Tips For Getting a Baby to Open His Mouth Wider

Infants have an automatic mouth-opening response when a milk source touches their lips. However, they don't always open wide enough to properly attach to a breast or a bottle. Older babies may volunteer to open their mouths when they want to eat, but some may need extra encouragement to open wide enough. Otherwise, your spoonful of baby cereal might wind up on your baby's nose or face.

  1. Tickle the Bottom Lip

    • One of the best ways to get a young baby to open her mouth is to tickle her bottom lip with the nipple of your breast or the bottle nipple, according to AskDrSears.com. The tickling sensation lets her know that a food source is near and she must open wide to latch on. Without a wide mouth, she won't get enough of the nipple, or surrounding breast tissue, in her mouth to get sufficient suction.

    Press the Chin

    • When your baby only gets the tip of the nipple or closes her mouth too quickly, she may not get enough milk. According to AskDrSears.com, pressing her chin with your index finger -- the same hand that's holding the breast or bottle -- will cause her mouth to open wide. The pressure on her chin will also keep her mouth open a little longer so you have time to position your breast or the bottle in place. Your quick reaction once her mouth opens will make the feeding process easier.

    Spoon Feeding

    • When your pediatrician says it's time for your baby to start eating solid foods, such as baby cereal, you want her to open wide enough so both the spoon and the food can get into her mouth. Start with one-fourth teaspoon of food, suggests WhatToExpect.com. Hold the spoon 12 inches from her mouth, slowly bring it to her mouth and place it on her tongue. She'll likely spit some of the food out, but after a few tries, she'll get used to seeing the spoon coming and open wide to receive it. Some parents make airplane sounds to make the spoon's approach more entertaining. Anticipation is the key.

    Communicate With Words

    • Young babies don't understand words, but as they grow and mature, they quickly learn to associate words with actions. When you first start feeding your infant, say the word, "Open," when you want her to open wide to eat, suggests AskDrSears.com. Use the same voice intonation every time, so your baby gets used to associating the word "open" with opening her mouth and eating. After you say the word, open your mouth wide to show her what you want her to do. Babies can emulate facial gestures. Once your baby is old enough to eat baby cereal or other soft foods, she'll already understand the word, "open."

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