Tips Tips to get baby to open wide when latching?? He's good as far as having his lips flanged out…

I YouTube'd a ton of videos because I'm having the same dang problem. I literally have to lay him down. Dangle breast and use my hands to press open his chin. Giving him a wide wide mouth. This has helped tremendously. Difficult but I don't know what else to do with a tiny mouth. I contemplate giving up in the middle of the night often but keep reminding myself that he's learning too and at around 4-6 weeks they magically become efficient eaters!!!

Thank you! I will have to try that next time he feeds. It gets so frustrating so I just end up putting the shield back on. But even then he doesn't open wide enough. But at least he doesn't make my nipple look deformed with it on lol. He isn't draining my breast completely either, but he still gets a good bit. I'll pump right after and get about a half oz from each boob and I'll just offer it to him in a bottle. I just don't want to get more plugged ducts, I get them so easily :(

I'll post a pic from my lactation consultant. Also, check for tongue or lip ties. My son had to have his cut because he had a shallow latch. Look up pictures and look at your baby and if there is an issue call their pediatrician.

The lactation consultant said he had a slight tongue tie but the pediatrician didn't seem to think it was a problem. His appointment is tomorrow so I'll ask for a referral to get it clipped anyway.

Getting my son's clipped made a HUGE difference. His was what the ENT called a severe tie though. He couldn't stick his tongue out at all. It's worth a try to get it clipped.

My tip is to hold your breast like a hamburger, nice and flat, to their mouth as if they were to take a bite. Start at the tip of their nose and hold it at the top of their lip to make them lift up and open wider. You have to serve it up properly bc the are like blind moles. I also second the stuff abt ties.

I find if I recline and lay my daughter in between my breasts and let her bobble her way to the breast on her own she opens her mouth much wider than she does any other way.

The tongue tie thing is really starting to make sense now that I look it up. Probably the source of all my problems with breastfeeding ?. Hopefully I can get it fixed and actually enjoy breastfeeding. I really don't want to give up on him getting breast milk even though I've came so close. Pumping just isn't the same.

It should help a lot to get the tongue tie corrected if he has one. Nipple soreness should go away, latch will be better, he will be less gassy and spit up less. Some doctors down play it and you may have to push to get a referral but it may be worth it. Don't give up momma!

I had the same issue. The LC showed me the scissor hold which has helped tremendously!! Try looking it up.

Who do I go an see about my baby's lip an tongue tie?

^@PP I took my daughter to the pediatrician. Her and the LC consultant decided that she didn't need the procedure to zap her lip tie. They would have referred her to a ears nose and throat doctor. That's what I was told.

Like pp said.. You go to your pediatrician and they refer you to an ENT. My son's was easy. I held him and the dr looked at his tongue and agreed he needed it clipped. He grabbed a tool.. Looked similar to a cuticle clipper.. And then clipped it real fast. Barely any bleeding or crying and you can breastfeed right after.