Open Wide!!

[UmmAmatullah1]

I am new to motherhood as I now have a 4 week old baby...and I'm breastfeeding. These four weeks have been very hard for me because I am overseas and it is hard to find a lactation consultant. My daughter doesn't seem to open her mouth very wide which makes it very painful.. I often have a black stripe going across my nipple and they sometimes bleed as she is nibbling on my nipple. I try hold her chin down when I insert my nipple but she puckers her lips back up. I also try to wait until she opens wide but she closes right back up. It is like she's gnawing on my nipple. After feeding my nipples often look like a freshly bought tube of lipstick Also I have very small flat nipplesDoes any one have any tips on how I can get her to open her mouth wide and keep it that way. I try to pull her bottom lip down but to no avail!

[AnkaJones]

Hi,

Congrads on your little one!  I'm sorry you're having so much trouble and don't have an easy place to get support IRL.  I'm sure you'll get lots of good help here.

It sounds like she's getting her mouth open, then shutting it real fast (normal behavior); you have to basically shove your breast into her mouth fast before she shuts it again.  I don't know if you grew up near a farm, but it's like putting a bit in a horse's mouth -- if you hesitate you're gonna get bit! 

If she won't open her mouth for you, you can try tickling the side of her mouth with your nipple; this will cause a reflex response where she'll turn toward your nipple and open her mouth real wide.  Try it with your finger when she's quiet/alert so you know what to expect.  With some babies it can look almost like a baracuda coming at your breast.  Remember, the trick is the second she opens, you put as much of your breast in her mouth as you can.  The purists will tell you that you should move the baby to your breast, but you may find it easier to move your breast to your baby... just make sure if you do that, you adjust once you're latched so you don't get a bad back.  One way to get even more tissue into the mouth is to compress your breast with your hand so it's a bit flat in the direction of her mouth. 

Once you're on, if it looks like the top lip is in a good spot, but the bottom of her jaw is too close, you can move her lower jaw down on your breast with a finger on her chin.

Hope that helps.  Def one of those things that's easier to just show someone.  Hopefully some other people will post so if I'm not describing something clearly, they can describe it another way.

Best,

Anka

[UmmAmatullah1]

thanks so much I'm glad you commented..I will def try these tips!!

[tincia]

There is a thread from last week (i think) about this too..it wouldn't hurt to have a look for it, i am pretty sure there were some good suggestions there too. I feel your pain! I have had that problem too!

[homemademom]

Oh dear, those are all signs of tongue-tie (the lipstick tube nipple, the inability to open wide). Is there anyone who can evaluate her tongue ? Read this article and see if it sounds like what you're dealing with : http://www.llli.org/llleaderweb/lv/lvaprmay02p27.html