Should I be offering both boobs at each feed?

[Warmseabreeze]

Hi Ladies

Feeding DD2 who is 15weeks she has been really unsettled and hard to get to sleep in the past few days. Should I be giving her both boobs at each feed? If yes what if she doesn't take all the milk in the second boob?

I always gave both boobs at each feed, now I have no choice as DS swaps back and forth many times during a feed (he is 2).

When he was little, I would offer both sides at least once, but I would rotate which side I started the feed on if that makes sense?

15/16 weeks is classic growth spurt time, so you may find she wants to feed for longer and more regularly.

Thanks Ali

Is she still hungry after she's finished one side? I would offer her the other in any case (which has the benefit of upping the supply). If she doesn't drain both then you can either express or leave it. I agree about switching the side you start with too.

I offer both now and just start on the one he finished on if he doesn't take much from there.

No worries at all about offering second side, and no worries about not taking all the milk - Big Myth that babies have to drain the breast.

It's always sensible to offer both breasts in the early days,anyway, though prob less important as time goes on and bf is better established.

Where did you hear that you have to make sure the milk is all taken, Warmseabreeze?(

i some times offer both. But if ds is settled and happy i'll just let him keep going on the one for as long as he likes. To quote another mner whos name i can't recall, breasts are like rivers, not ponds. They won't "empty" though the flow may slow. They just keep on making milk as it's drunk. The later milk, though slower coming out, is more nutritious and creamy. So though it is counter intuitive leaving your dd on the one side for a feed may get her more of the more calorific milk, so she may settle better. I don't mean to contradict what,s above as it all makes sense, just saying don't be too eager to swap her over!

As said above emptying both breasts helps with supply, so make sure you use them evenly over time (if poss, ds has a definate favourite and used to reject one for a day or so and tbh i haven't noticed a difference). It doesn't matter if she doesn't take all the milk, as as explained above, it's never all gone anyway.

It may be that she just settles into how she was anyway, or that this is the start of a lasting change to her pattern as it is quite early days...my ds is 24wks and has been through loads of phases of being easier or harder to settle etc.

MoonFace - I think the theory that later milk is more nutritious has been abandoned. My understanding is that the process of letdown pushes the hindmilk forward as it were, so it all gets mixed up anyway.

I'm sure Tiktok will set me right!

I have only been offering one up until now, does that mean I have messed up my supply?
TIktok I though u had to drain the boob so u don't get mastitis (sp?) we have been having so much trouble - had thrush since 5wks and I also had folliculitis (sp?) on a boob that cracked that I can't face another problem!

Thanks for all the replies

No you haven't messed up supply, don't worry I had a lot of problems with supply to begin with and swapping sides is one way of boosting supply.
My friend who had no problems with supply only ever offered one side per feed and she fed her toddler all the way through her second pregnancy and tandem nurses.

Have you had the thrush treated?

Ooh... I see. Sorry! Hopefully tictok will be able to tell us...then i can stop spouting rubbish!

Moon I thought that too! ;)

Ali DD2 has been on Nystan and I have just started using Daktarin gel but a recent 2 weeks of antibiotics has set us back but i think we r making progress in her mouth again. I have been using daktarin cream and taking fluconazole that I purchased from the Internet.

I would always offer the second breast when I was sure he'd had enough of the first one - generally have a 3 strikes and your out approach ie try and relatch 3 times and when he comes off the 3rd time he's definately finished. Then I offer the 2nd breast.

Normally he doesn't finish it so i start on that one at the next feed as its fuller anyway.