Postpartum
If breastfeeding hurts all the way through a feed, it is not normal
22 August 2026 · 4 min read
A few seconds of tenderness can happen in week one. Pain that lasts the feed usually means the latch is shallow.
The first week of breastfeeding can feel intense as tissue stretches. A brief latch-on tenderness that eases after the first few sucks is common. Pain that lasts the whole feed, cracked nipples, or a baby who clicks and slips off are not a test of endurance.
Those signs usually mean a shallow latch, a tongue-tie, or a position that needs hands-on help. An IBCLC (lactation consultant) can watch a feed and change the geometry in one sitting. Your midwife or health visitor can also refer you.
Fever plus a wedge-shaped red area on the breast can be mastitis — call the same day. Log feeds in 2 AM mode so you can show a clinician how often the baby is transferring milk, not how often you tried.
If you are mixing formula while you sort the latch, that is still feeding your baby. The journal does not score you.
Informational only. Midwife Pocket is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Bleeding, leaking fluid, reduced movement, or feeling unwell — contact maternity triage.