Should I offer the second breast, or is one sided feeding ok?

[sparklygothkat]

Callum always feeds from one side at each feed, do I need to offer the second breast?

DD did this and was fine. Sometimes she wanted more and took some from the other breast but usually she only had one side per feed.

if ds is happy after one side then that's all I offer. I only offer the other side if he looks like he wants more.
am I right in thinking you were having probs with his weight though? if so it may be worth offering the other boob justr in case

Sparkly it's fine to just have one. In some ways it's better because you know he's getting the thinner drinky milk and the creamier stuff at the end which is richer in nutrients and calories.

Is his poo mainly yellowy?

BTW good on you for still bfing. I know you've been through the mill.

no, green poos still Large amounts though (not sure if that because of the formula he has twice a day) He will take the second breast sometimes, but he generally doesn't need it

My DS sometimes has one sometimes two - I just let him decide.

My dd is now 6 mths and has always fed from both sides. Initially emptying one and just taking a bit from the second, but more recently a full feed from both.

I'd offer the second and see if he wants it.

I would highly recommend offering both sides, mainly because when feeds start becoming less regular and the amount of milk produced so much more if you only feed one side then your breasts will start getting seriously lopsided and can become extremely uncomfortabe. If you are feeding from both breasts then neither breast has to get quite so full. If you only feed from one breast your milk production will adjust so that one breast can supply the full feed. With DD1 I initially only fed one side at each feed, but adjusted to always offering both sides for this reason. I cut back on the length of feed on the first side a little bit and switched over to the other side. Very slightly greenish poo the next day (too much foremilk and not enough hind), but I guess my milk production adjusted as within a day or so it was fine and I was much more comfortable. With DD2 I always offered both breasts from day 1 and so never had the lopsided discomfort problem!

sparkly - I am going to be directive here and say in your situation (v.v. slow weight gain) you should routinely offer the second side, and I am a bit dismayed you haven't been doing so....any reason why? It is really important to do this when there is concern about the baby's intake, because it is only by doing this you maximise the volume of milk going into the baby.

Spidermama, it is not 'better' to have one side. Many babies are fine on one side only, of course, and that is ok for them, but this whole thing about thin milk and creamy milk is irrelevant, really....it is volume of milk that babies need and we don't need to engineer the quality of iit by keeping them on one side only.

2 sides should be offered routinely, unless the baby makes it clear he only ever wants one side and is doing fine that way.

sparkly, sorry, I sounded very bossy there...blame the fact it's late It's just that I can't believe we have all been suggesting ways of improving Callum's intake and missed asking you about how many sides he has.....

Sorry Sparkly. It seems I gave the wrong advice. I bow to Tiktok's greater knowlege.

I have always feed my kids on one side, no-one suggested offering the second breast.

Sparkly....I am even more dismayed. All the hassle you had about your baby's intake of milk and his weight gain and all the people you have seen, and no one has checked you are offering both breasts???? It is an absolute basic.

Of course many babies and many mothers get on just fine feeding one side only at a time, but the 'default' from the start should be both sides, and especially if there is concern about how much milk the baby is having and how he is growing....feeding both sides i) gives the baby the opportunity to have more milk ii) stimulates the mother's supply better

Result is more milk gets into the baby.

Can I just add that some babies won't take a second boob straight after the first, but given 20 mins of nappy off on the mat, they may well then take a good feed on the second side. I know my DD2 is like this.

mine too! i often get confused as to whether it's still the same feed if you know what i mean, but dd jusy seems to need a wee break sometimes

Totally normal for babies to want the second side after a break...often they will appear fast asleep and then perk up for the second course

well have been offering the second breast (even though its the crap side and never get a huge amount off) and he is taking it.

cant leave his nappy off, he gets into a right tizz when he is naked, i think all these weigh-ins have had an effect on him.

Aww sparkly. DS used to like a feed in a warm bath with me. In fact that's one way I coaxed him out of his nursing strike.

DD has only ever taken one side, despite my early efforts (Mummy knows best and all that.....), and she is a very bonny 10mth old. She must be a power drinker, because her longest feed has been 12 minutes. Truly!

However DS took both sides, drank me dry for over an hour, and then 3 hours later repeated the act for eleven months until I weaned for sanity (was getting screamy and shouty, but that's another thread )

I agree that offering two sides is the thing to do, and babies will take it if they want it - have you ever tried to hold a thrashing baby to a breast and force it in?

I second offering the second breast too. Like Tiktok I am amazed we never checked that out in earlier posts. I haven't been around for a wee while - hope things are improving for you.