>I think gentle cuing on a relaxed chin, just to give the 
>baby the feel of a wide open mouth

I've had several "don't want to open" babies.  One trick we've tried is
to work with baby's inherenet mimicry.  When mom and baby are face to
face at diaper change or playtime or whatever, MOM (or dad) opens wide
and very gently presses baby's chin to encourage baby to open wide too.
When baby opens at all more than his mouth already was, mom (or dad)
laughs, smiles, says good job, whatever works for them. No negative
responses allowed! 

On a purely empiricle basis it seems to help.  The point was to
dissociate opening and having something stuffed into the mouth and to
rebuild a positive association to mouth-opening.  Average time for
clients is actually less than 24 hours.  Baby then seems more willing to
open for latching.

Repeat: no research, just observation and moms' reports.  At the very
least, it appears to be free of harm, free, and teaching mom a baby
game.  While she's playing with the baby, maybe the baby just figures
out the feeding thing.

Judith

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