Latch Problems and How to Fix Them: A Nurse's Honest Guide

Let's talk about the thing nobody warned you about before you had a baby: breastfeeding can really hurt. Not a little uncomfortable. I mean toe-curling, dreading-the-next-feed, crying-in-the-bathroom kind of pain.

And the frustrating part? You are often told that if it hurts, something is wrong with your latch, but nobody actually tells you what to do about it. As an IBCLC, I want to change that. Let's break down what a good latch looks like, what can go wrong, and most importantly, what you can actually do to fix it.

What a Good Latch Actually Looks Like

A good latch is not just about nipple placement. It is about how much breast tissue your baby takes into their mouth. Here is what you are aiming for:

• Baby's mouth is open wide — like a big yawn — before latching

• Baby takes a large mouthful of breast, not just the nipple

• Lips are flanged outward (like fish lips), not tucked in

• Chin is pressed into the breast, nose is clear or just barely touching

• There’s rhythmic sucks with frequent swallowing

• You feel pulling or tugging pressure, but not pinching or sharp pain

If breastfeeding is consistently painful beyond the first few seconds of latch, that is a signal worth paying attention to, not pushing through.

Common Latch Problems (and What They Mean)

Nipple Pain and Damage

If your nipples are cracked, bleeding, blistered, or misshaped after a feed (flattened, pinched, or lipstick-shaped), your baby is not latching deeply enough. This is the most common latch issue I see, and it is almost always fixable.

Clicking or Smacking Sounds

Clicking during feeding often indicates your baby is losing suction repeatedly, which can be caused by a shallow latch, tongue tie, or high palate. It usually means less efficient milk transfer too, so it is worth addressing beyond just the noise.

Baby Keeps Slipping Off the Breast

If your baby repeatedly loses the latch mid-feed, this can be related to positioning, breast size and shape, flat or inverted nipples, or tongue and lip tie. It is exhausting and demoralizing, and you deserve support, not just tips to try.

Feeding Takes Very Long or Baby Never Seems Satisfied

If every feed is 45 minutes to an hour and your baby still seems hungry after, the latch may not be efficient enough to transfer milk well. This is often the first sign families notice before weight gain becomes a concern.

How to Improve the Latch

Start with Positioning

Baby should come to the breast, the breast should not come to the baby. Many latch problems start with positioning. Try laid-back breastfeeding (reclined position with baby tummy-to-tummy on your chest) if you have been sitting upright, especially in the early days. Gravity helps baby open wide and settle deeply onto the breast.

Wait for a Wide Open Mouth

Tickle baby's upper lip with your nipple to encourage them to open wide. Be patient. Do not latch them on a partially open mouth. A wide gape is everything.

Aim Nipple Up Toward Palate

When baby's mouth is open wide, aim your nipple toward the roof of their mouth and bring them onto the breast asymmetrically: more areola below the nipple than above. This helps them get a deeper latch.

Break the Seal and Relatch

If latch is painful, do not just endure it. Slip a clean finger into the corner of baby's mouth to break the seal gently, and try again. Repeated shallow latches make nipple trauma worse. It is always worth relatching.

When to Suspect Tongue or Lip Tie

Tongue tie (ankyloglossia) and lip tie are restrictions in the tissue under the tongue or upper lip that can significantly affect latch quality and milk transfer. Signs that may suggest a tie include:

• Persistent nipple pain despite positioning corrections

• Clicking or popping sounds during feeds

• Baby has difficulty maintaining suction

• Poor weight gain despite frequent nursing

• Baby tires quickly or falls asleep at the breast before a full feed

• Your nipples come out flattened, creased, or blanched after feeds

Tongue and lip tie assessment requires an in-person evaluation by a trained provider. If you suspect this is a factor, please do not just wait and see. Early intervention makes a significant difference.

When to Call an IBCLC

Honestly? Sooner than you think you need to. If you are in pain, if your baby is not gaining well, if something feels off, please reach out. A single latch assessment can often resolve in one appointment what weeks of struggling cannot.

Breastfeeding should not be painful long-term. If it is, that is not a character flaw or a sign you are not trying hard enough. It is a sign you need more support.

Want More Support?

If this was helpful, there is a lot more where it came from:

• Follow me on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube @carrie.lactation for daily breastfeeding tips, myth-busting, and real talk from the postpartum floor

• Join my email list for evidence-based lactation content delivered straight to your inbox

• Book a 1:1 lactation consult with me for personalized support

You've got this — and you do not have to figure it out alone.

Written by Carolynn Wimmer, RN, IBCLC | Postpartum Nurse & Lactation Consultant

This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider with concerns about your health.