Reduced milk supply on one side, what can I do?

[CollieandPup]

My ds is 13 days old. I'm ebf but had trouble in the early days with my left breast. I think a poor latch led to me getting cracked nipple and being very sore. I've continued to feed through the pain and only skipped the odd feed from that breast, but since yesterday my supply on that side seems to have all but disappeared. If I manually express milk does come out slowly, and I'm still feeding on this side but I'm finding after 20 mins ds wants to get off, but is still hungry so I then put him on my right breast (which is engorged) for a feed and he usually stays in for 10 mins so he's clearly not getting what he needs from my left breast. You can see it just by looking at my breast, right one big and full, left one small and saggy...it just feels empty. I'm worrying now my supply on that side is drying up, but my nipple is still tender so
I've been avoiding using a pump. Any suggestions on getting my supply back up? And what about my right boob which is engorged?

collie - difficult start to bf but it can be fixed :)

Are you still seeing the midwife? Would be good to get her to see what's happening.

It does not matter a jot your ds wants two breasts per session - some babies want three or four! Were you thinking that you 'should' only 'use' one breast per feed? Not accurate at all.

Having said that, some of what you are experiencing with regard to the lop sidedness is common anyway, whether there have been probs or not. Time may resolve it. If your R breast is actually properly engorged, rather than just generously full, then speak to the midwife about ways to deal with it. One way could be to gently hand express to comfort on that side.

As for equalising out the supply, continue doing what you are doing - offering both breasts each time (at least). Get someone who knows what to look for to observe your positioning and attachment and it may be you need to amend. Try biological nurturing/self-attachment so the baby gets on himself with minimal help.

Call any of the bf helplines, too.

I take it all is well with your ds - weight normal, nappies normal, happy and keen to feed?

HTH

I am no expert, but a couple of things that I feel are logical...
If your DS is staying latched to your left (and feeding properly, not falling asleep) for 20 minutes, that's really good, and if he wasn't getting enough he would probably come off and cry. I also think it's normal for babies to take both sides at a feed (at this age my DS was taking both, then both again before he would be satisfied enough to sleep !).
If it was me i might consider pumping for 5 mins after he has fed on the left, it would be normal to not get anything out, but it would help to build up your supply.
What happens if you put him back on the left?
Is he having any problems feeding from the right? Did you have help sorting out your latch and are you happy with it now?
Hopefully someone with more knowledge will be along soon to offer you more help.

I have just seen tik-tok has posted :)

Thanks tiktok and smk for your replies.

Tiktok I'm not sure it's actually engorged just very full and hard. It is leaking all over the place though, which incidentally my left breast did at the begining of the week....

I hadn't really thought about switching breast during feeds just assumed one breast at a time.

I went to a local bf support group on Tuesday for the latch issue and soreness. HV gave me some tips but I was late getting there and he wasn't too keen on feeding so we ran out of time for a proper look. mw coming tomorrow so will run thought it with her. I've been worrying bcs he's a really good baby, and so I can't help but stress that he's not 'good' but hungry. He lost 10% of his birth weight in week 1 (8oz) which I know is normal, but still on the high side. Don't know his current weight. Hes doesn't really cry for a feed, but I usually catch his signs and sleeps really well between feeds - between 1 1/2 hrs and 3 hrs usually. He does have a tendency to fall asleep on the breast, or at least doze in and out. But his nappies are fine though, plenty of wee and poo!

I'm not sure our latch on the left breast is fixed. The soreness is easing but still there especially after a feed so I think it might be the cream I using that's helping with the pain, rather than the latch being fixed. I'm trying the rugby ball hold but I really struggle to get him to open his mouth wide- must be a bit of a lazy sausage!

Ok, so things to try- continue to try and feed off left then right, or even left then left (smk he generally can't be encouraged back on the left but I don't try that hard). And try pumping (pain allowing) for 5 mins after feed on left boob.