How can I get him to open his mouth wider?

[Wholelottalove]

Hello, my third post this week. DS is now 17 days and has finally started to latch on and feed from the breast. He is gulping and clearly getting some milk (wet and dirty nappies fine), although we are also still doing some top ups of EBM via bottle, especially at night.

My main issue is his latch is quite shallow and towards the end of the feed he slides back and chews on my nipple. When it comes out of his mouth it has a ridge accross the top of it and is quite sore.

I find it very hard to get him on because he really does not open his mouth in a nice wide gape but makes a snatch for the breast like it is a bottle. However with a bit of wriggling when he is on I can manage a reasonable latch although not entirely pain free (DD fed like this for a while too).

How can I encourage him to open his mouth nice and wide? He tends to get very frustrated if I keep trying him for too long or keep taking him off to try and relatch and will scream until we give him a bottle of EBM.

Am I doing the right thing letting him feed with a less than perfect latch? I am just so pleased he is going on at all it feels more important to get him feeding then keep working on his latch as long as he is getting enough to eat.

That is a fabulously helpful NHS booklet! Thanks for linking. Funny how some NHS areas do this better than others.

Have been trying having the baby lying more on his back, combine with 'flicking' the nipple in with my thumb, as Kellybronze suggests. And it all came flooding back! (the memory of how to do this, rather than the milk...)It works!

Hmm, NCT bf counsellor been, suspects poterior tongue tie like DD had. Have had some success feeding in lying back position. DS seems to be getting plenty from breast but I am quite sore.

RWD glad it is getting better for you :)

RWD that booklet is a general NHS one and is so bloody brilliant it goes out of print regularly through sheer number we get through.

In addition your 'ahhhh' exercises try some sticking tongue out exercises too!

Aargh, DS suddenly will not open mouth wide at all and if he does go on with wider latch wriggles himself backwards until he is on the nipple. I am really sore now, not sure what to do. It seems to be getting worse :(

WLL ikwym, DD [16 days] is driving me bokers at the moment, it's like she's a starved beast, she has eyes only for the nip, can't get any eye contact to latch, she mouths like a goldfish and really struggling to 'post' the nip in. When I do finally get it in, she slips down the nip to the end and suckles and then gets frustrated. I do the wide mouth and tongue poking and she'll watch me and flicker her tongue about until I unleash the nip from my bra and she turns into the beast. She's down to feeding every 2 hours at the moment, which is a change from her normal routine, but don't know how to settle her down to feed until we are both satisfied. Nervous as DH goes back to work tomorrow, it's been great having his support as he can calm us both down so well.

dayshiftdoris I tried the sitting up thing with DS on my left side and it seems to work for him 80% of time which is great - thank you! Still painful to feed in evenings, he feeds and settles well duringhours of 0600 - 1600 then is awake and cluster feeding from then to midnight, sleeps for 4 hours then wakes and cluster feeds again for another 2 hours. Having to supplement with odd bottle overnight as my supply isn't enough in that 2 hour period - not sure if he is just a really hungry baby or still resorting my supply post thrush. How is everyone else doing?