My Baby Doesn’t Want to Nurse From One Side

My baby seems to prefer nursing on the right side. I can get her to take the left, but she unlatches quickly and doesn’t seem to want to nurse on that side. I have been pumping that side to keep my supply up. Is there anything I can do to get her to latch on?

Many babies develop a preference for one breast over the other. There are a variety of reasons why this might be happening. In order to get her to nurse better from the other side, try to determine what the reason is that she has developed a preference for one side over the other. Once you discover the reason, it will be easier to solve the dilemma. Some possible reasons for this behavior are below.

1) Your milk production in that breast may be higher or lower than the preferred side. When you are pumping, look at your production, does the milk come out more forcefully, less forcefully or does it take longer for a let-down to happen? All of these things can be frustrating for a baby and may make her prefer one side over the other. I am going to break this down into three possible scenarios:

1a) Your milk production is higher in the preferred breast. This may mean that your baby gets frustrated when drinking from the other side – because the milk isn’t coming out fast enough. You can try to increase your production in this side by pumping. You can also allow your baby to nurse from the preferred side first and then nurse on the non-preferred side second when she isn’t as hungry and won’t be as frustrated by the lower milk production.
1b) Your milk production is lower in the preferred breast. This may mean that your baby gets TOO much milk when drinking from the other side. The milk may come out too fast and gag her or make it uncomfortable for her to nurse. If this is the case, try hand-expressing to release some of the pressure before latching her on. You can also nurse with her lying on top of your so that the milk has to travel “uphill” – this will slow down the flow as well.
1c) Your let down is quicker in the preferred breast. Your milk production may be equal on both sides, but it may take longer for the milk to let down in the side that your daughter is refusing. You can try hand-expressing or pumping until your milk lets down and then latch her on. This will alleviate some of the anxiety she is feeling over waiting for the milk to come in. You can also allow her to nurse on this side second when she isn’t as hungry. That way she won’t mind as much if she has to wait a little while for your let-down.

2) Consider the position that your baby is lying in. If she prefers to nurse on your right side, then if you are holding her in a cradle hold, she is probably lying on her left side. She may have a preference for lying on this side of her body. Try a different position while you are nursing her (sitting up if she is old enough) or the football hold – so that even when she is nursing from your left breast, she is still on her left side. You also may want to try holding her in a sling or lying down when you nurse on that side. Any one of these things may encourage her to nurse on the “neglected” breast.

3) Some babies just develop a preference that is unrelated to all of these things. Your baby doesn’t actually need to nurse from both breasts. If she is satisfied nursing from just one side and you don’t mind letting your milk dry up in the other side, that is also an option. You may be lopsided if you do this, but it is definitely an option that many moms choose.

Did your baby have a preference when nursing? What did you do to get your baby to nurse from both sides? Please share your stories by leaving a comment below.