Why do I get nipple pain while breastfeeding?

Sore nipples in the early weeks are common, but pain is information, and the NHS is clear on the main message: the most common cause is a shallow latch - the baby taking the nipple without enough of the areola, so the nipple gets compressed against the hard palate. A deep latch has the baby taking a big mouthful of breast, chin touching breast, and feeding should feel like tugging, not pinching or biting. Pain that persists through the whole feed, cracked or flattened lipstick-shaped nipples after feeds, and pain getting worse rather than easing all point at latch first. The fixes: get the latch checked - by a midwife, health visitor, or lactation consultant, because one adjustment changes everything; let nipples air-dry after feeds and rub in a few drops of breast milk; use hydrogel pads or purified lanolin for cracks; and change breast pads often. Severe damage usually means taking a feed-by-feed approach with expert help rather than stopping - though pumping to rest a damaged nipple is legitimate short-term triage. Pain patterns that mean more than latch: burning or shooting pain after feeds with shiny or flaky nipples suggests thrush; pain with a hard lump suggests a clog; pain with fever and redness suggests mastitis; and a baby with a tight tongue-tie can wreck a latch mechanically - all fixable once named. Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text. Describe the pain and the feeds, and it can help you sort latch from infection.