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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

1 good boob, 1 bad boob

17 replies

Tiddler · 30/09/2006 13:06

I'm bf'ing our 1 week old daughter and finding it hard to get her latched onto my left breast. We have no problems feeding with my right one at all, but no matter what we try she doesn't latch onto the left one for ages and when she does, it hurts like hell.
Has anyone had the same experience as this, as I don't want to give up bf'ing but for some reason she isn't happy feeding on the left even though there is plenty of milk there for her.

OP posts:
Gillian76 · 30/09/2006 13:12

I think this is really common, Tiddler. I had the same with my first DD. Have you tried different positions? Rugby hold? Lying down?

Macdog · 30/09/2006 13:13

i found it hard to get my dd on to left side at start. i made a point of always starting with that side, then switching to right side.
this worked for me, took a few days to establish
even 7months down line, i still start on left side!
you are doing great, keep persevering ((hugs))

BarefootJasnem · 30/09/2006 13:18

I struggled with breast feeding for four months, and had more problems with one side than the other. At 4 months I made the decision to only feed on one side, and since then have fed him from only the right breast (except once every two days at bedtime), and am still going strong at 7 months.

I'm not suggesting you try this at 1 week (although it is possible)
Lying down to feed also helped me.

Speak to your midwife about it, too, as she may be able to see ifyou are not latching her as well on that side.

Gillian76 · 30/09/2006 13:21

Lying down worked well for us too. And great for during the night!

If things go on, you could try phoning one of the helplines. NCT, ABM or LLL. I've always found them very helpful.

Flamebat · 30/09/2006 13:22

I had it with both of mine... neither seemed to be able to get a good latch on my right side. I took both to the chiropractor and it seemed to fix it - they both had the same problem and it hurt them to lay on that side (rugby hold worked fine, hence me knowing it was that sort of problem iyswim).

I suffered for 6 weeks with DD like it.... when I saw the same problem emerging after a few days with DS I booked him in for his first appointment at 7 days old - he was better within a few weeks.

Pidge · 30/09/2006 13:25

Tiddle - this is really, really common - keep trying to latch her on that side. Get some help checking the latch. You may find after a few weeks that you get the hang of it. You could also happily feed her from just one side, though as BJ says, don't make that move this early. Many women find they have a 'side preference' throughout breastfeeding, even after they've fixed the early latching, pain problems. My dd2 is 18 months and she has always preferred my right side, dd1 was the same.

In the early days when the pain on one side was excruciating, compared to just 'bearably painful'(!) on the other side, I did favour the better side and just kept trying to offer short feeds on the bad side as much as I could.

Highlander · 30/09/2006 13:38

I had this too. left boob bad, right boob good! Still fed DS until he was 18 months, almost exclusively on the good boob.

Original poster
Tiddler · 30/09/2006 17:10

Thanks guys, we've tried rugby football stylee, nipple shields, lying down, all to no avail. If i were to feed only on the right, should i express on the left, or just bear with it?

OP posts:
BarefootJasnem · 30/09/2006 17:16

i Don't express at all (but have never bothered with givig ds bottles). If you want to and you can then yes. If not then gradually reduce feeds from the "bad "breast to reduce risk of mastitis if you try and stop suddenly.

Please speak to someone in rl, or call one of the helplines before you do anything dramatic, though. You are still establishing your supply, and things may well settle down if you can bear it a little longer.

jabberwocky · 30/09/2006 17:17

Is the nipple flatter on that side? Have you considered trying a nipple shield on that one? If all else fails, you can just use the one side. The milk will dry up on the other one. You will be a bit lopsided, but otherwise bfing will continue on as normal.

Judy1234 · 30/09/2006 17:26

I would express on the other side. She's only one week. You've ages to get it working better. I often found one side easier than the other. You can fully breastfeed on only one side if you really want to - I fed twins which is a similar thing.
I would try putting her gently near the other side after each feed and squeezing some milk out which she can lick and just keep having a go there. You might find as the feeding pattern settles down that breast is less full and she latches on better or you get the positioning better.

Gillian76 · 30/09/2006 22:49

I wouldn't give up hope yet. You're both still learning!

Try to get some RL advice from someone who can watch you feeding and see her latch, etc. There might be some small adjustment that would make a big difference.

Try one of the helplines. They usually have local groups or contacts.

Association of Breastfeeding Mothers 020 7813 1481
Breastfeeding Network 0870 900 8787
La Leche League 020 7242 1278
National Childbirth Trust 0870 444 8708

Keep up the good work

sallyrosie · 30/09/2006 22:56

I had exactly the same problem - nipple a slightly different shape and she didn't latch on as easily at first. It led to mastitis on that side (I didn't realise as was on so many painkillers for episiotomy scar and wasn't till went to GPs with 'lumpy' boob and she gasped at how swollen and red it was...) and then she didn't want to feed on that side (mastitis makes the milk taste all salty) which just compounded the problem. In the end never managed to feed brilliantly from it. I also found expressing more difficult on that side.
BUT - you've just started and can get it sorted early - just look out for mastitis and don't ignore it if you get it.

alibobble · 01/10/2006 08:47

Had exactly same problem with dd from feed one in hosp! Would never feed RHS withoput being in RB position. Got increasingly difficult as DD got bigger and harder to do when out and about because she always fed both sides from day one. Was advised to always start with that side and when she latched off to give prefered side or she would never feed on RHS after feeding left. She was first baby and for future am considering using the avent niplete to correct inverted nipple on RHS (have a thread on it) or would try feeding one side only. Problems led to my giving up BF so take the advice so you don't end up doing the same!

Original poster
Tiddler · 01/10/2006 13:29

Well lastnight wasn't as bad as previous, what ive done is let her feed through the night on the good side as its only 3/4 feeds and there quite short, then in the day get her on the bad one, as i have more patience in day time, and less likely to jack it in.. But hopefully it will soon sort itself out as like you have all said it's still early days yet..

OP posts:
Pidge · 01/10/2006 18:26

Tiddler - you're doing great - it is REALLY early days. With my first dd it took me 7 weeks to get sorted out. With dd2 it was more like 3 weeks. Sounds to me like you're doing all the right things - I reckon you'll already look back in a week and feel like things are a bit better.

Original poster
Tiddler · 03/10/2006 12:19

Really hope so as she's very demanding and you know what it's like at 4am when you have had very little sleep.. But ya fingers x'd hey. x

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