It's a bad latch if it hurts, right?

ktpaladino

I've been nursing LO w/o the nipple shield for 4 days now. Yay! BUT....Unfortunately, I've had to put it back on today to protect my nipples because they hurt so bad. It seems to me like LO is getting a good latch b/c there's no popping noises but it feels like he is sucking so hard he's going to rip my nipple off. I was told that if it hurts at all then it's not a good latch- is that true? I'm wondering if I just think it hurts because I am used to the shield. LO does not really open wide before latching which makes me wonder if we are getting a good latch. I do the "flat nipple sandwich" and cheek and upper lip stroking and it doesn't seem to make a difference. There were 2 times where he got on and it didn't hurt as much. Usually I break the latch and we try over and over to get one that doesn't hurt and then after 10 minutes of trying we both get so frustrated that I just let him stay on and kill my poor nipple. I'm in desperate need of advice and tips here because I don't want to keep going "backwards" with putting the shield back on again. TIA!