Patient Education & Resource Library

The following resource library is under development. As it evolves, we hope the information below will complement the care patients receive in our program so they may make the most appropriate, informed, and evidence-based decision(s) for themselves and their families.

While much time and energy goes into the collation and creation of patient resources, they are imperfect and not a substitute for medical care. It is also important for a patient to discuss a given resource (obtained here or elsewhere) with their skilled care provider as not all information is suitable or applicable to a patient and, in fact, could be harmful when applied to the wrong clinical scenario (e.g most babies are best served by feeding on demand; however, there may be instances where this is not appropriate given their age and stage of life such as a jaundiced newborn who may sleep through hunger cues).

Please ensure you talk to your care provider about the suitability of any patient care resource. Finally, the information below does not represent a complete collection of feeding resources and is subject to change without notice as more information (and the time to update) is made available.

Our program and providers are committed to facilitating a gender-inclusive experience for patients. However, despite their helpful content, not all resources are written in this manner.

General Feeding & Postpartum Resources

Ninni Pacifer - if our team has recommended and/or discussed this pacifier with your family, you can find a free, short video on how to use it here. A more in-depth, for-cost webinar can be found here. There is a learning curve with this pacifier, but it is often helpful for families with exclusively body-fed infants who require sucking support outside of the breast. Families who mix feed or bottle feed may also benefit. Please discuss with your provider if this tool is right for your family.

Oral Motor Function & Procedure Resources

The videos below are designed to help families better understand why a frenectomy may be necessary, how the procedure is done, and how to complete the suggested post-procedure wound care. Please note that a few policies (such as infant freezing to the frenectomy site) have changed since the videos were created.

What Is a Tongue and/or Lip Tie & Frenectomy

Frenectomy Procedure, Wound Care & Reattachment Prevention

We encourage families to remember that wound care aims to create mild tension at the wound site, ensuring the wound or “diamond” does not close in on itself but rather heals or fills in over time. It is important to do this in a respectful and nontraumatic way for your infant. There may be mild discomfort, but there is no screaming or whimpering. Like many things in life and parenting, there is no one “right” way but rather principles to guide success. Choose the approach that works best for you and your family. Please see our next video on how to complete wound care.

Post Frenectomy Wound Care - Tongue & Lip

The above video will go through our approach to post-frenectomy wound care for both the tongue and lip in an infant 12 weeks post lingual frenectomy.

Mindful Post Frenectomy Wound Care - The Bounce and Stretch - by Dr. Chelsea Pinto DDS

Families may find it helpful to incorporate the above approach into their wound care to ensure the process is not traumatic for themselves or their infant.

Ankyloglossia and Frenectomy - An Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Surgeons Perspective

In Edmonton, ENT surgeons do not regularly perform this procedure on infants, and many infants are not diagnosed in the hospital or after birth due to the shortage of providers able to do so.

Container Syndrome & Infant Mobility

Infants, especially those following frenectomy and/or with an oral restriction such as a “tongue tie,” benefit from as little time as possible in “containers” that limit free movement, constrict or prop them “up.” Containers include car seats, swaddles, swings, strollers, high chairs, walkers, jumpers, and rockers. And while containers, like car seats, are often needed for safety, they should be used for the least time required. This handout reviews the impact of “containers” on infant gross and oral motor development, head shape, and the reduction of post-frenectomy complications.

Tongue Mobility and Jaw Development

A summary of this study.

Pediatrician’s Approach to Tongue Ties

Nested Feeding Postion

The video above provides an example of a nested feeding position. This can be helpful for some families to help support the parent and child’s physiology and connection needs.