What causes sore nipples while breastfeeding?

Last reviewed July 23, 2026 by Dr. Sapna Jadhav, General Physician. Sources from ACOG, NHS, Mayo Clinic, CDC, NICE, NIH, Cochrane, and peer-reviewed journals.

Bottom lineSore nipples while breastfeeding are most often caused by a shallow latch, with other causes including poor positioning, tongue-tie, thrush, blocked ducts, and engorgement; the highest-value fix is having the latch checked by a midwife or lactation consultant. Ease soreness with expressed milk rubbed in and air-dried, lanolin cream, dry breast pads, and varied positions, and seek help for cracked or bleeding nipples, burning pain, or signs of infection like fever and a hot red patch.

The most common cause of sore nipples is a shallow latch - when your baby takes only the nipple instead of a good mouthful of breast. Fixing the latch fixes most soreness. Some tenderness in the first days is normal, but cracked, bleeding, or worsening pain is not.

Common causes

• Poor latch - the number-one cause. The baby should take the nipple and a large part of the areola, with lips flanged out.
• Positioning - the baby's head, shoulders, and hips not lined up, so they pull on the nipple.
• Tongue-tie - a tight band under the baby's tongue that limits latch; worth checking if pain persists.
• Thrush - a yeast infection causing burning, itchy, shiny nipples, often with a baby who has white patches in the mouth.
• Blocked ducts or engorgement - firm, tender areas that make latching harder.
• Skin damage - dry, cracked skin from friction or over-washing.

What helps

• Get the latch checked by a midwife, health visitor, or lactation consultant - this is the highest-value step.
• Break suction gently with a clean finger before taking the baby off.
• Rub a little expressed breast milk into the nipple and let it air-dry.
• Use a lanolin or nipple cream, and change breast pads often to stay dry.
• Vary feeding positions to spread the pressure.

When to see someone

• Cracked or bleeding nipples that don't improve
• Burning pain during or after feeds (possible thrush)
• Fever, a hot red patch on the breast, or flu-like aches - possible mastitis

Sore nipples are common early on but are usually fixable - persistent pain is a signal to get the latch reviewed, not to push through.

Femora helps you track feeding and postpartum symptoms so you can spot patterns to raise with your midwife.