your goals and provide guidance.

9. 👶 **Frequent Feedings**: The more you nurse, the more milk you’ll produce, so aim for frequent feedings.

10. ❤️ **Trust Your Body**: Trust in your body’s ability to nourish your baby. You’ve got this, Mama!

Breastfeeding is a journey, and every step brings you closer to success. Remember, you’re not alone on this path. Reach out if you need support—we’re here to help! 💕

🌟 Suspect a Tongue Tie? Here’s What You Need to Know! 🌟

👅Why Do Tongue Ties Matter in Children/Teens & Adults?
Tongue ties limit lingual mobility, which is crucial for speaking, chewing, drinking, breathing, swallowing, and more. Proper lingual range of motion is also essential for adequate craniofacial development. Without identification and intervention, a tongue tie in a child can have downstream effects on their facial and head development. Further dysfunction and symptoms can progress into adolescence and adulthood if not addressed. Many symptoms of a tongue tie are “common,” but that doesn’t make them normal. If you feel something is off, it likely is, even if other professionals assure you that “everything is fine.”

❓Why Myofunctional Therapy?Myofunctional therapy is a critical aspect of treating tongue ties - often in combination with a surgical release (Frenectomy). Many think treating a tongue tie is as simple as performing a frenectomy. However, because a tongue tie hinders proper mouth and tongue function, correcting this often requires therapy to train the tongue to function properly. It’s essential to find a Speech Pathologist (SLP) skilled in identifying and treating Ankyloglossia (oral restrictions/tongue tie) who can guide you and connect you with the right providers for a comprehensive interdisciplinary team.

👩🏻‍⚕️Myofunctional therapy can’t provide guarantees, as numerous factors contribute to each individual’s long-term prognosis and outcome. This will be discussed with each client before committing to any Myofunctional Therapy Program. Finding the right Speech Language Pathologist who specializes in assessing and treating tongue ties is crucial to guide you through this process.

✨We’ve seen the consequences of releases without proper pre and post-therapeutic management, leading to worsened symptoms or unresolved dysfunction. Some may even require a second release if the initial surgery heals improperly.

📞Let us guide you through a successful journey to better health. Contact us today for a consultation!

Common Reasons to Seek Lactation/Infant Feeding Support:

🤱🏻Low Milk Production
🤍Overproduction of Milk
🤱🏻Engorgement
🤍Painful and/or difficult latch
🤱🏻Milk leaking from corners of baby’s mouth
🤍Sore, cracked or bleeding ni***es
🤱🏻Tongue tie, Lip tie, or other Anatomical Issue
🤍A baby who is “nursing all the time” and never seems satisfied
🤱🏻Food Allergies or Sensitivities for mom or baby
🤍Sleep Issues Related to Feeding
🤱🏻Pumping Help
🤍Jaundice
🤱🏻Medical Issues for Mom or Baby
🤍Previous Breastfeeding Issues
🤱🏻Assistance returning to work
🤍Slow Infant Weight Gain
🤱🏻Prematurity or late preterm infant
🤍Baby Transitioning from NICU to Home
🤱🏻Twins/Multiples
🤍Re-Lactation
🤱🏻Baby Fussy or Frustrated at breast
🤍Reflux
🤱🏻Supplementation
🤍Mastitis or Thrush
🤱🏻Previous Breast Surgeries
🤍Breastfeeding an Adopted Baby
🤱🏻Nursing an Older Baby
🤍Tandem Nursing
🤱🏻Introducing Solid Food
🤍Weaning or any unresolved feeding issues or concerns
🤱🏻Receiving confusing advice regarding breastfeeding
🤍Feeling unsure and needing extra support and guidance

As Speech Pathologist and Lactation/Infant Feeding Specialists, we provide support for all babies who are struggling to feed. We specialize in identifying and treating babies with tongue ties who are undergoing frenectomy (release), picky eating and swallowing concerns. Our Clinic is located in Davie, Florida, and we provide Telehealth support as well. If you are struggling, please reach out for the support that you deserve 🤱🏻🤍🤱🏻🤍

Just relaxing through an oral exam 😎 🤍

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Although Myofunctional Therapy is within the scope of practice of Speech Pathology, it is often not covered easily by insurance companies. The field is growing rapidly, but insurance in general has not caught up. In most cases, it is an out-of pocket expense and considered an investment in your health.

Myofunctional therapy involves exercises to improve the strength and coordination of the muscles in the face, tongue, pharyngeal area and mouth. It can address issues like tongue thrust, tongue tie, sleep quality, mouth breathing, and improper swallowing patterns and much more.

Below are several common Insurance Coverage Challenges
🛑Lack of Standardization: Unlike other medical treatments, Myofunctional Therapy lacks standardized protocols, making it harder for insurance companies to classify and cover it.
🛑Limited Recognition: Many insurers do not recognize Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs) as a distinct category needing specialized treatment. Symptoms of OMDs such as snoring, mouth breathing, feeding concerns, orthodontic concerns, speech concerns have become so “normalized” and “common”. They are often overlooked by physicians. Common doesn’t mean it is “normal”, optimal or healthy.
🛑Preventive Nature: Insurance often focuses on treatments for existing conditions rather than preventive measures, which is the core of Myofunctional Therapy. Conventional healthcare commonly covers treatments such as CPAP machines, tonsil/adenoid surgery, speech therapy, medications etc but those things are often “bandaids” treating symptoms of OMDs. Myofunctional Therapy Programs aim to identify, address and remediate the root cause of OMDs (whether structural, functional or habitual) preventing worsening.

👩🏻‍⚕️Takeaway👩🏻‍⚕️

While insurance coverage for Myofunctional Therapy may be lacking, investing in a qualified and experienced Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) is crucial in treating OMDs. Myofunctional Therapy is powerful and can be life changing when in the right hands and with the right team behind you ✨

✨Your Health is Worth It!✨

Pre and post frenectomy therapy is critical for best outcomes for ALL ages! This cutie received several weeks of therapy with our Speech Pathologist Michelle to get her prepared for a tongue tie release. Therapy for infants includes passive strengthening of the intrinsic and extrinsic lingual muscles, passive suck training exercises, improving lingual mobility and so much more. She is now three weeks post release - look at that narrowing of her tongue and starting to achieve a tongue tip/point! Improvement is gradual, but can be life changing! The key factors are having the right team guiding you, staying consistent & trusting the process! 🤍Let us guide you and your loved ones - all ages can benefit from therapy.

Pre and post frenectomy therapy is critical for best outcomes for ALL ages! This cutie received several weeks of therapy to get her prepared for a tongue tie release. Therapy for infants includes passive strengthening of the intrinsic and extrinsic lingual muscles, passive suck training exercises, improving lingual mobility and so much more. She is now three weeks post release - look at that narrowing of her tongue and starting to achieve a tongue tip/point! Improvement is gradual, but can be life changing! The key factors are having the right team guiding you, staying consistent & trusting the process! 🤍Let us guide you and your loved ones - all ages can benefit from therapy.

https://theconversation.com/debate-over-tongue-tie-procedures-in-babies-continues-heres-why-it-can-be-beneficial-for-some-infants-230008?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0WM70rLU698XxKQJIQeuCVyKgg8yU0JMHRqROCpBxJ2Wjs7rIvOW6DN2Q_aem_AaPio-Rr0K8wZagfrRlNvS29KSVZztsF3tAJsmEhI6TkqFZ6_p52WFadqZ5siHAJE2Yar17DU17qL2VBGbd5N7li

Debate over tongue tie procedures in babies continues. Here’s why it can be beneficial for some infants Tongue-tie division isn’t always appropriate but can make a big difference to the babies who need it when non-surgical measures don’t fix feeding problems.

Tongue Tie plays a critical role in health and airway function due to its impact on Oral and Facial Development, Feeding/Swallowing Mechanics, and Breathing Patterns. When the Lingual Frenulum is abnormally short or tight at birth, it restricts the full range of tongue motion necessary for proper breastfeeding, speech articulation, and swallowing coordination. If not identified and treated in infancy, tongue tie can lead to continued feeding, speech and dental issues in childhood, such as malocclusion and crowding, which can further compromise airway. If left untreated, tongue tie can also contribute to an increased risk of sleep-disordered breathing, including conditions like snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).

Addressing Tongue Tie early through appropriate intervention can mitigate these potential health implications, promoting optimal oral function, and airway patency throughout life. Tongue tie is treated with an interdisciplinary team approach with a Frenectomy to address the “structure” combined with Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT) to address “function”.

Speech Pathologists (SLP) who specialize in Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders can address all of the presenting symptoms that a Tongue Tie can cause. Please discuss your concerns with your Pediatrician and reach out to an SLP who specializes in oral function & tongue tie.

This cutie had a lot to tell me today!! She giggled and “spoke” to me throughout her oral exam and exercises 🥰🥰🥰

Wishing a very happy Mother’s Day to all of the incredible mommies out there. Hope your day was filled with love 💗

Myofunctional Spot Orofacial Myofunctional Assessment and Treatment Myofunctional Therapy Speech Therapist

Oral motor therapy and suck training therapy provided by a speech pathologist are vital for infants experiencing breastfeeding or bottle-feeding difficulties, as well as those diagnosed with tongue ties, or undergoing pre- and post-frenectomy procedures. These specialized interventions focus on improving oral motor function and developing efficient sucking patterns essential for effective feeding. It is important to find a Speech pathologists who has specialized expertise in infant feeding to assess the baby’s oral structures and motor skills, identifying any underlying issues that may hinder feeding. Through targeted exercises and techniques, they work to strengthen oral muscles, enhance coordination, and promote proper latch and suckling mechanics. This personalized approach not only addresses immediate feeding concerns but also fosters long-term oral motor development, ensuring optimal feeding skills and facilitating the baby’s overall growth and well-being.

Contact info in profile 🤱🏻🤍

Local to South Florida?? If you are experiencing any of the symptoms below, we will be at Tokar Family Chiropractic on April 13th conducting Myofunctional Screenings. If you or a family member experience any of these symptoms, schedule your Myofunctional Screening and find out how we can help! Scheduling link in previous post OR contact me directly at [email protected] or [email protected]

OMDs present differently in babies. Treatment is an overlap of feeding and oral motor therapy, along with suck training if needed. If an oral restriction is identified, having the right team to support you through the release process is crucial such as a Speech Pathologist who specializes in tongue tie, and a dentist who specializes in tongue tie release.

Many of these symptoms have become “common” and are often brushed over by Pediatricians. Common doesn’t mean Normal or Functional. Some Red Flags in babies (birth to 12 mos) include:

🚩Trouble Latching/Milk Supply Concerns
🚩Trouble Bottlefeeding/Leaking Milk/Choking/Coughing
🚩Milk Blisters
🚩High Narrow Palette
🚩Lip or Tongue Ties
🚩Difficulty Transitioning to Solids
🚩Colic/Reflux/Spitting Up/Gassy
🚩Heart Shaped Tongue Tip
🚩Low Resting Tongue Posture

Early Intervention is KEY 🔑 Contact us now for an Assessment or head over to for more info regarding babies birth to 12 months

Are you local to the South Florida area? Sign up for your Myofunctional Screening! Our next Pop Up Myofunctional Screening Clinic will be located at Tokar Family Chiropractic Center on April 13th! Click the link to schedule your spot! Don’t miss it! We look forward to seeing you there!👅👃👄

🤍🤱🏻🤍🤱🏻

“My Pediatrician (nurse, lactation consultant, friend, etc) looked and said my baby doesn’t have a tongue tie”. Tongue ties cannot be diagnosed by “looking” and there is not a quick easy way to “check for a tongue tie”. Tongue ties are identified and diagnosed by doing a full Intra-Oral Functional Evaluation.

Pediatricians are not trained or experienced in functional evaluations of the mouth, nor are they feeding experts. Most Speech Pathologists are not trained in working with babies, or in identifying tongue ties and many are not experienced in this area. It is important to find the right providers - it does make a difference. 🤱🏻🤍

Tell me I don’t have the best job on the planet 🤱🏻🤍🤱🏻🤍

Sometimes breastfeeding includes pumping and providing baby expressed breastmilk in a bottle. There are so many benefits to Paced Bottle Feeding such as:

🍼Encourages baby to eat at their own pace, promoting self-regulation of appetite.
🍼Mimics the slower flow and sucking pattern of breastfeeding, reducing the risk of overfeeding and gas.
🍼Supports the development of proper feeding skills and oral motor coordination.
🍼Helps prevent ni**le confusion for breastfed babies, as they can switch between breast and bottle more easily.
🍼Helps prevent breast refusal of bottle preference based on flow rate
🍼Allows baby to practice their suck coordination.

Do you pace your baby’s bottle feedings?

Feeding (and being adorable) can be exhausting! 🤱🏻🤍

I love getting updates like this and watching my past babies develop and thrive. My clients become like extended family, often staying in contact for years. Typically, I keep client names private, but this amazing mom wanted her name known!! 🤗🥰 PM me if you would like to be put in contact with her!! She is supermom - I can only take a small fraction of the credit 🤍🤍🤍

If your Physician did not put on gloves and do a thorough Intra-Oral Exam, then your baby did NOT have a Tongue Tie Exam. Use this as a guide and call us with any questions 🤍🤍🤱🏻

Double the FUN!! Look at those smiles! So grateful 🤍🤍🤍