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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Nipple preference

15 replies

DulcetMoans · 11/08/2015 19:01

My 3wo DS has today decided he much prefers my right to left boob and it's beginning to stress me out.

When placed at my left boob he will managed around 2-3mins before he fusses and comes off before crying at it. There is not the same problem with the right. Unfortunately the right one is already damaged from learning how to latch in the early days. I am worried I won't have enough for him relying on one boob.

Has any experienced this? Or does anyone have knowledge of what will happen to my supply if this continues?

OP posts:
LaLaLaaaa · 11/08/2015 19:40

Found it!

Mine does this too! I think it's to do with angle I'm holding him at.

The way I get round it is chant in my head 'nipple to nose' and it reminds me to stop trying to put nipple into his mouth and instead let him open mouth to take it. When he opens his mouth wide I use my cradle hand behind his head to encourage his head forward and up to allow him to latch.

Definitely harder on left than right.

LaLaLaaaa · 11/08/2015 19:42

I think you should speak to bf consultant to get help with finding comfy position to help him latch on to left. I use bf cushion and also find leaning forward helps

RPopz · 11/08/2015 19:48

Could be about positioning like La says. Could still have a stiff neck/ torticullis (sp?) from birth - babies often have a preference for turning their head to one side when lying down. Is your let down faster/ slower on the preferred side? Does your unpreferred boob look/ feel unusual - maybe you have a blocked duct?

I think its pretty normal for them to have a preference for one side over the other though - if it turns out to he a permanent thing then your supply will catch up on the side (boobs are factories, not warehouses remember?) - but you might look a bit lopsided for a while! You could express from the side he's not feeding from for now, if you're worried.

Take a look on LLL or KelleyMom if you can. I'm sure its not an uncommon issue.

RPopz · 11/08/2015 19:50

Have you tried rugby hold? MiniP is comfier on one side over the other when I cradle hold him - because of the angle of my arm/ his head.

WilHarlot · 11/08/2015 20:22

Someone at my group had this issue and the HV said it wasn't a problem in itself and your body will accommodate it; but it obviously is a problem if his preferred side is sore for you.

I had a quick check on Kellymom and this is brilliant: kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/lopsided/

Sorry, you'll have to copy and paste as am on app.

TheEagle · 11/08/2015 20:26

It's really common for babies to have a preference for one breast over the other.

There can be lots of difference reasons - my DS1 preferred my right because it flows faster and produces more. At 4.5 months I just stopped trying to encourage him to use the left at all and he fed only from the right until he weaned at 13mo. I was very lopsided!

I pumped from the left for mixing with solids until he was about 11mo and I was pregnant so there was v little yield.

Advice given to me was: try different holds to "trick" him into thinking he was feeding from the right. Osteopathy was mentioned as it can sometimes be down to a tight neck.

Now I'm feeding DTs, my right is still a bigger producer but they keep the left going as well this time Smile

I'd definitely try to see a bf counsellor or talk to someone from LLL.

In the meantime, keep offering both sides and hope for the best. Congrats on your new baby!

Original poster
DulcetMoans · 11/08/2015 20:28

Thank viroids, will read up. I'm mainly panicking because it's a new thing from today. He's not really had a preference before.

How can you tell if the let down is slow popz?

OP posts:
LaLaLaaaa · 11/08/2015 20:31

Mines only just started doing it recently too dulcet. My flow is faster on left than right but let down is slower (know from pumping)

MadgeMak · 11/08/2015 20:32

I fed my son for a year from one breast, he was the same and just didn't like the other side for some reason that we never got to the bottom of. Definitely get the positioning checked out, but don't worry as it's totally possible to just feed from one side. I know a lady who'd had a single mastectomy and tandem fed her two children from just the one boob.

RPopz · 11/08/2015 20:45

I guess you could assume if he was getting frustrated at the boob, fussing, latching on and off etc. MiniP often does it if I offer him the "wrong" boob first (aka, not the fullest). Not a fool proof method though as same can be caused by wind/ tiredness/ not really being hungry...

ZylaB · 11/08/2015 21:07

Mine did this for a little while, also preferring the right boob. I had been using rugby ball hold all the time which mean she was lying on her right side when feeding from the right boob, so to encourage her to be more settled on the left side I started cradling her in the more traditional way. This meant she was always lying on her right side whichever breast she was feeding from, and it seemed to trick her into being calmer on the left boob until she was a bit more settled. Now she takes either from any angle!

Original poster
DulcetMoans · 11/08/2015 21:15

Wow madge, that's crazy! Must have been one full booby!

Did you express the same times baby fed eagle? Just in case we get to that stage.

I will try him in some different positions this evening and planning to go to BF group Thursday. Just going to keep supply going until then somehow.

OP posts:
RPopz · 11/08/2015 21:55

You might just wake up tomorrow and find he's back to normal! Babies are annoying little buggers funny like that Smile

TheEagle · 12/08/2015 10:46

No dulcet, I used to express a few times during the day - basically whenever I had a few free minutes! I never got very much from expressing tbh, I only aimed for about 3oz max to mix into porridge in the mornings.

After 6 months I was very laissez faire about it and just had the manual pump in the fridge all day and took it out every so often for a squeeze. My only goal was to get enough for the next morning's breakfast Smile

Because your baby is a bit younger though I would definitely get latch/position etc checked before giving up on it entirely. And still keep offering both boobs.

They're contrary little people - you never know he might be back on the left by the end of the day!

jbee1979 · 12/08/2015 16:11

My DD likes left boob better too, I was told it's because it's because she can hear my heart better on that side. when she's stressing on the right, she'll happily suckle the left for ages until I get another let down, I think right boob is sometimes too full and fast for her, so I express until it's softer and give her right boob again when she's calmer. means I can get a wee stock for the freezer too Smile

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