Some nipple tenderness is common during the first few days due to hormonal changes in your body but this will soon pass. If it is painful when you first put your baby to the breast, gently insert your clean little finger between your baby's mouth and your breast to break the suction and try again. If the discomfort persists, seek help from a breastfeeding counsellor or midwife to check your baby is correctly positioned at your breast. Breast milk is a natural antiseptic - if your nipples are sore, express a little milk after a feed and allow the milk to dry on the nipple. It will help them heal.

When your baby is correctly positioned and feeding well, breastfeeding should not be at all painful - if it is, some adjustments will be required. Don't ever be afraid to ask for help. A plentiful milk supply is also dependent on correct positioning, so this is an important thing to get right.

Download this page (together with the other questions), as an information sheet entitled ´Questions New Mothers Ask´ on our leaflet downloads page. You can also download and read this information in Spanish on the leaflet downloads page.

Alternatively, you can purchase this and all the other questions as a paper leaflet from this page.