Favourite boob - is this normal?

[PatsyPlusOne]

DS1 is 6 days old and he already clearly favours the right boob over the left. We can get a good latch on either though often takes several attempts, and on the right he'll have a good old guzzle for half an hour or so, but on the left it's a maximum of 10 minutes and then he refuses any more. Is this normal behaviour? is there anything I can do to encourage him to go on the left breast for longer?

It's probably relevant that I'm only offering one boob per feed as advised by MW, so when I'm trying to put him on the left he is rooting and hungry, but then loses interest so much more quickly. I've also tried changing his nappy part way through to wake him up a bit again, but he still refuses afterwards.

We're getting plenty of wet and dirty nappies so not worries overall, but my right boob is starting to feel overused and already looking bigger than the left.

Any hints or ideas gratefully accepted. Or pointing in the direction of any threads that have already dealt with this. I did look back but couldn't see any.

I have the same problem! Well, actually the opposite problem, DD favours the left over the right.

I also did a search but couldn't find any threads on it. Watching with interest.

All 3 of my DSs have favoured left over right . If DS3 is very tired, or sometimes if I need to feed him when we're out he will only have the left side first.

Not sure why your MW has advised to only feed from one side though as I thought they now recommended to offer both sides. I usually feed from one side until DS3 has finished, wind him and offer other side. Sometimes he has some more (pudding as DS1 & 2 call it) or if he's full he wont take any more. I always start on the second side for the next feed.

DS3 is 22 weeks now and is not so fussy but still has a preference.

Yep, 'tis annoying but normal. All of mine preferred right boob over left - I suspect due to faster let down.

However - as your little one is still really little (congratulations!) and your milk supply will not be fully established yet, you should offer both sides as each feed. She'll maybe not want both sides, but there is no harm in offering. If you want you could always offer the less loved side first to encourage milk supply on that side.

I am quite lopsided now - DS4 is 7 months old.

Very odd advice from your midwife - ask a different one.

Mine prefers the right, but I think it's because she's uncomfortable feeding the other way round. So I move her straight across and feed on the left in the rugby ball hold. It does help.

right is still a favourite here and dc is 14months.

It's not a problem once they get older as they empty both breasts at practically every feed.

I was about to say the only unusual thing is that it is the right breast that is preferred, since it's usually the left. But I see from the rest of the thread that that's just myth!

Mine definitely prefers the left - I think it's a combination of faster let down on the left and also positioning, as he seems to be happier with rugby ball hold on the right than cradle hold.

Thanks for your advice ladies. Looks like I will have to get used to being lopsided from now on! Midwife advised offering one boob per feed as otherwise he would not be on long enough to get any hindmilk, only foremilk. He doesn't really feed for long enough in one go to warrant swapping boobs I think.

Funny what you forget. Although I was never advised to do this, my second did only feed off one at each feed as it seemed to fill her. It was only later that she fed off both and then had the right preference.

But I did always offer the 2nd one. It was refused to start with till she got hungrier.