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Feeding · first weeks

How to get a good breastfeeding latch

Checked against current guidance on October 8, 2026. General information, not medical advice.

Illustration of a mother breastfeeding a newborn in a cradle hold.

The 10-second answer

  • Tummy to tummy, nose to nipple: bring your baby to the breast, not the breast to your baby.123
  • Wait for a wide-open mouth, then bring your baby in quickly, chin first.12
  • A good latch may tug, but it shouldn't keep hurting after the first 30-60 seconds.25
  • Pain that lasts, cracked nipples or a baby who never seems full: ask for help early.612

General information from published guidance, not a diagnosis or medical advice for your baby. If you are worried, call your doctor, midwife or local health line, whatever this page says. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.

Latch in 6 steps

  1. Step 1 of 6

    Get comfortable

    Sit back with support for your back and arms. Have water nearby. A pillow can bring your baby up to breast height.13

  2. A mother holds her newborn on a nursing pillow in a cross-cradle hold, the baby turned tummy to tummy with ear, shoulder and hip in a line.Step 2 of 6

    Tummy to tummy

    Hold your baby close, facing you, with their ear, shoulder and hip in a line. Their head should be free to tilt back.123

  3. Step 3 of 6

    Nose to nipple

    Line your nipple up with your baby's nose, so they tilt their head back slightly to reach it.1

  4. A newborn opens its mouth wide, like a yawn, close to its mother's breast as she supports its neck and shoulders.Step 4 of 6

    Wait for wide

    Brush the nipple against the top lip and wait for a big, wide-open mouth, like a yawn.12

  5. A newborn latched at the breast, chin pressed in and lips turned outward, with its mother's hand supporting its neck and shoulders.Step 5 of 6

    Bring baby in, chin first

    Move your baby (not your breast) onto the breast, chin and lower lip first, taking in a big mouthful of the darker area below the nipple.12

  6. Step 6 of 6

    Check and adjust

    Lips flipped out, chin touching the breast, cheeks round. If it pinches, slide a clean finger into the corner of the mouth to break the suction and try again.125

How does the latch feel?

Common signs, and what the guidance says to do

Usually normal

A strong tug that eases into comfort is what a good latch usually feels like. You should hear or see swallowing after the first few quick sucks.15

Watch and log it

Common in the first days. If it keeps happening after the first week, ask a midwife or lactation consultant to check the latch.26

Guidance: call your doctor today

Pain that lasts through the feed often means the latch is too shallow. Break the suction and try again with a wider mouth. If it keeps hurting, get help today: early help prevents damage.26

Watch and log it

A sign of a shallow latch. Aim the nipple higher, toward the roof of the mouth, and bring your baby in chin first.562

Watch and log it

Your baby may be losing suction. Try a new latch. If it happens every feed, ask about tongue-tie at your next check.27

Guidance: call your doctor today

Ask for help with the latch today. You can usually keep feeding while your nipples heal. If you have hepatitis B or C, pause feeding from a cracked or bleeding nipple until it heals (express and throw away that milk), and if you have HIV, ask your doctor first.68

Guidance: call your doctor today

This may be mastitis. Keep feeding your baby as usual, but don't pump extra or massage hard. A cold pack can ease the pain. Call your doctor or midwife today, and get help now if you feel very unwell or shivery, or the red area spreads quickly.49

Ella remembers which side is next and times each breast, from one tap on the widget. Open Ella

Get medical help now if

  • your baby is very sleepy and won't wake to feed13
  • no wet diaper for 8 hours or more14

Call your doctor or midwife today if

  • breastfeeding hurts through every feed6
  • your nipples are cracked or bleeding6
  • a hot, red, painful area on the breast, especially with fever49
  • fewer wet diapers than expected, or your baby isn't back to birth weight by 2 weeks512

If your baby stops breathing, turns blue or grey, is floppy or cannot be woken, call your local emergency number now.

The details

Positions to try
  • Cradle hold: your baby lies across your lap, head in the crook of your arm.
  • Cross-cradle: like the cradle, but you support the head with the opposite hand. Great for learning.
  • Football (rugby) hold: your baby is tucked under your arm along your side. Comfortable after a C-section.
  • Laid-back: you recline and your baby lies tummy-down on you. Babies often latch by themselves this way.
  • Side-lying: both of you lie on your sides, facing each other. Move your baby back to their own sleep space if you feel sleepy.

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How long and how often

Newborns usually feed 8-12 times in 24 hours. Let your baby finish the first breast, until they come off by themselves or fall asleep, then offer the second. Feeds of 10-40 minutes are common.

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Signs breastfeeding is going well

Swallowing you can hear, a baby who seems content after most feeds, soft breasts after feeding, at least 6 heavy wet diapers a day from day 5, and yellow poop. Our diaper guide has the day-by-day numbers.

5

Getting help

Midwives, lactation consultants (IBCLC) and breastfeeding counselors can watch a feed and fix the latch in minutes. Many hospitals and charities offer free support by phone or in person. Asking early is the single best thing you can do.

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Questions parents ask

How do I know my baby is latched properly?

Your baby's mouth is wide open with lips flipped out, chin touching the breast, cheeks rounded, and you hear swallowing. It may tug, but it shouldn't keep hurting.125

Is breastfeeding supposed to hurt?

Some tenderness in the first days is common, but pain that lasts the whole feed is not normal. It usually means the latch needs adjusting.26

What is the best breastfeeding position for a newborn?

There's no single best one. Cross-cradle and football holds give you the most control while learning; laid-back feeding lets your baby lead.3

Can tongue-tie cause latch problems?

Sometimes. If feeding stays painful or your baby can't stay latched despite good technique, ask your doctor or a lactation consultant to check.7

Ella

Which side is next?

Ella remembers the last side and shows a Next side hint, with a timer for each breast. Start it from the widget with one tap.

Start a free breastfeeding logHow Ella tracks this

Sources

  1. NHS: Breastfeeding positions and attachment
  2. AAP, HealthyChildren.org: Ensuring a proper latch
  3. AAP, HealthyChildren.org: Positioning your baby for breastfeeding
  4. Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine: Clinical protocol #36, the mastitis spectrum (2022)
  5. NHS: Is my baby getting enough milk?
  6. NHS: Sore or cracked nipples when breastfeeding
  7. NHS: Tongue-tie
  8. CDC: Hepatitis B or C infections and breastfeeding
  9. NHS: Mastitis
  10. AAP, HealthyChildren.org: How to keep your sleeping baby safe
  11. NHS: Breastfeeding, the first few days
  12. AAP, HealthyChildren.org: 11 warning signs of breastfeeding problems
  13. NHS: When to get urgent medical help for babies and children under 5
  14. NHS: Soothing a crying baby
  15. AAP, HealthyChildren.org: How to tell if your breastfed baby is getting enough milk

Guidance can differ between countries. Where it does, we show both. Follow your own doctor or health service.

Checked against current guidance on October 8, 2026. General information, not medical advice. Written by the Ella team at Muchita AI from published guidance by the AAP, NHS, NICE, WHO and CDC, with AI-assisted drafting and translation checked against those sources by our team. These organisations have not reviewed or endorsed this page. General information, not a diagnosis or medical advice. If you are worried about your baby, trust your instinct and call a doctor.

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