A NON-PROFIT, COMMUNITY-BASED CENTER

The Breastfeeding
Resource Center (BRC)
is a nonprofit corporation
committed to providing
expert clinical and educational breastfeeding services. BRC is a 501(c)(3) corporation eligible for tax-deductible donations.

FAQs: My nipples are sore!

In the early weeks, nipple pain is most commonly caused by a poor latch.  These tips can help get your baby positioned well and latched deeply.  If you try these tricks and there is no relief, please make an appointment as soon as possible with a BRC lactation consultant. 

• Place Baby at breast level, with face, chest, and knees facing mom directly
• Position Baby with NOSE directly in front of mom’s nipple
• Support just the Baby’s head right behind his ears with your hand (the bend of the arm doesn’t give enough control for latch on)
• Shape the breast to match Baby’s mouth, making an exaggerated nipple. Think of how you compress a large sandwich to fit your mouth!
• Lightly brush Baby’s lips with mom’s nipple, WAIT for a WIDE mouth, then bring Baby in close, chin to breast (note that Baby comes into breast, not breast to Baby)
• Wait a minute. How does it feel? You should feel tugging, not pinching. If there is pinching, gently draw out upper and lower lips with index finger. You do not need to see the lower lip to pull it out.
• Still pinching? You may have missed that wide mouth. Break suction and start again. It’s worth getting right!
• Feel good? Great! Now sit back, put your feet up on a stool, table, or box, roll Baby into you, and Relax!

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