Aftercare includes gentle exercises that are both in and outside of the infant's mouth. These are completed to encourage lots of tongue and lip movement during healing following frenectomy. We find that when babies move their tongues and lips more during the healing process, they heal with more flexibility. These gentle exercises should not be painful for your baby and should not make your baby cry or pull away. 

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Aftercare Oral Exercises:

Tongue Stretch - Using gentle pressure, use a clean finger under your baby's tongue and/or lip and gently lift 4 times a day for at least 2 weeks. A white patch will develop where the frenectomy was performed, this is normal healing.
Mimicking - stick your tongue out at your baby when you enjoy face time. Or trace your baby’s bottom gums with your finger.
Gentle Massage - gently massage around your baby's mouth, lips and jaw. Start on the outside and gently press your baby's cheeks to make "fishy lips" and then move into your baby's mouth and gently rub the gums. The tongue will follow your finger!
Tug of War - use a clean finger (if your baby uses a pacifier or bottle, ok to use these!) use gentle downward pressure on your baby's tongue while your baby sucks and pull out until you meet resistance, then release.

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Tips if your baby is fussy after the procedure:

1. Give your baby the recommended dose of acetaminophen (directions and dosing for this are on your aftercare sheet).

2. Use over the counter infant oral arnica (we recommend the Hylands Oral Pain relief.) Use as directed by the manufacturer. 

3. Put your baby skin to skin and take a warm bath in a dimly lit room. 

If at any time your baby develops a fever, refuses to feed or is inconsolable, please call or text the after hours number at (425)870-7137. Text is preferred! *non-urgent concerns will be responded to during business hours.