One sore nipple...bad latch on one side only, or something else?

[cyteen]

Greetings breastfeeding gurus My 4 week old son is bf well and gaining like a champ, but in the last week or so I've developed a very sore nip on the right breast. I've noticed that lately he's taken to latching on badly on that side (only sucking the nipple), but not on the other side. I do take him off and relatch but sometimes it can take him a while to get the message

The pain is a kind of burning soreness, quite sharp. I can't see any cracks and am not bleeding, and I don't think it's thrush as presumably it would have affected both sides? just wondering if there's anything else i should be aware of. he does go through phases of fussing at the boob in which he will repeatedly pull off (ouch!) and yank my nips around like toffee (nnngggg) so perhaps it's just been a bit damaged...

Thanks Fio I must admit I don't use the football hold often as it's the one I am most cack-handed with, but tried it yesterday and it made a real difference - he latched on properly first time and looked much happier.

The rapidly pulling off and fussing at the breast can be a sign of thrush in baby's mouth can you see any white patches on tongue or inside mouth (it might be at the back of the tongue) this might also be the pain in your nipple. It can affect one side first before the other.