I haven't found that pushing down on the chin works to get baby to open
the mouth very well. Most often the reaction I see is the baby clenches
his/her jaw tighter. I have massaged the baby's cheeks till (s)he
relaxes. That sometimes works.

What I have found great success with in the last few months is Barbara
Wilson-Clay's technique of starting Mom's nipple at baby's nose and
moving it down across the lips to the chin and repeat. It may take a few
tries, but you will be amazed when one of those times as the nipple
reaches the mouth,baby opens wide and Mom can move him/her on perfectly!
Easy for Mom to do and she and baby get all the applause for doing it
themselves! I love it!

Jean Macomber, RN, IBCLC
Jacksonville, FL

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