Sore nipples

When you first start breastfeeding, you may have sore or sensitive nipples.

This is very common in the first week of breastfeeding, and is usually because your baby is not latching on (positioned or attached) properly.

If you do have nipple pain, speak to your midwife, health visitor or breastfeeding specialist as soon as possible – breastfeeding should not be painful!

What causes sore nipples?

The most common cause of nipple pain is when your baby does not latch on properly.

It's very important that you correct this as soon as possible – ask your midwife, health visitor or breastfeeding specialist for help, they can show you how your baby needs to be positioned when feeding. Have a look at our step-by-step guide to latching on.

Whatever you do – do not stop breastfeeding! Breast milk is created on a supply and demand system, so the less you feed, the less you produce.

If you are finding it really painful to breastfeed try expressing your breast milk to keep up the supply.

Other possible causes for sore nipples

Tongue-tie

When the strip of tissue under your baby's tongue (attaching the tongue to the floor of the mouth) is shorter than normal – this can prevent them from latching on properly.

Thrush

Thrush (or "candida") is an infection that can occur when your nipples become cracked or damaged. Symptoms are usually severe pain in your nipples after breastfeeding (it's described as burning or shooting pains) lasting up to an hour.

Your doctor can prescribe treatment for you and your baby.

Tips for soothing sore nipples

Here are some tips you can try to help soothe sore nipples from breastfeeding:

some women find rubbing breast milk onto their nipples can be soothing
products like Vaseline or lanolin can help with dry or cracked nipples (although there's little evidence to show what really works well)
after each feed, let your nipples dry before getting dressed, and change your breast pads after every feed
avoid using soap, as this can dry out your skin
if possible, only wear cotton, non-underwired bras
it's best to avoid using nipple shields and breast shells – these will not improve your baby's attachment to the breast
try not to shorten feeds – doing so will not ease the pain and may reduce your milk supply

Videos

The advice in these videos may also be useful:

Babycentre: What can I do about sore nipples?
NHS website: How do I know if my baby is properly latched? (scroll to bottom of page)

Help and support

For confidential breastfeeding information and support, call the National Breastfeeding Helpline on 0300 100 0212.

Lines are open 9:30am to 9:30pm every day.