Tongue Tie and the Nervous System — The Missing Link in Feeding Challenges
When Feeding Feels Frustrating
You’ve tried every position, every pillow, every bottle — but feeding still feels like a struggle.
Your baby may tire quickly, click or gulp, or slip off the breast or bottle. You’ve been told it’s a tongue tie, and maybe even had it released — but the challenges continue.
Sound familiar?
For many babies, the difficulty isn’t just structural — it’s neurological.
Why the Nervous System Matters in Tongue Tie
The tongue is one of the most neurologically active muscles in the body. It’s controlled by cranial nerves that begin in the brainstem — the part of the nervous system that governs sucking, swallowing, and breathing coordination.
When these nerves are under stress — often from birth tension or spinal misalignment — the tongue can’t move freely, even if the frenulum (the tissue under the tongue) is released.
This explains why some babies still struggle to latch or feed well even after a successful tongue-tie release. The nervous system controlling the tongue hasn’t yet been rebalanced or regulated.
The Birth Connection
During delivery, the head, jaw, and upper neck experience immense pressure as the baby passes through the birth canal.
Any restriction or strain here can influence how the cranial nerves function. These nerves — especially the vagus and hypoglossal nerves — directly affect tongue movement, swallowing, and digestion.
When these nerves are irritated, feeding coordination can break down. Babies may:
Struggle to latch or stay latched
Click, gulp, or swallow air
Experience reflux-like symptoms
Become fussy and exhausted while feeding
Why Chiropractic Helps — Before and After Release
At Healthy Families Chiropractic, we help babies with tongue ties both before and after releases.
Our goal is to ensure that the nervous system is calm, adaptable, and ready to integrate the new movement once the restriction is removed.
Using INSiGHT scans, we measure how well your baby’s nervous system is adapting:
Thermal scans detect areas of nerve tension near the upper spine and cranial base.
Surface EMG shows how the muscles of the neck and jaw are coordinating.
HRV reveals whether your baby’s system is calm or stuck in fight-or-flight.
By gently releasing areas of tension and improving communication between the brain and body, we help your baby use their new tongue movement efficiently — making feeding smoother, calmer, and more comfortable.
What Parents Often Notice
Parents frequently share that after care, their baby begins latching deeper, feeding longer, and appearing more relaxed.
Reflux often eases, sleep improves, and the once-stressed feeding moments become peaceful again.
That’s the difference a well-regulated nervous system can make.
Feeding Is About Connection
Feeding isn’t just about nutrition — it’s one of your baby’s first experiences of safety and bonding.
When the nervous system is calm and connected, feeding becomes a moment of trust, regulation, and deep connection for both of you.
If you suspect a tongue tie — or if your baby continues to struggle after a release — we’d love to help you explore what’s happening beneath the surface.
Understanding how your baby’s nervous system is functioning could be the missing link to finally making feeding feel easy again.
