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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To give up on my left boob

64 replies

Oysterbabe · 13/03/2016 12:51

I'm pretty fed up with my left boob. I express every 4 hours and get about 5oz per time, 4 from the right and 1 from the left. Nothing I've tried has made any difference. I was doing the left one every 2 hours during the day and it made sod all difference and took up too much time. Is there anything else I can do to improve supply or should I just give up on it. Tbh I look a bit lopsided

OP posts:

VoldysGoneMouldy · 13/03/2016 12:53

Are you breastfeeding as well or exclusively expressing?

curren · 13/03/2016 12:54

When I saw the top edge of the photo (before reading) I thought it was going to be a boob photo from the boob troll.

Glad to see it's not!

Do you have any BF support? We had a helpline that we could call when I had dd. I haven't BF in almost 12 years so could be wrong (the BF days are still fuzzy) but I thought you couldn't rely on one boob, that it caused milk production to slow down completely.

Original poster

Oysterbabe · 13/03/2016 12:57

I'm almost exclusively expressing. She'll only snack when she feeds directly and won't take a full feed. She was pre-term and is still a bit weak and lazy.

OP posts:

MigGril · 13/03/2016 12:59

Are you just expressing?

Every 4 hours isn't very often for expressing only is why I ask. Night time expressing may help. But it is very common to have one side that produces more then the other. I'd pump both and just accept that one side is always not going to give much. Drying up totally is an option but will possibly leave you more lopsided then you are now.

Are you using a double pump? As that maybe better at least saving time.

VoldysGoneMouldy · 13/03/2016 12:59

Are you expressing from both breasts at the same time?

Original poster

Oysterbabe · 13/03/2016 13:01

Yep using a double pump. I've only switched to 4 hourly now she's 10 weeks and supply is established. I was doing 2 then 3. Left has always produced 1/4 of the amount.

OP posts:

MigGril · 13/03/2016 13:17

Some mums can only get an Oz at a time from each side so the fact your getting 4oz from the other side is fantastic and as your double pumping it's probably worth just keeping going. Each Oz is worth it.

aghteens · 13/03/2016 13:21

I'd keep at it with both but I had exactly the same issue (was also mostly expressing at first)

BatMobile · 13/03/2016 13:22

I'm exclusively breastfeeding (with the occasional bottle of expressed milk) and I get pretty much the same amount from each boob as you. Very annoying. DS also really prefers my right boob. No idea why. Sorry that's unhelpful I know but just wanted you to know you're not alone in lopsided production!

Whatdoidohelp · 13/03/2016 13:52

Do you use the same pump parts for each breast? Could there be a tear in the membrane or something on the left hand side equipment? Do you use a hands free bra? If not could the way you are holding the pump be affecting the milk supply or too tight, not close enough?

seastargirl · 13/03/2016 13:57

I was almost exclusively expressing and had a massive difference with production on each side. I cut holes in an old bra for the funnel to go through so I was hand free and just continued to pump both sides, those extra ounces are important and without them you might end up with weight gain issues.

Sorry frustrating as it is I'd stick at it

Peopleshouldsmilemore · 13/03/2016 14:01

I was just the same, always got way more from my right boob. Fed my son for just over a year. Nothing I did increased the volume from leftie.

GreatFuckability · 13/03/2016 14:05

I have a friend who fed exclusively from her left boob for 18 months. For whatever reason the right just wasn't good enough for her son. She was lopsided for a while lol

Plateofcrumbs · 13/03/2016 14:12

I gave up on my left boob towards the end (last 4 months or so) of breastfeeding DS as it was so unproductive. I was lopsided but it evened up again once I stopped.

ClutterofStarlings · 13/03/2016 14:23

Omg, are you me? Apart from that I only get an ounce from the good side & a dribble from the left. The only time I got more than that from the left, I'd started off giving her a feed from that side (weirdly she seems to prefer that side). I'm basically exclusively expressing although do give her a try at it at least once a day.
I'm relieved someone else has this though!

CakeRattleandRoll · 13/03/2016 14:27

I always got lots more from my right boob for both my kids, whether feeding directly or exclusively expressing. But I would definitely continue pumping the left, esp as you have a double pump. That 'bit extra' is very useful as their appetite increases, I'm certainly thankful to have it. The advice I had was to offer the least productive boob first when feeding, but that's not much use if you are pumping!

cannotlogin · 13/03/2016 14:41

I had the same issue - it was like a power shower vs a leaky tap. For my first two babies I ended giving up on the leaky tap and just fed from the one side that seemed to work. With the third one I kept at it and eventually it didn't hurt and baby was entirely content and exclusively breast fed for the first 6 months.

It's clearly something that happens, if reading here is anything to go by, so either give up on it if it feels more trouble than it's worth or just accept that you won't get as much from that side and that's OK.

jennifer86 · 13/03/2016 14:56

I also pretty much exclusively pumped as DS really didn't take to BF. I always got more from the right than the left, not quite as drastic as yours, but maybe 2oz from left and 3-4oz from right. Reading your replies makes me wonder whether this is always the case (and everyone here seems to have it the same way round, as well!) If you always use the same equipment for each side then maybe try swapping just once to see if you get the opposite result? That would tell you if the equipment was faulty. But otherwise you might have to accept that you won't get much from the left, I would still express from both sides, though, as it probably isn't any more hassle than doing one, and the lopsidedness would probably get worse if you stopped one side and continued the other.

BestZebbie · 13/03/2016 15:11

I exclusively expressed and those bottles look exactly like mine did, regardless of what I tried. It gave me a sneaking suspicion that a large number of other women have lactation like that too, but aren't aware of it because they BF or FF and never get to see the milk in a measuring flask.

thomassodorisland · 13/03/2016 15:15

I expressed until I could latch my daughter on at 4 months, I was the same. Don't give up though I got to the stage where my milk started to dry up as I thought going to 4 hourly would be ok and it got to the stage where she either learned to latch or it was over, thankfully she did and we are over 12 months now still going.

Well done it's amazing achievement your making, just wanting to add this.

QueenArseClangers · 13/03/2016 15:23

From the few posts on this thread it does seem strange that the 'better' breast seems to be the right one.

My kids have always preferred my right boob and when I used to express it was more productive (and is slightly larger in size too).

Wonder if it correlates with how mothers hold and position their baby when feeding and being right handed. Would love to see a study on this.

Well done for expressing for your lovely baby 💐

honeysucklejasmine · 13/03/2016 15:24

My left boob is nicknamed "shit boob" for this exact reason.

Original poster

Oysterbabe · 13/03/2016 15:34

Thanks everyone.
I think hands free bra is the answer. It's OK when DH is here and can hold Velcro baby but when he's not I have to do one side at a time and it takes aggggggges.
Seems to be a common problem!

OP posts:

magpie17 · 13/03/2016 16:02

I had the same problem, and the same bottles - mine looked exactly like yours!

I exclusively pumped (baby wouldn't latch) and just persevered with the dud boob. It never got better I'm afraid.

Bejeena · 13/03/2016 17:06

I had this too but in general pumping wasn't great me I couldn't get enough out. Mine was about 8-10 weeks old when he did finally latch properly and work out how to feed from the breast so if you persevere it could still work if you want it too, have you tried the medela shields? That might help baby latch. Or would you prefer to express?

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