Pre Procedure
We recommend starting pre-frenectomy exercises as soon as you are considering the procedure as we believe this will help your baby get familiar with having your fingers in their mouth several times a day. We also want you to be confident and comfortable with doing these exercises. Building trust with your baby is very important. Some babies can experience an oral aversion after having a procedure in the mouth but by practicing these exercises, we can work to best support and encourage your baby through the process.
Bip-Bop-Boop Game
Follow the Finger
Tug-O-War
Day of Procedure
On the procedure day, it is recommended to give a dose of Tylenol for babies under 6 months (or ibuprofen for babies over 6 months eating solids) an hour prior to the appointment. Check out our pain management page for information on homeopathic remedies also. Bring your baby a little hungry, so plan to feed to have the last feeding at least 60-90 minutes prior to the appointment. We like babies hungry but not 'hangry' so they will feed after the procedure. If your baby is less than 10 days old, please bring an ounce of pumped breastmilk or formula in a bottle or container. We have My Breast Friend nursing pillows in our office for you to use for feeding, but you may bring your own nursing pillow if you would like. A small blanket is helpful for propping the pillow or your baby's head. We recommend your baby wear comfortable, lightweight, dark-colored clothing for the day of the procedure. (The dark colors are helpful in case you end up having to wash Tylenol out of baby's clothes. ) We do weighted feeds in clothes and a clean diaper to keep our babies comfortable.