Dear Judy, I’m feeling a little bit lop-sided lately and I was wondering if there was a good way to “even everything out?” My son typically only nurses from one side at a time.
It is not uncommong for babies to prefer one breast over the other. Most lactation consultants will tell you to start nursing your baby one the opposite breast each time that you nurse. This is because a baby sucks “harder” when they first latch on and will feed more vigorously on the side that they start on. Then if you switch sides, the 2nd side won’t get as much stimulation as the first. If you switch sides each time, then your breasts will get equal stimulation to produce milk and should have similar production and “fullness.”
Since your son only nurses from one side at a time, you should always switch sides with each feeding. If you are doing this and you are still feeling un-even, then try feeding from your “less full” or “smaller” side for 2-3 consecutive nursing sessions. After this, switch to the other side for one feed and then nurse from the smaller side for 2-3 consecutive sessions again. During this time, your “larger” or “fuller” side may get engorged. You can pump or hand-express this side to relieve the pressure, but do not completely empty the breast as this will send your body the signal to make more. After a day or two of “favoring” the smaller breast, you should notice a difference in your production on that side and you should be able to return to your normal routine of switching sides after each nursing session.
Did you ever have uneven milk production? What did you do to “even it out?” Please leave a comment on this post to share your experiences and give advice to this mom!
I have struggled with lopsidedness with both my boys, who had a VERY strong preference for one breast over the other. (Interestingly, my daughter, between them, didn’t seem to care).
Although I try to always feed on the “less favored” side first or more often, I am not willing to force the issue when he makes a big deal about it… And so I remain uneven.
Ah, well. My husband doesn’t mind, and I don’t care what anyone else thinks! It’s worth it, for this short season of life, to do what’s best for my baby.
.-= Tiffany (As For My House)´s last blog ..Top Green Tips =-.
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Judy Masucci, Judy Masucci. Judy Masucci said: How Can I Even Out My Milk Production? http://bit.ly/6mSXbA #breastfeeding, #bfing – pls come by and share your thoughts with this mom! […]
My milk production has always varied drastically between the two sides- no matter what I did, I couldn’t get it to even out with 9 months of nursing my last child or 6 months (so far) with this second baby. But the babies had enough to eat so I didn’t worry about it too much.
.-= Carrie´s last blog ..Winner: Dalis Decals =-.