Sore or cracked nipples during breastfeeding: our top tips and remedies

Get our top tips to soothe and prevent sore, cracked nipples when breastfeeding your baby.

If you’re still early on in your breastfeeding journey, there’s a good chance you’ve experience irritated, cracked or sore nipples. And you’re not alone – it’s one of the most common breastfeeding challenges, especially early on¹. But don’t worry, nipple pain shouldn’t mean that you have to stop breastfeeding.

Luckily, it’s usually easy to treat and soothe irritated nipples from breastfeeding at home¹. And, once you’ve found a breastfeeding position that works for you, you and your little one should get into a good rhythm with not a cracked nipple in sight.

Here we’ve gathered everything you need to know about nipple pain and breastfeeding, including why it happens, ways to treat sore nipples, and techniques you can try to banish nipple pain and enjoy your breastfeeding journey.

More often than not, nipple pain while nursing happens right at the beginning of your breastfeeding journey, while you and your baby are still learning the ropes¹. Around that time, you might both be learning the best way to latch on.

‘Latching on’ is how your baby attaches themselves to your breast for a feed. When they’re latched on properly, your nipple will rest against the soft palate at the back of your baby’s mouth, and you shouldn’t feel any nipple pain while breastfeeding².

If they’re not quite fully attached and your nipple isn’t far enough towards the back of your baby’s mouth, it can get pinched against their hard palate, you might experience cracks on your nipple, which can become sore². Ouch!

Some babies are born with a condition called ‘tongue tie’. That just means that the little bit of tissue that attaches their tongue to the bottom of their mouth is shorter than usual, so they can’t move their tongue as far³.

If your baby has tongue tie, they might³:
 

• Not be able to lift or move their tongue much
• Have trouble sticking their tongue out
• Have a heart-shaped tongue if they do stick it out
   

Some babies with tongue-tie have no problem breastfeeding, but for some, it can stop them from latching on properly and lead to sore or cracked nipples³.

If your little one does have tongue tie, it will usually be picked up by your midwife during their routine checks. Some babies grow out of it naturally, and others need a nice and easy procedure to help them move their tongue more freely³.

Sometimes the shape of your milk ducts can change and pull on your nipple, causing it to turn inwards instead of sticking out (this can look a bit odd, but it’s perfectly normal!)⁴.

Most of the time you can still breastfeed with inverted nipples, but it could take just a bit more patience⁵. You might find it takes a little longer for your little one to latch on properly. And, as we know, issues with latching are the most common culprits behind nipple pain while breastfeeding!¹

If your baby isn’t latched properly, it can make it harder for your milk to flow from all of the milk ducts in your nipple. If one duct isn’t drained properly it can get blocked, which can be painful⁶.

You might get a small, tender lump in your breast as well as sore nipples where your little one’s tried hard to feed.

If the blocked duct isn’t drained it can lead to mastitis or inflammation, which can make you feel very poorly. Plus, if your breasts become too full of milk they can get engorged and lead to sore nipples⁶.

You might think of thrush as a vaginal infection, but it’s caused by a fungus that can grow anywhere that’s warm, dark and moist. That means that, if you’re breastfeeding, your nipple can be the perfect place for thrush to grow⁷.

If you do have thrush from breastfeeding, you might notice symptoms like⁷:
 

• Itchy or irritated nipples
• A burning feeling in your nipple after breastfeeding
• Small blisters around your nipple and areola
• Red, shiny or flaky nipples
   

Your baby might also have symptoms of oral thrush, like white patched in their mouth or a film on their lips⁸.

If you notice pain when breastfeeding and think it could be thrush, talk to your GP. They’ll be able to give you a proper diagnosis and treatment for you and your baby, like a cream or gel⁷.

Nipple pain and breastfeeding can be uncomfortable. Luckily, there are several things you can try to soothe your sore nipples, so you can continue breastfeeding.y

Try these tips to relieve cracked or irritated nipples from breastfeeding^1,2. 

The best way to prevent nipple pain from breastfeeding is to make sure your baby latches on securely before they start to feed. This is a skill that can take some time for you and your little one to get the hang of, so don’t be disheartened if you don’t nail it straight away (you’re doing great!).

When your baby’s letting you know they’re ready for a feed, follow these steps to help them latch on securely⁹:

1. Hold your baby close to you so their nose is about level with your nipple.
2. Let their head tilt back – their top lip should brush against your nipple so their mouth opens nice and wide
3. Their chin will be pressed into your breast with their mouth open wide. Your nipple and most of your areola should be in your baby’s mouth.
4. If your little one has attached properly, their cheeks should be nice and round and they should be able to suck, swallow and breathe comfortably. You should be able to see more of your areola above their top lip than below their bottom lip. 

If you don’t think your baby has latched on properly on the first go, that’s okay. Just start over and try again.

There are lots of different breastfeeding positions you can try to see which works best for you and your baby. What works for one mum won’t work for another, so just focus on the position that’s most comfortable and that makes it easiest for your baby to latch on to prevent cracked nipples and nipple pain from nursing. 

Give these breastfeeding positions a try⁹:

• Laid back: Grab some pillows and lay back so you’re semi-reclined. Lay your baby on you so that their tummy is against yours and their cheek is resting near your breast. Tip: The laid back hold is ideal for when you’re first starting to breastfeed!
• Cradle hold: Sit down with your baby laying horizontally across your stomach (a pillow can help to support them on your lap). Gently support their back, shoulders and neck but let them move their head freely.
• Football/rugby hold: Lay your baby along your arm so they’re tucked under your armpit and facing you with their nose near your nipple. Keep their neck, back and shoulders supported with your wrist and hand. Tip: The rugby hold works really well after a C-section as it keeps your little one off your stomach.
• Side-lying: Lie down on your side with your baby facing you and their nose near your nipple. Rest the arm that you’re lying on under your head or use it to support your baby. Tip: The side-lying position is perfect for night feeds.