Hi everybody
            I have this beautiful 2 week old baby girl who hasn't learned
how to open her mouth. Mother had a dose of pethidine 2hrs before delivery
and baby was cuddled close from the start. This baby  would nuzzle around
the breast and suck on her lips but not open her mouth.
We have tried everything from feathering down her face, tickling her cheek
and bottom lip,gentle stimulation of mouth and gums to bathing with mum.She
will now open her mouth about half distance when her bottom lip is tickled
with a finger but when tickled with the breast she doesn't open.
At first we cup fed her but this did not help with the gaping as she became
very proficient at sipping her milk without opening her mouth at all. We now
give her the expressed breast milk with a long fat teat. This has definitely
helped her to a partial gape as she does open half way when the teat is
brushed on the bottom lip. We insist she has the full teat in her mouth so
she can learn to accept more breast in her mouth. I do acheive a latch about
once a day but it is hit and miss.This baby suckles beautifully when
eventually she does latch but both mum and I are very discouraged. Another
collegue has been has been consulted but we are both stumped.
I'd appreciate any ideas to get this baby to open it's mouth wide.
THanks
Robyn Dunning NZ
RGON,RM, IBCLC