You've proably been told (over and over) that "breast is best," but it's hard to bond with your baby if breastfeeding is painful. If your nipples hurt, it's usually because of a bad latch, says Dr. Jack Newman, head of the Newman Breastfeeding Clinic in Toronto. Here's how to get the right latch to up your odds of breastfeeding success.

Breastfeeding latch step one: Timing is everything

"Mothers need to be aware of the early feeding cues their babies show," says Dr. Newman. These include: sucking on hands during sleep, smacking lips, restlessness, turning toward you and rooting. If you wait until your baby is crying before you feed her, it will be harder to get a good breastfeeding latch.

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• Breastfeeding latch step two: Get into position* >