sually this problem is related to the way your baby latches-on to the breast. It is important that your baby get a big “mouthful” of the nipple and areola.
Positioning
Hold your baby’s head behind his ears
Align him “nose to nipple”
Roll him “belly to belly”
Laid back breastfeeding
Recline with your baby “on top”. Use pillows to support you and your baby as needed. This is an excellent position for feeding and may just be the trick to remedy sore nipples.
Latch-on
Use a “sandwich hold” to achieve a better latch-on. Gently squeeze the breast to shape it like an oval that fits deeply in your baby’s mouth.
Look for a wide mouth on the breast. If breastfeeding hurts, break the suction and try the latch-on again. Do not continue with a feeding if you experience pain.
Treatment
Correct position and latch-on
Check wide open 140o wide mouth
Apply your expressed breastmilk or purified lanolin to nipples after feeds
Use breast shells to protect the nipple
Look for a wide mouth on the breast
Use hydrogel dressings to speed healing
Feed for short, frequent feedings
S tart on the least sore side
Rotate the position of your baby at each feeding
If your breasts are very full, hand express some milk, use reverse pressure softening (see handout on engorgement) or use a breast pump
These measures may help you resolve uncomplicated problems with sore nipples. There are circumstances where sore nipples indicate a more severe problem. Please seek help if your problem does not resolve quickly.