Baby refuses to open mouth wide

Ever since birth, I have been trying hard to coax baby to open mouth wide to feed, but to no avail. No matter how I stroke his bottom lip or chin, he opens his mouth just a little, in an "o" shape, never as wide as when he yawns. Even when he is very hungry and cries, he knows my nipple is there and tries to latch, but he never knows to open his mouth wide to take it, so he takes very very long to try to put my nipple into his mouth but keep failing. I can't aim it in as well since he doesn't open his mouth wide. Most of the time he gets too frustrated with trying so I have to push my nipple in with my finger instead. Outside of breastfeeding, whenever I try to clean his mouth or give him his bottle or pacifier, I also try to make his mouth open, but he never does, and end up I have to push the bottle or pacifier teat in also. Any idea how to make my baby to learn to open his mouth wide? #advicepls

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Anonymous
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train him by using your finger and push into his mouth and hold it wide for a few mins and slowly increase the timing till he get used to it?

You may want to refer to a paediatrician or BF consultant for a more specific diagnosis.. could be tongue tie.. muscle tension.. etc

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Anonymous
12mo ago

    Thing is, he can open his mouth wide - like when he yawns. Sometimes his laugh mouth also quite wide. Only when he feeds, his "technique" is to open mouth in tiny "o" shape, which can still fit if I were to grab his head and push him in, needs tremendously good aim, but its extremely difficult with a struggling and moving baby. 😅😅😅

    Yes. mine inly recently 4 months then open mouth wider. have been using nuk to clean her mouth everyday since birth.

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    Anonymous
    12mo ago

      Same! But he don't even want to open his mouth for nuk - he likes it for some reason 🤣🤣🤣. He bites down hard on my finger and its difficult to put it in, even when I use my pinky. Just for reference, my pinky finger is roughly the same size as my nipple but easier to aim. He is going to 3 months now. Hopefully he is willing to open his mouth wider as he grows.

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