Hi Diane,
I find that some babies seem to figure out what to do with their newly
freed tongue within a few days, but others need a little help.
Two exercises that can be helpful:

 "Stroking the tongue down and out" to stimulate tongue extension
(tickle lips to induce baby to open mouth, slide finger in along palate
with finger pad on palate, let baby suck a moment, turn finger pad down
onto tongue, press down and slide your finger along the central groove
of the tongue as you remove the finger).

 "Walking back on the tongue" which gives vibratory stimulation (a
fingertip placed on the tongue is wiggled imperceptibly but rapidly -
small amplitude, high frequency movement) beginning on the center of the
tongue-tip and moving back gradually to just before the point where the
baby's gag reflex is triggered (usually anterior 1/3 to 1/2 of the
tongue is "safe" in a young baby.  This one seems to increase baby's
awareness of the tongue and it's position in space, along with slightly
increasing the tone of the anterior tongue, which can remain pretty
flacid when it is restricted by a tight frenulum.
--
Catherine Watson Genna, IBCLC  New York City  mailto:[log in to unmask]

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