Latching: How to Get a Deep Breastfeeding Latch and Fix Pain

Latching is how your baby takes the breast into their mouth to feed, and a good latch is deep: your baby has a big mouthful of breast, not just the nipple. Line your baby up nose to nipple, wait for a wide-open mouth, then bring them to you chin first. A good latch feels like a strong tug, not pinching pain, and your nipple comes out rounded after a feed. If it hurts beyond the first few sucks, take your baby off gently and try again.

Most latching problems are fixable with small changes to position and timing. This guide covers how to get a good latch, how to tell it is working, what to try when it is not, and where to get help in Singapore.

Why a deep latch matters

When your baby latches deeply, your nipple sits far back in their mouth, near the junction of the hard and soft palate. There it is protected from friction, and your baby’s tongue and jaw can compress the breast tissue to move milk efficiently.

A shallow latch, with the nipple near the front of the mouth, tends to cause sore or cracked nipples, long unsatisfying feeds and poorly drained breasts, which can lead to engorgement and a dip in supply. Our breastfeeding guide for new mums covers the bigger picture of supply, positions and feeding patterns. Here we focus on the latch itself.

How to get a good latch, step by step

Many lactation consultants teach an asymmetric latch, where your baby takes more of the lower part of the areola than the upper part. It suits the way babies’ jaws work and is a reliable starting point.

Get comfortable first. Sit back with your back supported and feet flat or on a stool. Bring your baby up to breast height with a pillow.
Turn your baby fully towards you. Tummy to tummy, with ear, shoulder and hip in a straight line. Your baby should not have to turn their head to reach the breast.
Line up nose to nipple. Start with your nipple opposite your baby’s nose, not their mouth.
Support the neck and shoulders, not the back of the head. Your baby needs to be free to tip their head back.
Wait for the gape. Brush your nipple lightly against their top lip and wait until the mouth opens really wide, like a yawn, with the tongue down and forward.
Bring baby to breast, chin first. The chin and lower lip should land well below the nipple, so the nipple tips into the roof of the mouth.
Check and adjust. If it pinches after the first few sucks, slip a clean finger into the corner of your baby’s mouth to break the suction and start again.

Signs your baby is latched well

You can usually tell from what you see, hear and feel. Look for most of these:

Your baby’s mouth is wide open, with lips turned out (flanged), not tucked in.
Their chin presses into your breast, and their nose is clear or just touching.
More areola is visible above the top lip than below the bottom lip.
Cheeks look full and rounded, not sucked in or dimpled.
Sucking starts quick, then settles into slower, deeper sucks with pauses, and you can hear or see swallowing.
Your nipple looks round and about the same shape after the feed, not flattened, ridged or white at the tip.

Over days, the best signs are at least six heavy wet nappies a day from around day five, regular yellow stools and steady weight gain.

Positions that help with latching

Changing position is often the quickest fix for a tricky latch. A few that lactation nurses often suggest:

Cross-cradle hold

Hold your baby across your body with the arm opposite the breast you are feeding from, your hand supporting their neck and shoulders. It gives you good control in the first weeks.

Football (rugby) hold

Your baby lies along your side, tucked under your arm, with their nose at your nipple. You can see the latch clearly, and it keeps pressure off your tummy, which is helpful after a caesarean. Our guide to confinement after a C-section has more on feeding comfortably while your wound heals.

Laid-back feeding

Recline at a comfortable angle and lay your baby tummy down on your chest. Gravity holds them in place and their natural reflexes help them bob towards the breast and self-attach.

Common latching problems and what to try

What is happening	Possible reason	What to try
Pinching pain throughout the feed	Shallow latch, baby’s head pushed forward, or tongue-tie	Restart with nose-to-nipple and a wider gape; try cross-cradle or laid-back; get the latch checked
Baby slides off or cannot grip	Engorged, very firm breast	Hand-express or pump briefly to soften the areola before latching
Baby falls asleep after a few sucks	Sleepy newborn, jaundice or slow flow	Undress to the nappy, skin to skin, breast compressions, switch sides; see a doctor if very hard to wake
Clicking sounds or dimpled cheeks	Baby losing suction	Re-latch deeper; ask for an oral assessment if it persists
Flat or inverted nipples	Nipple harder to grasp	Shape the breast; roll the nipple gently or pump briefly first; ask about a nipple shield with a lactation consultant

When your milk comes in around days two to five, swollen breasts can make a good latch suddenly harder. Our guide to breast engorgement relief explains how to soften the areola and ease swelling.

What about tongue-tie?

Some babies have a tight band of tissue under the tongue that limits movement, which can make latching painful and inefficient. Not every tongue-tie causes problems, and the decision to treat it should come after a proper feeding assessment. Read our guide to tongue-tie in babies for the signs and how frenotomy works in Singapore.

Looking after sore nipples while you fix the latch

Tenderness in the first week is common. Pain that lasts through the whole feed, cracks or bleeding are a sign to get help rather than grit your teeth.

Start on the less sore side, so your baby’s strongest sucks are on the breast that is coping better.
Let a little breast milk dry on your nipples after feeds, and let them air dry where you can.
A purified lanolin or a nipple cream labelled as safe for breastfeeding may help; see our round-up of nipple creams in Singapore.

If your milk supply has dipped while you have been struggling with the latch, frequent and effective milk removal is the way back. See how to increase breast milk supply.

Getting latching help in Singapore

A good latch is far easier to learn with someone watching a real feed.

Your delivery hospital: most maternity hospitals have lactation nurses or consultants on the ward and an outpatient lactation clinic. If you delivered at KKH or another hospital, ask the ward or your hospital’s appointment line for its lactation service; most maternity hospitals have lactation consultants. The Breastfeeding Mothers’ Support Group (BMSG) also runs a helpline on 6339 3558.
Breastfeeding Mothers’ Support Group (BMSG): volunteer counsellors and a hotline. Check breastfeeding.org.sg for current services.
Private IBCLC lactation consultants: many do home visits, which can be easier in the early weeks or during confinement.

For pictures, see the NHS guide to positioning and attachment.

The bottom line

A good latch is deep, wide and comfortable after the first few sucks. Line up nose to nipple, wait for the big gape, bring your baby in chin first and keep their body close and straight. If it still hurts, change position, soften a full breast or try laid-back feeding, and do not wait long before getting a lactation consultant to watch a feed. Fed and comfortable is the goal, for both of you.

How do I know if my baby is latched on properly?

Your baby’s mouth is wide with lips turned out, their chin is pressed into the breast, and you can hear swallowing after the first quick sucks. Feeding should feel like a strong tug rather than pinching pain, and your nipple should come out rounded, not flattened. Good wet and dirty nappies and steady weight gain confirm it over time.

Is it normal for latching to hurt?

Some tenderness in the first 30 seconds of a feed during the first week is common. Pain that lasts the whole feed, cracked or bleeding nipples, or pain that gets worse instead of better usually means the latch needs adjusting, or that there is another cause such as tongue-tie or thrush. Get it checked rather than pushing through.

How long does it take for a baby to learn to latch?

Many babies latch reasonably well within the first few days, but it often takes two to six weeks for you both to feel confident. Premature babies, sleepy or jaundiced babies and babies with tongue-tie may take longer. Early help from a lactation consultant can shorten the learning curve.