Feeding from one breast

[chooseausername]

Has anyone successfully only fed from one breast? I asked my doctor recently and she said it wasn't possible. After hearing different opinions for multiple things from doctors, midwives and the health visitors, I thought I would check here.

My DD is 8 weeks. I BF her for the first 2 weeks but she lost a lot of weight as she wasn't feeding properly. I am now expressing milk for each feed and I topped up a few times with formula when I was building up my supply as it wasn't enough at the beginning.

I've had an infected nipple twice and I've currently got mastitis for the third time. I have no idea why this keeps happening. She even sleeps through the night now and I am waking up to pump. Each time this has been in my right breast. My left has always been fine. I could cry because I don't want to stop but it's been agony. I also don't like being constantly on antibiotics!

Is it possible to continue with my left and slowly stop producing milk in my right?

Also, I meant to say that I produce half of the amount of milk from my right breast in comparison to my left anyway... I'm not too sure if this is normal either to be honest!

Of course it is possible! Your Dr is taking rubbish. Think about breastfeeding twins- that's completely possible.

Why don't you keep feeding from the good side and expressing from the tricky side until your supply has caught up on the good side. Then you can keep exclusively BF from one side.

Call La Leche League for advice if you get stuck 0345 120 2918

Thank you. I did think that. I googled it too and there were a few posts from years ago that said it is possible.

My doctor said that the other breast would not properly stop while the other one was being used. I just can't keep having a fever and being in pain. It's almost every week at the minute.

I'll give them a call tomorrow! I also want to find out whether it's too late to re-introduce the breast as that would be so much easier. I'll see what they say.

I am feeding from one breast because an infection and abscess wrecked the supply in one. I have been doing it successfully for 13 weeks. DD's weight gain has slowed a bit, so we've been advised to try adding one formula feed a day while also building the supply a bit by pumping. It's totally fine - the side with no supply is small, but it doesn't bother me to be lopsided.

It is 100% possible, and no one I've spoken to has suggested otherwise! An NCT friend knows someone who tandem fed a toddler and a newborn off one breast.

Breastfeeding dropins have been my go-to resource - the counsellors have often dealt with women in all kinds of situations.

To be honest, I've found online advice a bit lacking!

Good luck to you.

Also, mastitis is the worst I've ever felt - you're a hero.

My DS feeds from one breast out of preference he's now 2. I've had no problems apart from being a bit wonky in the breast department.

Your doctor is talking absolute shite. I fed ds for almost 5 years exclusively from one breast.

Thank you so much! I'm very glad I posted now.

If you feed from one, do you still leak from the other little or can it completely dry up?

I think I will start to pump the right side a little less each time now and try to build up the left more.

I have no leakage at all from either breast.

My SIL-to-be fed from one side a lot more than the other and now her breasts are permanently different sizes. It's nothing dramatic - not visible. I know because she told me. I think she slightly pads out one cup in her bras. It obviously doesn't happen to everyone as our bodies are all different but worth knowing it's a possibility.

The other one completely dried up. And a year on after I've stopped feeding they look exactly the same.

I fed dd1 for 21 months just on one breast and I’m still feeding dd2 at 31months from the same breast.

I could never get either dd to latch properly on my left breast, despite help from
Midwives and a breastfeeding support helper, different positions etc. Dd1 I persevered for a few months but gave up. The unused side always leaked a tiny bit until I gave up feeding altogether.

With dd2 I had the same difficulties and realised after 2 or 3 days it wasn’t working so stopped feeding from the left breast. It’s completely dried up now and I’ve never not had enough milk in just one boob and i wouldn’t say I’m particularly lopsided I don’t think.

My left breast doesn't leak. I can get a few drops out by hand expressing at the moment, but no more than that. Originally that side had an over supply and did leak a lot - it dried up over 4 weeks or so.

I fed DD1 from just the left side from when she was about 10 months until we stopped BF at about 16 months. The right side had always been harder going and one day she decided she wasn't going to persevere with it anymore and just refused it. I looked a bit wonky first thing in the morning but no trouble apart from that, whereas I'd had mastitis 5 times during the first 10 months.

I had an abscess on my right breast which affected supply when DS was 2 weeks old so fed more from the left although kept feeding from right to ease pain

3 weeks of draining issues then he latched back on and fed from both unequally for over 2 years