A Good Latch, Step by Step (and How to Fix a Painful One)

Breastfeeding is natural, but it isn't always intuitive — for you or the baby. Most early pain comes down to one fixable thing: a shallow latch. Here's how to get a deep, comfortable one.

What a good latch looks like

• Baby's mouth is open wide (think yawn, not a straw).
• More of the areola is visible above the top lip than below the bottom.
• Lips are flanged outward like fish lips, not tucked in.
• Chin presses into the breast; nose is clear.
• You hear rhythmic sucking and swallowing, not clicking.
• After the first few seconds of latch-on, it shouldn't hurt.

Step by step

1. Get comfortable first. Support your own back and bring baby to you, not you hunched over to baby.
2. Line up nose to nipple. This makes baby tip the head back and open wide.
3. Wait for the wide gape. Tickle the upper lip with your nipple and be patient.
4. Bring baby on fast and chin-first. Aim your nipple toward the roof of the mouth.
5. Check the lips. Gently flange out any lip that's tucked under.

When it hurts

Pain past the initial latch usually means a shallow latch. Break the suction with a clean finger in the corner of the mouth and try again — a re-latch is always allowed. Persistent pain, cracked nipples, or a clicking sound can point to a tongue-tie or positioning issue worth checking with a lactation consultant.

Supply follows demand

Milk works on supply and demand: the more milk removed, the more you make. Feed on cue, offer both sides, and avoid long stretches without removing milk in the early weeks.

Track sides and sessions

It's surprisingly easy to lose track of which side you fed from at 3 a.m. Baby Signal's LogLab lets you log nursing sessions and the last side used, so you can alternate confidently and spot whether feeds are getting longer, shorter, or more frequent over the week.