Hunker et al - one side has dried up - is it possible to relactate & how do I go about it?

[CrookshanksWhiskers]

Also is it worth trying?

DS is now 8 1/2 months. He's always preferred the left side & a few months ago he started refusing the right breast which has now totally dried up. I worry that he's not getting enough just from 1 breast (he's on 3 solid meals a day & eats like a horse but still has at least 5-6 bfs a day too). Even with the lactating breast sometimes he has to 'worry' the nipple for up to a minute or so before let-down & he gets really frustrated. I want to bf well past a year & let him self wean but am worried that lack of milk will scupper this.

Does anyone have any advice/tips?

Crook, most mothers and babies can manage beautifully well on one breast only and it's also common for babies to have a strong preference for one breast and even to reject one in favour of the other.

It is normal for this to result in one-sided drying up.
The breasts work independently with established bf.

If you suspect let down is sometimes an issue, and maybe it is, then one thing you might do is to increase supply by offering more bf - let down may happen more readily if there is more milk in the breast. I don't think supply is really an issue from what you say - if you increase supply you might make more than he needs, but that's no big deal.

OTOH, maybe letdown is not really a problem, and he's just being impatient 'cos of his mood at that time.

hello dear.
I have fed on one side for almost all of my long and chequered bf career . I feed almost totally from the right breast. it was dd1's preference and dd2's as well. I do on occasion feed from the left breast and there is still some milk in there, so yes it is possible. but as tik tok says one breast is fine.
I also know two other mothers who fed from one breast, one for about a year and one who is still feeding her ds at three years old.
if you are worried about lack of milk, then you could always express and offer more to get your supply up but at this stage ime I bet you have a good established supply

Thanks folks

I think I'm probably a bit over-anxious 'cos this is uncharted territory. I bf dd1 'til 6 months then stopped 'cos my HV told me to (this was 14 years ago & I was 20 & totally clueless) then dd2 & dd3 were ff 'cos I was really ill after having both of them (I was gutted as I wanted to bf again but just couldn't). Now ds & I have got things established I just want to keep going as long as we can.

Thanks for the reassurance