If your baby is struggling to feed, gaining weight slowly, clicking while feeding, or seeming uncomfortable and unsettled after every session — you may have been told tongue tie could be a factor. Or perhaps you’ve already been on a long journey and are looking for someone who truly understands the complexity of what you’re navigating.
You’re in the right place.
Understanding Oral Ties
Tongue tie — or ankyloglossia — occurs when the strip of tissue beneath the tongue restricts its movement, affecting how a baby can latch, suck, swallow and feed. It can affect breastfed and bottle-fed babies alike, and its impact varies enormously from baby to baby.
Tongue tie is not always straightforward. It is frequently misunderstood, sometimes over-diagnosed, and often released before the baby or family is truly ready. My approach is always measured, thorough and led by what is right for your individual baby — not by a one-size-fits-all protocol.
Assessment & Referral
I carry out a comprehensive assessment of your baby’s oral function and feeding, evaluating the impact of any restriction on their ability to feed effectively. Where appropriate, I will refer you to a trusted tongue tie practitioner for further assessment and possible release.
Crucially, I don’t believe in rushing to release. With older babies in particular, timing matters enormously. Before any referral I take time to ensure your baby is as well prepared as possible — because a well-prepared baby has the best possible chance of a successful outcome.
Pre-Frenectomy Preparation
Preparation before a tongue tie release is something I feel strongly about — and it makes a real difference to outcomes. Depending on your baby’s individual presentation, this may include:
- Addressing underlying inflammation
- Supporting reflux and digestive comfort
- Optimising gut microbiome health
- Identifying and addressing allergies or intolerances
- Oral function exercises to prepare the mouth and tongue for release
- Ensuring the timing of release is right for your baby
Post-Frenectomy Rehabilitation
After a tongue tie release, babies often need time and support to learn to use their tongue in a new way. Feeding doesn’t always immediately improve — and without proper rehabilitation, the benefits of release can be limited.
I provide comprehensive post-frenectomy support including:
- Feeding rehabilitation — helping your baby relearn and optimise how they
feed - Oral function exercises and hands-on oral therapies
- Primitive reflex assessment and integration
- Nervous system support for baby and mother
- Wound aftercare guidance
- Referral to trusted osteopaths and bodywork specialists where needed
Beyond Tongue Tie — Lip Ties, Buccal Ties and Oral Restrictions
Tongue tie is the most widely recognised oral restriction affecting infant feeding — but it is not the only one. Lip ties and buccal ties can also significantly impact how a baby feeds, contributing to poor latch, wind, reflux, inefficient milk transfer and ongoing tension patterns in the mouth and body.
The role of lip and buccal ties in infant feeding remains a subject of debate in some clinical circles in the UK, and they are not always recognised or assessed as part of a standard tongue tie evaluation. However, a growing body of clinical evidence and experience — supported by practitioners working at the forefront of infant oral function internationally — points clearly to their significance.
When lip and buccal ties are left unaddressed, babies frequently develop compensatory feeding patterns — working around their restrictions rather than feeding optimally. These patterns can persist even after a tongue tie release, which is why a thorough assessment of all oral tissues is an essential part of my approach.
I assess the impact of all oral ties on feeding function and refer appropriately, working alongside trusted practitioners who have the skills and experience to evaluate and address the full picture.
Infant Oral Function & Airway
Feeding difficulties are often rooted in how a baby uses their mouth — and tongue tie is just one piece of a much bigger picture. I assess and support infant oral function more broadly, looking at how a baby latches, sucks, swallows and breathes, and how oral development is progressing over time.
Optimal oral function matters beyond feeding too. How a baby breathes, the development of their airway, and the way their mouth and jaw develop in early life all have long-term implications for health and wellbeing. I work with families to identify and address these factors early, when intervention has the greatest impact.
Who I Work With
I work closely with a trusted network of tongue tie practitioners, osteopaths, sleep consultants and other specialists to ensure your baby receives truly joined-up care. I am also trained in primitive reflex assessment and integration and rhythmic movement therapy, which frequently forms an important part of post-release rehabilitation.
I see babies and children at my Fulham office, virtually, and on home visits within SW London subject to availability.