Your fingers still need to develop calluses (sp). It will take a while. Lighter gauge strings are recommended for beginers, but I don't have any recommendations for you as to which brands. Most music stores have techs onsite you can call a few and ask them, but again due to quarantine very few open or done by appointment only. I know I just tried to call a few in my area to have mine looked at and most are backed up for weeks. I don't have a second guitar to practice with for that amount of time.

Moe