If you’ve been told your baby has a lip tie — or you’re already navigating life after a frenectomy — you’ve probably heard the phrase “oral motor exercises” more than once. Maybe your lactation consultant mentioned them. Maybe you found this post at 2am wondering what you’re supposed to actually do with your baby’s mouth.
This post is for you.
As a feeding therapist, I walk parents through these exercises regularly. They’re gentle, they’re brief, and when done consistently, they can make a real difference in your baby’s latch — whether you’re breastfeeding or bottle feeding.
Here’s what you need to know.
Why Oral Motor Exercises Matter for Lip Ti
A lip tie, or restricted labial frenulum, can affect how well your baby is able to flange their lips and create a deep, effective seal at the breast or bottle. This often shows up as a shallow latch, clicking sounds during feeds, slow weight gain, gas, or a very tired, fussy baby after feeding.
Oral motor exercises work by encouraging your baby to have a more open mouth posture, decreasing jaw tension, and bringing greater oral awareness to the muscles involved in feeding.
These exercises can be done before a lip tie release to help prepare your baby’s mouth with gentle stretching, or after a frenectomy to help your baby retrain their latch and relearn how to use the newly released tissue.
That said — every baby is different. It’s always important to work with a practitioner, like an IBCLC or feeding therapist, who can guide you based on your specific situation.
The 6 Oral Motor Exercises
You don’t need any special equipment for these — just clean hands and a calm baby. Try to do them at a time when your baby is alert but not hungry or overtired.
1. Fishy Face
Using your thumb and forefinger, place one finger on either side of your baby’s face. Gently squeeze the cheeks while pulling them forward to create a little “fishy face” shape. This gently stretches the cheeks and lips, encouraging that wide, flanged lip posture needed for a good seal. Repeat 3 times.
2. TMJ Massage
Start at the temporomandibular joint — that’s where the jaw meets the ear. Make small circular massage motions and slowly work your way down the jawline toward the chin. This helps release tension in the jaw and encourages it to relax and drop open. A tense jaw is one of the most common barriers to a deep latch.
3. Upper and Lower Lip Massage
Place your forefinger where a mustache would be and make a gentle back-and-forth motion across the upper lip to a count of three. Then repeat on the lower lip. This brings stimulation and awareness to the muscles responsible for creating a seal on the breast or bottle nipple. You can also use two thumbs to make downward strokes under the nostrils and outward strokes from the crease of the nose. Repeat 3 times each.
4. Hip Hop Gapes
Using your fingertip, slowly slide your finger from the tip of the nose, down to the upper lip, and then to the chin. This taps into your baby’s natural gape reflex and encourages them to open wide. Wide is what we’re going for — a shallow latch often starts with a mouth that doesn’t open enough. Repeat 5 times.
5. Cheek Sweeps
Using your forefinger and thumb, make circular motions to gently stretch and massage the inside of your baby’s cheek. Finish by lightly pinching and sweeping your fingers out of the mouth. This helps with overall cheek mobility and awareness.
6. Pterygoid Stretch
Place your finger along the inside gum line and allow your baby to chew on it — 12 to 15 times per side. This stretches the pterygoid muscle (a jaw muscle involved in chewing), encourages the tongue to lateralize (move side to side), and helps desensitize the gag reflex over time. This one is especially helpful for babies who are sensitive in their mouth or who gag easily.
2 Holding Positions That Help
The position your baby is in during oral motor exercises — and during feeds — can either support or work against the work you’re doing. These two positions are particularly helpful.
Head Hangs
Lay your baby across your lap with their head extending over your thigh, so they’re gently arching backward. Allow them to look left and right. The oral motor exercises above can be done in this position. You can rest a palm lightly on their chest or support their head if needed. This position encourages natural jaw drop and can help decompress tension in the neck.
Koala Hold
Seat your baby upright on your lap, straddling your thigh. Support the back of their neck and between their shoulders with one hand. You can then lean back slightly, opening your chest toward your baby. This upright position is great for babies with reflux or those who struggle with milk flow.
Should You See a Bodywork Specialist?
Oral motor exercises are one piece of the puzzle. Many babies with lip ties or latch difficulties also carry tension in their jaw, neck, and cranial bones — tension that exercises alone can’t fully address.
Bodywork therapy refers to body-based approaches that focus on the manipulation and realignment of the body’s structure to improve function. For babies, this often looks like craniosacral therapy (CST) or craniosacral fascial therapy (CFT).
Providers who may offer this type of support include occupational therapists, physical therapists, IBCLCs, and myofunctional therapists, as well as chiropractors and osteopathic doctors.
If your baby is still struggling after consistent oral motor work, asking for a referral to a CST or CFT provider may be worth exploring.
Watch the Video
Want to see these exercises in action? I walk through each one in the video below — so you can see exactly what the hand positioning looks like before you try it at home.
A Final Note
Feeding struggles after a lip tie diagnosis — or a frenectomy — can feel overwhelming. You’re already doing so much by showing up and looking for answers.
These exercises are a tool. They work best when paired with consistent guidance from a feeding therapist or lactation consultant who knows your baby. If you’re not sure where to start, I’m here.
