4 month old started to refuse one side

[evester]

Dont know what dd is up to refusing to feed from one side. i know she has always preferred the other side as i seem to have a quicker let down but she normally feeds well from either. what do i do? she screams when i try her then i end up feeding her from other side. anyone had similar experience?

[Maggieb52]

for me it was a phase and dd fed from the other eventually - I kept trying her on it and finally she fed well

[evester]

thanks that's reassuring.

[soremummy]

I had/keep having this problem from time to time she just decides every so often that she wont feed from one side but the next day she will then it happens again a few weeks later but she will eventually fed from that side. You just need to keep trying her im sure it will pass

[evester]

so do you express to keep your supply up when she is going through a phase?

[soremummy]

If I feel that im getting really engorged then i express but tbh the supply thing isnt an issue because in a couple of days she sorts it out again iykwim. She is 10 months old but im a little sneaky cos when she wakes for feed in the middle of the night and shes sleepy i put her on that side it usually works

[soremummy]

I know this might sound strange but I think she is more comfy on the right side because im right handed and has always fed better than from the left. Just a theory I have.

[evester]

thanks will give that a go tonight. no doubt she ll be up at some point to see if the milk bar is still open

[callmeovercautious]

I agree with soremummy. They go through little phases of having a preferance. With DD it tending to go along with teeth appearing or a cold etc. She would sort it out in a day or two. I expressed sometimes if it went on for a while or if I could not get her to feed from it at night.

[soremummy]

Good luck for tonight. Your right callmeovercautious my dd has just cut her first tooth and although I can barely feel it I think thats why she was messing about the last few days.

[JoyS]

Have you tried the rugby hold? Sit down and put a pillow next to you on the non-preffered side and tuck baby under your arm, so that she's still lying on her preferred side but can get to your other breast. If she still fusses, try starting her on the preferred side and then sneaking her over to the other when she gets going.

Alternatively, lie on your side, propping dd up with a pillow if you need to to get to the not-preferred side.

My dd used to do this sometimes. I put it down to teething as she would always feed if she was lying on her left side, didn't matter which boob it was!

My sil fed my nephew on one boob for over 3 years, so if she really prefers the one, your body will compensate.

Good luck, hope it works itself out.

[evester]

thanks. tried the rugby hold worked a treat! i fed her through the night on the side she has been refusing without doing rugby hold and she was fine as she was sleepy. has a cold today so hopefully its a temporary thing. thank you for advice

[soremummy]

Glad it worked ok for you.... keep up the good work