Can anyone help me with a trick to reducing nipple pain?

My baby is now 6 days old and eats like a champ. She is getting plenty of milk. The problem I have is that she still doesn't open wide enough and it hurts. I have been using the gel nipple pads and lanolin cream, but it is still uncomfortable.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thank you!

Congratulations on your little Izzie Belle finally making it here! Can't wait to see her pics! I breastfed my daughter until she was 2 and I completely understand the stinging shooting pain sensation when your first starting out!  Be sure when she goes to latch on that she takes the entire areola and not just your nipple.  Pinch your nipple as flat as possible and as she opens slide your entire nipple/areola in starting down and sliding upward so that her tongue stays under your nipple and bottom lip stays pursed out. Even if you have to remove it and do it a couple of times until she gets the entire thing in her mouth, its new to her too, but she will catch on. You will still feel slight pain, it just being a new sensation and new experience to your breasts, it will get better, I promise. Usually about 2 weeks in your nipples will become numb to the act of breasfeeding, you won't feel a thing! I promise! Just hang in there and don't give up, once they're numb, its like second nature! Congratulations again and best of luck!

 one of the things I did wrong when first starting out was holding the baby in the wrong position. I was holding him to far in my arm pit. You're supposed to line up the baby's nose with your nipple  before they latch that way they have to tilt their head back a bit to get the nipple in this also helps insure that they get the whole thing in there and not just the nipple because they open up wider to reach it. hope that helps, good luck!

Everyone has given great advice. I'll add a little more...

When it's time to take baby off, if she still has a strong grip, slip your finger into the corner of her mouth first to break the "seal."  You don't want her stretching out the sore nipplies as that only adds to the pain!  Also make sure her lips are spread out not tucked in, and you don't hear a clicking sound when she's nursing.  Pretty soon you two will be working like a well-oiled machine!  Congrats on your little one...

Everyone has given great advice. The pain will start to fell better as time goes on but if it is really bad call the hospital you gave birth at and ask for the lactation consultants number. Sometimes they will do home visits or you can just talk to her about the pain and what she recommends. Good Luck

First of congrats on your little girl, I know how anxious you were to meet her. Secondly... I had the exact same problem as you around 5 days, and I can honestly tell you, it improved 100% after I saw a lactation consultant. I thought it would be so comfortable and natural breast feeding, but what I forgot was it was new for both of us. In the hospital they didn't really show me properly how to make sure he got on properly, and so when I went home I was clueless how it wasn't supposed to be painful. The lactation consultant not only showed me how to get him to open properly, she taught me to check his lips, he was hurting me most because his bottom lip wasn't out, but I couldn't see under my boob to check. She also showed me other positions that were more comfortable for me, and for him (he was pulling because I didn't have him at the right angle). I also had lots of milk so that wasn't our problem either. She brought me a breast pump, which also helped to condition nipples before he got on. I'd pump for 2 minutes, this helps it to shape the way it does in the baby's mouth, then it was brought out enough that because he didn't open wide enough, it was small enough and erect for his mouth. Whether its free or not, a lactation consultant is so worthwhile, I instantly felt a difference when he was feeding properly. Mine were still sore for a few days, but I used the lanolin religiously and I made sure to take my time to get him feeding comfortably, even if it meant taking him off and getting him back on a couple of times with the pump. I hope things have gotten better for you guys, because nursing is such a great bond when it's not painful. Let us know if things are better. Take care and Good Luck!!! Crystal