The procedure itself is a simple one that can potentially offer significant benefits to both mother and baby in their breastfeeding relationship.

An IBCLC and cranial sacral therapist, Hazelbaker, agrees with this and has put forward the idea that there are other causes of tongue-tie restriction too.

She has suggested that these restrictions may be caused by damage or strain to ligaments, tendons, muscles, or nerves while your baby is in the womb, or during the birth process itself.

Before she suggests a tongue-tie division, she encourages optimal positioning, which can help to realign babies, and also other therapies like cranial osteopathy or cranial sacral therapy.

Studies do seem to back up the idea that good optimal positioning, particularly laid back positions too, can help babies to become realigned, but it can take a few weeks for this to happen.

For some mother and baby pairs, with all the difficulties that a tongue restriction can bring, such as painful nipples and difficult feeds, waiting for weeks for things to improve can be too distressing. 

Those added therapies could make a difference, but it is also essential for an IBCLC to reassess again, and together with mum, decide whether a referral for tongue-tie division is perhaps useful.

So finally, if you are having breastfeeding difficulties, seek out skilled support to enable you to look at all of your options, and work out what is exactly going on, with a full breastfeeding assessment.