Inverted, flat, or very large nipples

Some women have nipples that turn inward instead of pointing outward or are flat and do not protrude. Nipples also can sometimes flatten for a short time because of engorgement or swelling from breastfeeding. Inverted or flat nipples can sometimes make it harder to breastfeed. But remember, for breastfeeding to work, your baby must latch on to both the nipple and the breast, so even inverted nipples can work just fine. Often, flat and inverted nipples will protrude more over time as the baby sucks more.

Very large nipples can make it hard for the baby to get enough of the areola into his or her mouth to compress the milk ducts and get enough milk.

What you can do

• Talk to your doctor or a lactation consultant if you are concerned about your nipples.
• You can use your fingers to try to pull your nipples out. You can also use a special device that pulls out inverted or temporarily flattened nipples.
• The latch for babies of mothers with very large nipples will improve with time as the baby grows. In some cases, it might take several weeks to get the baby to latch well. But if you have a good milk supply, your baby will get enough milk even with a poor latch.