Jay, my experience has been that ENT specialists and oral surgeons are less
close-minded about performing frenotomies. Of course, it is such a
"no-big-deal" procedure that I get exasperated at physicians who balk.
Consider that in the "olden days" it's said that midwives often kept one
fingernail long and sharp to take care of a tight frenulum when the baby was
first examined!

The first time I assisted with a frenotomy (it was the first day of a long
holiday weekend--it was us or another week of agony for the mom!) I talked
the pediatrician through the procedure by describing what I had seen on
slides during a conference session. It was one snip and...voila. As others
have said, and I repeat, the baby often sleeps through the procedure. When
babies cry during the procedure it is usually because they hate having their
head held still. Once released and allowed to nurse they are fine. No blood.
No tears. What other bloodless, painless procedure elicits such vehement
opposition by physicians?. In my not-so-humble opinion, physicians who
minimize the effects of tight frenulum and refuse to do frenotomies (after
being presented with the latest information) are misogynists at heart.
Especially if they do ear piercing as an office procedure. What is the
medical necessity of that?

I am "spoiled for choice" now that I know several physicians who will do
frenotomies. But I still keep a few packets of information (copies of JHL
articles) to hand out--just in case.

Good luck, Jay. It is frustrating to be the voice crying in the wilderness.
For the poor mother's sake I hope someone listens to her, and you!

Margery Wilson, IBCLC
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
------
ILCA Region I (New England States) Representative