BAD Latch

#1 SIGN = PAIN!!! Breastfeeding Pain is NOT normal. Breast feeding should not hurt. If it does, SEEK HELP TODAY.

Lips rolled in or circle “o” lips

Clicking, popping or smacking sounds at the breast.

Dimpling of infant cheeks

Mom reports “biting” sensation during feed

Compression stripe on nipple after feeding

Lipstick shape nipple after feeding (beveled)

Nipple easily slips out of mouth when baby pauses

Bleeding or injured nipple after feed

Baby is not gaining weight

Baby is not satisfied (this one can be tricky, because newborns can feed every hour to help your milk come in so until your milk comes in frequent feeds can be totally normal)

In other words, pain, bleeding and such are NOT NORMAL. I hear this misinformation quite frequently, "Breastfeeding is going to hurt the first few weeks" or the like. This is false. Yes, SOME women do experience pain, but most have mild tenderness and that is all.

Uncorrected latching can quite frequently lead to nipple injury. Nipple injury can make mommies want to quit breastfeeding. So, avoiding injury is important. If you are having any of the above signs, please make an appointment with your local lactation consultant as soon as possible.

I literally want to cry when moms quit breastfeeding due to a latch issues. It is often an easy fix for a qualified lactation consultant. So, please keep us in the loop. If you cannot afford a visit with a lactation consultant, consider using a la leche league peer support person, they are often very helpful.

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