What the journey looks like
From the feed that is not working, to a phone call a week later. Five stages, ninety minutes in the middle of them.
01
Before you come
The feed that is not working
Most families arrive having already been told it is normal, or that it will settle. You have probably been feeding round the clock, dreading the next latch, and wondering whether you are doing something wrong.
You are not. Bring whatever you normally feed with — bottles, shields, a pump — and bring one person with you if it helps.
02
The first half hour
A full history, and a feed watched properly
We start by talking, and by watching an actual feed. Half of the answer is usually here, before anyone looks in your baby's mouth — positioning, attachment, how your baby is transferring milk.
Then a full oral assessment using the Hazelbaker Assessment Tool for Lingual Frenulum Function, and a plain-English explanation of what was found.
03
If it is needed
The division itself takes seconds
Not every baby needs one. If a frenulotomy will help, the risks and benefits are explained and written consent is taken before anything happens.
Your baby is swaddled gently, sterile scissors are used, and it is over in seconds. No anaesthetic is needed at this age. Most crying is about being held still. There may be a small amount of bleeding, which is normal.
04
Straight afterwards
You feed, right away
Feeding immediately comforts your baby and helps the bleeding settle. Babies can often be seen moving their tongue around and pushing it out — sometimes with a noticeably better latch within minutes.
A full oral check is carried out before you leave, and you go home with written aftercare.
05
The week after
A phone call, not a form
You get a follow-up call within one week to check on healing and on how feeding is going. Some babies latch better within minutes; others take days or a fortnight to learn a new tongue movement.
If you need more hands-on help, additional feeding sessions are available, and Donna can point you towards local support groups or refer on for bodywork.
Every baby is different
Not every baby needs a division.
An honest “no” is a legitimate outcome of an assessment, and it is not a wasted appointment — you keep the full feeding assessment, the support and the follow-up, and £120 of the fee is refunded.
Start with a phone call.
If you are not sure whether any of this applies to you, ring and describe what is happening.