My youngest child has a tendency to not open wide at breast, and has always
had a somewhat "pinchy" latch, especially when she is tired.  If I let her
do her own thing, I can often see an indent of her teeth when she's done
nursing (and she now has 16 of them!)  I've found that she does much better
if I open my mouth wide and say a big "Aaaahhh" while sticking my tongue
over my bottom teeth.  She has loved to imitate me since she was very small,
and often latched with a better, wide latch when I'd do that.  Now, at 18
mos, she still occasionally resorts to the less-wide latch, but all I have
to do is say "aahh" softly, without the big face and she immediately
corrects her latch.  She was tongue-tied at birth, and was clipped at 6
weeks which made a big difference in her latch, but I think she learned to
not open as wide so she could compensate for lack of tongue movement by
compressing more with her upper gums.
(No one's fault but my own that she was clipped so late.  I kept thinking it
would get better!)
Jennifer Tieman
Family Physician
Mom to 4, including my toddler nursling Caroline Rose

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