How to Get a Good Latch: The Deep Latch, Step by Step
Key takeaways
- A deep latch, where your baby takes a big mouthful of breast and not just the nipple, is the foundation of comfortable feeding.
- Aim for a wide-open mouth, lips flanged outward, chin pressed into the breast, and more areola showing above the top lip than below.
- A deep latch should feel like a strong tug, not a pinch; ongoing pain usually means the latch is shallow.
- A shallow latch is behind most early problems: sore nipples, slow feeds, and many supply worries.
- If it hurts, gently break the seal and try again; you can re-latch as many times as you need, and help is worth seeking early.
A good latch is a deep latch: your baby takes a large mouthful of breast, not just the nipple, with a wide-open mouth, lips flanged outward, and the chin pressed into the breast, and it should feel like a strong tug rather than a pinch. Get this right and most breastfeeding problems never start; get it wrong and almost all of them do.
My first baby’s shallow latch left me dreading every feed and convinced I just was not built for this. I was. The day a lactation consultant showed me how to bring him on chin first, with a proper wide gape, the pain stopped in a single feed. So this is the thing I most want every new parent to have early. The wider picture is in the breastfeeding pillar guide, but if feeding hurts right now, this page is the one that matters.
Why the latch matters most
Most breastfeeding problems trace back to the latch. Sore and cracked nipples, slow or endless feeds, a fussy baby, and many supply worries all commonly come from a latch that is too shallow. When your baby takes a deep mouthful, the nipple sits far back near the soft palate where the suckling action does not rub or pinch it. When the latch is shallow, the nipple gets compressed against the hard palate, which hurts and removes milk poorly.
Because milk works on supply and demand, a latch that drains the breast well also protects your supply, while a shallow one can quietly signal your body to make less. So the latch is not just about comfort; it is the engine of the whole thing.
The deep latch, step by step
Bring your baby to the breast chin first, with a wide-open mouth, so they take a big mouthful from below the nipple. Here is the sequence that works:
- Get comfortable and close. Support your own back, and hold your baby’s whole body against yours, tummy to tummy, with ear, shoulder, and hip in a straight line. A baby who has to turn their head cannot latch deeply. Pick a position that aligns them well, from breastfeeding positions.
- Nose to nipple. Line your baby up so the nipple points at their nose, not the middle of their mouth. This makes them tip their head back and open wide to reach it.
- Wait for the wide gape. Brush the nipple gently against the top lip and wait for a really wide, open mouth, like a yawn, rather than a small pursed one.
- Bring them on, chin first. In that wide moment, bring your baby to the breast quickly (move the baby, not the breast), leading with the chin so the lower jaw takes a big scoop of breast from well below the nipple.
- Check the seal. Lips should be flanged outward like a fish, the chin pressed into the breast, the nose clear, and more areola showing above the top lip than below.
It should now feel like a firm, painless tug.
Signs of a good latch
A good latch is comfortable, with full cheeks and steady, rhythmic swallowing. Look and listen for these:
- A wide angle at the corner of the mouth, with both lips turned out.
- Chin touching the breast, nose just clear.
- Rounded, full cheeks, not dimpled or drawn in.
- A rhythm of suck, suck, swallow with audible swallowing as the milk lets down.
- No ongoing pain. A few seconds of strong sensation as your baby draws the nipple in is common; pain that lasts through the feed is not.
After the feed, the nipple should look round, not pinched, creased, or flattened into a lipstick shape.
Signs of a shallow latch
A shallow latch usually hurts and often comes with a tell-tale set of signs. Watch for:
- Pain throughout the feed, or a pinching, biting sensation.
- Clicking or smacking sounds, which can mean your baby keeps losing the seal.
- Sucked-in cheeks or a chin that is not touching the breast.
- A nipple that comes out pinched, creased, or white at the end of the feed.
- Feeds that go on and on yet leave your baby unsatisfied, or sore and cracked nipples developing.
If you recognise several of these, the latch is the thing to adjust, not your resolve.
How to fix a shallow latch
If the latch is shallow or it hurts, break the seal gently and start again. Slip a clean finger into the corner of your baby’s mouth to release the suction (never pull the baby straight off), then re-latch with the chin-first, wide-gape technique above. Re-latching several times in a single feed is completely normal while you both learn, and it is far better than feeding through pain.
A few extra fixes: make sure your baby is awake and rooting before you start, support a full or engorged breast so the tissue stays soft enough to latch onto, and try a laid-back position that lets your baby’s instincts do more of the work. If the latch will not deepen however you try, your baby may have a tongue-tie worth assessing.
When to get help
Seek help early rather than pushing through pain. Cracked or bleeding nipples, feeds that never satisfy, repeated slipping off, or slow weight gain are all good reasons to ask a midwife, health visitor, or an IBCLC lactation consultant to watch a feed. What can feel like weeks of private struggle is often fixed in one observed feed. Asking for help is not failing at this; it is the single smartest move I made.
References
- Breastfeeding, UNICEF.
- Breastfeeding, NHS.
- Breastfeeding, American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org).
- La Leche League International, La Leche League International.
Frequently asked questions
What does a good latch look like?
A good, deep latch has your baby taking a large mouthful of breast, not just the nipple, with a wide-open mouth, lips flanged outward like a fish, and the chin pressed into the breast while the nose is clear. You will usually see more areola above the top lip than below, the cheeks stay full and rounded rather than dimpled, and you can hear rhythmic swallowing. It should feel like a firm tug or pull, not a pinch or a bite.
Why does my latch hurt?
Ongoing pain almost always means the latch is too shallow, with your baby gripping the nipple rather than taking a deep mouthful of breast. That pinches the nipple against the hard palate instead of letting it sit far back in the soft palate. Breastfeeding should not be painful once it is going well. If it hurts, break the seal gently and re-latch deeper; if pain or nipple damage continues, have your latch checked by a midwife, health visitor, or lactation consultant.
How do I fix a shallow latch?
Gently break the suction by slipping a clean finger into the corner of your baby's mouth, then start again. Bring your baby in chin first with a wide-open mouth so they take more breast from below the nipple, aim the nipple toward the roof of the mouth, and keep your baby's body close and aligned with ear, shoulder, and hip in a line. Re-latching several times in one feed is completely normal while you both learn.
Can a bad latch affect my milk supply?
Yes. A shallow latch removes milk less effectively, which can slow feeds, leave the breast fuller, and, because supply works on removal, signal your body to make less over time. Many supply worries trace back to latch rather than to a genuine production problem. Fixing the latch so your baby drains the breast well is one of the most reliable ways to protect and build supply, alongside frequent feeding.
When should I get help with latching?
Seek help early rather than pushing through. Good reasons to ask a midwife, health visitor, or IBCLC lactation consultant to watch a feed include pain that does not settle, cracked or bleeding nipples, a baby who slips off repeatedly, very long or unsatisfying feeds, or slow weight gain. A latch problem that takes weeks to struggle through alone can often be fixed in a single watched feed, and some babies also have a tongue-tie worth assessing.
Written by Sophie Bennett. Medically reviewed byMegan Foster, IBCLC.
Our guides are written from personal experience and reviewed by a qualified clinician for accuracy. Read our editorial policy.