Stretches after Frenectomy - My Smile Health Centre

Stretches After Frenotomy

These are general instructions for wound care after frenotomy. Please follow the advice of your health care providers, including IBCLC & other team members. Feel free to share & ask if these methods are acceptable or if they would like you to use other techniques. After frenotomy, there is usually a diamond shaped wound. The goal is to keep the wound from healing quickly and closing up the diamond. Stretches help this process.

Stretching Protocol

Stretch each site for 5 seconds every 5-7 hours or approximately 4x daily for 6 weeks. Repeat each exercise 3 times. You do not need to wake your infant while he/she is sleeping during the night but instead, be sure to complete a thorough stretch after he/she wakes.

Some providers recommend coconut oil on the fingers to help with stretches. Use clean hands, no need for gloves. Position yourself behind the baby, with baby’s head in your lap.

Lingual Frenum (Tongue)

With clean hands, roll index finger up the diamond with moderate pressure. Use other fingers to push down on chin to counter any chomping.

Labial Frenum (Lip)

With clean hands, rest pads of index fingers on the upper jaw and flip the upper lip back towards the nose. Hold for 5 seconds and be sure you can see the entire wound site.

Gently swipe 1x with index finger from side to side in the fold under the lip then roll index finger up the diamond towards the nose with moderate pressure.

Remember, the main goal of this stretch is to insert your finger between the raw, opposing surfaces of the lip and the gum so they can't stick together.

***Breastfeeding is the most effective exercise***