ARE MY NIPPLES FLAT OR INVERTED?

Ten to twenty percent of women have flat or inverted nipples, which can 
affect their ability to breastfeed.

The baby needs a fully erect nipple to suck effectively. If your baby 
cannot easily grasp the breast, the baby's efforts are likely to cause 
sore nipples.

To find out if you have flat or inverted nipples, do thie simple test 
while you are pregnant:

  1. Place a tumb and index finger on the edges of the areola (darker area
     around the nipple) about an inch or so behind the base of the nipple.

  2. Pinch the thumb and index finger together gnetly but firmly, compressing
     the breast tissue.

A normal nipple remains erect and sticks out further, so no treatment is 
needed; a flat nipple flattens out, and an inverted nipple actually 
retracts into the breast when you pinch the areola.

If you think you have flat or inverted nipples, the problem is easy to 
correct--contact La Leche League for instructions.

(from "A Mother's Love," LLLI)