One breast much more full than the other - is it ok?

[goandshowdaddy]

Hi,

I've been breastfeeding my nearly 3 week old exclusively and it seems that my right breast is much more full than the left. In fact, the left one doesn't feel like it's got anything in although he does feed OK from it so there must be something there.

The right side is noticeably bigger than the left and often feels uncomfortably full (particularly at night) and makes me want to feed from that side more often to relieve the fullness.

I did have antibiotics when he was 1 week old for an infection in the right side - could this be connected?

My main questions are, should I worry about this (could it lead to inflammation/infection again) and is it OK to feed more often from the right side to relieve it or will this make the problem worse by encouraging more milk production in this side?!

Hope someone can help. Thanks.

This sounds well on the normal spectrum for the early days and weeks, goandshow.

Breasts do work like this - one breast makes more or less than the other, one breast is preferred more than the other. The way you are dealing with it is fine. If there was a problem - say, you felt the full side was getting really uncomfortable - you could try to equalise things by encouraging more 'activity' on the other side. But for most women, it's something that is a minor nuisance at best in the early weeks which means nothing about supply or baby happiness :)

I mean 'minor nuisance at worst' sorry!

I have exactly the same issue with my right breast - doesn't help that the baby lies to my right in bed so I feed from the right boob more often at night. I tried starting feeds from the left side and they did even out a bit more.

OK, thanks, sounds like nothing to worry about then!