breasts dont seem as 'full' today as they did 2 days ago???

[blossom2]

first time breastfeeder here and wondered if this is normal. i'm not sure why, but my breasts do not seem as 'full' or engorged or as big as they did 2 days ago.

is this normal and simply they are reacting to DD2's feeding pattern (about every 3 hrs) or do i need to start worrying about milk supply???

[fqueenzebra]

They do settle down after a while, mother nature gets more efficient about knowing how much milk to make. How old is your baby? I don't think I ever felt that "full" with my middle baby (I did with 1st & 3rd, though).

[nailpolish]

hi blossom

its totally normal, your body is now able to make milk as and when required, not just all the time! isnt nature wonderful?

[throckenholt]

I agree with zebra - it is normal and usually means your body has figured out how much milk it needs to make and so is not making more in advance than you need.

[blossom2]

i was hoping this was the case rather than milk supply. I really don't have time to start worrying about milk supply .

also another questions:
DD2 typically has 10-20 mins on breast, 10-20mins off (nappy change, waking her up etc) and then she'll have another 10-20mins on breast again. After this period (usually about 1 hour), I change breasts and she only takes about 5-10mins and goes to sleep. i then put her down for a nappy. Do you think i should offer the other breast or the same one?? I'm a little confused about the one-side feeds theory/routine and when to offer the other breast. i never seem to know when breasts are 'empty' (as such) unless they are really engorged to begin with.

hope all this is making sense to someone, because i'm really confused about the whole thing ....

all your advice is really appreciated

[nailpolish]

i would do 20 mins on one breast, have the gap for nappy change etc then change to the other breast then. how would that work?

[blossom2]

i haven't tried that because i thought you had to offer only one breast per feed but will try that at next feed and see what happens... unfortunately she does seem to like my breast for comfort as well so i don't seem to know when she is full or not (apart from the drifting off to sleep)....

will i ever know when she is full and doesnt want breast ????

[edam]

When she stops sucking! I was told to offer the first breast, feed until baby comes off/stops sucking (you can usually tell the difference between energetic gulping and fluttery 'mmm, that's nice' sucks). Then nappy change to keep them awake, then offer second breast. If they refuse, that's fine. If they only take one breast at a feed, offer the other breast at the next feed. If they have both, I think you offer the one they finished on first - but do check with NCT/La Leche League/HV/midwife, I may have got confused about that.

[throckenholt]

I only ever did one side per feed. Alternated sides with feeds. I only ever offered the other side if they still seemed hungry - but it was rare.

Some people feed from one side and then offer the other one at each feed, and then the next feed they start with the one the finished on last time (IYSWIM), that being the one with the longest gap from a proper feed.

Definitely never time for worrying about supply

[fqueenzebra]

I used to feed off of whichever side felt fullest! Otherwise, I'd offer left first (to keep up supply on that side, because I seem to feed more off the right habitually), then when they seemed bored with left I'd give 'em a chance to burp, then offer the right.

As long as the baby is growing well I don't think it has to be an exact science. It sounds like what you're already doing is working for you, so I'd just keep doing it.

[tiktok]

blossom, everything sounds normal.

There's no rule about offering one side or two - no one should be told only ever to offer one side, as it's up to the baby.

It's not 'unfortunate' she likes the breast for comfort as well. It's lovely : )

Just do what she seems to want you to do, and you cannot go wrong.

The normalisation of the breasts - feeling less full - happens to almost everyone, unless they are troubled by continual over-supply.

I hope you can gain in confidence a bit - you still sound very worried about the whole thing