Before I Knew: My Son, the ER, and the Tongue Tie I Missed

In 2015, I had no idea how much the tongue could affect a baby’s health. I was a dentist, a new mom, and totally unaware of what was ahead.

It started with yellow spit-up.

When our middle son was one week old, we ended up in the ER. I had completely forgotten about it until my husband recently brought it up. It hit me hard. Not just the memory, but the fact that I had buried it so deeply. Trauma has a way of slipping quietly into the background.

Our baby had been spitting up constantly. We knew something wasn’t right. Sometimes it was even bright yellow - highlighter yellow. I took him to the pediatrician. He looked him over, said it was normal, and told us to keep an eye on it.

I remember pointing to some little neon duckies on his onesie and saying, “It’s this color.” He reassured me it was probably fine.

And then, as we walked out past him, our son spit up again - right in front of the doctor.

“Oh!” he said. “Actually, you need to go to the ER. I’ll call ahead.”

So off we went.

A bottle of barium and a wave of uncertainty.

At the ER, they did an ultrasound. Then X-rays. Then made me feed him barium so they could take more X-rays. They were looking for a twist in the intestines.

They didn’t find one. They said he’d grow out of it. Come back if it got worse.

He never had the yellow spit-up again, but the reflux never stopped. I cut out dairy. Then eggs. I learned to pack extra clothes for both of us. He gained weight, so we were told he was a “happy spitter.”

It finally stopped around 9 months. We thought it was just something some babies did.

Then came Portland. And everything changed.

In August 2016, I flew to Portland to shadow Dr. Bobby Ghaheri — a leader in infant tongue tie treatment. A La Leche League leader had finally convinced me to learn more.

That day changed everything.

I came back to the hotel, threw my 11-month-old onto the bed, checked his mouth... and saw it. A tongue tie.

Looking back, it all made sense.

The constant spit-up. The hourly night wakings for over a year. The picky eating. The small size. The chronic colds.

He wasn’t just a “happy spitter.” He was struggling, and we hadn’t known what to look for.

Now, I see families just like mine every single day. I understand the biomechanics. The way air gets swallowed. The way the tongue impacts feeding, reflux, gassiness, colic, and so much more - even in babies with “mild” ties.

People ask me if I got into this because of my kids.

And the truth is: no. I learned about my own kids because I got into this.

And I’m so grateful I did. Because they’re healthier now. And I get to help other families avoid those painful loops of “why.”

Here’s what I want you to know:

If something doesn’t feel right - you’re not crazy. You’re not alone. There is a root cause. And whether you’re just beginning to explore or feel like it’s “too late,” it’s not.

You deserve answers. And your baby deserves relief.