2.5 week suddenly refusing one side

[pirateparty]

Ds took to bf'ing like a natural. Latched straight on and has fed brilliantly but over the past few days has started fussing and being unable to latch on to the left side. At the beginning of a feed he will latch on but then struggles to maintain it and gets very frustrated and fussy.

My older ds also did this but intermittently and eventually I only fed him from the right side (from about six months I think)

He has never had a bottle and doesn't have a dummy.

Any ideas why or what to do about it? Anyone else experienced this?

Yes, have experienced this so you aren't alone. Some Mums find trying the rugby hold helps the baby to settle on the less preferred breast.

All three of my DC's have fussed on my left breast. I assume it must be something to do with the way in which I held/hold them. When they were very small I found the rugby hold assisted and as they got older I just reduced the feeding from that side.

DD2 is now 15 weeks and now has only every third/fourth feed from my left breast and the rest from my right. She is still gaining plenty of weight and it is not causing me any difficulties at all. It was a similar story with my first two.

Could he have some pain or discomfort on that side of his body? Try being very creative with holds - rugby hold as mentioned here, and also try Biological Nurturing positions, where you lie back at about 45 degrees, propped on pillows, bare skin, and have your baby lie up your body and find the nipple themselves. It's often more effective and comfortable to allow them to latch on themselves.

Thank you for your replies.

It's reassuring to know its not just me. I will try the rugby hold - good idea. And will try the biological nurturing again too - didn't know that was what it was called, but have done similar 'instinctively' when he was first born and doing skin to skin.

Was trying to avoid one sided feeding because felt lop sided last time, but hadn't thought could just do every third feed so I might try that too.

Thinking about the pain issue - I remember reading babies with reflux don't like the left side because of the position of the stomach and stomach contents being more likely to come back up via gravity. But it seems to be more fussing at latching on rather than discomfort when actually feeding. But if it's pain elsewhere hopefully trying rugby hold might help.

Thanks again - your replies have all been really helpful.

Your letsown can be different in each boob. Could it be that it's stronger or slower on that side? If so, leaning back or forwards may help.

Oh that's interesting. I didn't know let down could be different on different sides. If he hasn't fed for a while then latches on to left side much better than if been cluster feeding - I wonder if it's related? Will try positioning myself differently too.

Thank you.

we experienced this at 4wks old baby stated refusing left side would only take when really sleepy when he woke from nap and when sleepy during the night.

Right side made up for it and actually its only in the last mth (he is almost 10mths now) that he doesnt mind which side he has but does prefer right still.

He was exclusibely breastfed until 6mths when we added in solids to his diet and he gained weight fine.