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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

10 week old refusing one boob

15 replies

Bellesjp · 15/04/2023 22:16

Hoping someone can help me?

For the past few weeks baby has been really fussy feeding from my left boob. It started just in the evening, then progressed to during the day as well. Sometimes she'll latch and feed for a min and sometimes she's screaming before she's even tried it.

Some days worse than others but she's never particularly keen and often refuses altogether. The only time she'll have it happily is during night feeds or when she's just woken from a long nap and sleepy. This means it's often engorged during the day and worried about supply decreasing.

Thing is it used to be her favourite side and not sure what I can do to get her to accept it again?

Have tried having her laying the other way like she's feeding from the right but still not really happy. Had thought about ear infection but she's otherwise well and no temp etc so don't think it's that.

Any ideas?

OP posts:

7Worfs · 15/04/2023 22:24

Both my babies did this when very young. It was frustrating. I just kept offering the less-favoured breast, if refused I saved it for when they were sleepy/night feeds.

Both outgrew it eventually, however they still fussed to indicate they want to feed from the other side.

Best of luck, it gets easier with time.

Original poster

Bellesjp · 15/04/2023 22:33

Thankyou @7Worfs I hope it does get easier! Did you find it affected your supply on that side if they hadn't fed for a while? Today she's gone all day without feeding from it and just had to pump before bed as she still hadn't fed which I don't normally do. I can usually get her to feed at least a few times from it but nothing today, very frustrating when you know they're hungry!

OP posts:

Stopsnowing · 15/04/2023 22:37

I would suggest you have your breasts checked.

7Worfs · 15/04/2023 22:38

No, it didn’t affect supply - you should be okay at 10 weeks.
Maybe try a different place and hold, e.g. if you normally feed in a chair during the day, try feeding lying down on a bed?

onedream · 15/04/2023 22:48

Could be just a phase, could be a preference to stay, I would start with the favorite side when she is hungry and put her on the less favorite side after little while so she is not very hungry but still feeding..I would also express from the less favorite side if not feeding regularly on that side to keep the milk supply..keep trying in the night when she is sleepy..I managed to breast feed my last baby for 4 months, but breastfed my baby before until 13 months and I do remember him having preference for one side and then it changed to the other and so on..good luck x

JenniferBarkley · 15/04/2023 22:53

When I had this, I started them feeding on the preferred side lying on a pillow, then unlatched and moved the pillow so they were on the unfavoured side without realising. Quickly latch onto the side they don't like and because they haven't really moved they don't realise.

Howdoesitworkagain · 15/04/2023 23:05

Stopsnowing · 15/04/2023 22:37

I would suggest you have your breasts checked.

How come? Anything more helpful to add?

Original poster

Bellesjp · 16/04/2023 06:02

Stopsnowing · 15/04/2023 22:37

I would suggest you have your breasts checked.

How come? Do you mean for lumps?

OP posts:

Original poster

Bellesjp · 16/04/2023 06:05

Thanks everyone for the ideas, she's just fed absolutely fine from it now but know when I try in the daylight she will refuse!!

Have tried the swapping over before and she will feed fine then as soon as swapped will scream ☹️ meant to say she'll have expressed milk from that side so can't be that the milk tastes funny!

OP posts:

Flittingaboutagain · 16/04/2023 06:08

Google Kathryn Stagg and slacker boob and boob preference you'll see it's incredibly common and doesn't last if you keep supply going and keep trying them at both. I've been through it with both babies at different times. This baby actually prefers my slacker boob as I think they like the slow flow!

LovelaceBiggWither · 16/04/2023 06:10

One of mine did this. There was no way I could get them to feed from the non-preferred side so I just gave up. I was lopsided for a year or so. My supply adjusted and I had plenty of milk even with just one acceptable breast.

Stopsnowing · 16/04/2023 06:11

Bellesjp · 16/04/2023 06:02

How come? Do you mean for lumps?

Show quote history

https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/1097-0142%28196608%2919%3A8%3C1185%3A%3AAID-CNCR2820190822%3E3.0.CO%3B2-3

Switchwitch · 16/04/2023 06:21

Mine was like this, he had torticollis from birth. Took him to a peadeatric physio (don't go to an cranial osteopath, go to a proper physio!) And they did stretches and exercises with him which I did at home and it sorted it out.

Flittingaboutagain · 16/04/2023 06:25

Do you mean cranial osteopath or craniosacral therapist? The former is available at my local NHS. The latter has dozens of woo woo threads on here.

Switchwitch · 16/04/2023 08:04

Flittingaboutagain · 16/04/2023 06:25

Do you mean cranial osteopath or craniosacral therapist? The former is available at my local NHS. The latter has dozens of woo woo threads on here.

They are advertised one in the same around our way. I went to a 'cranial osteopath' with my dc1 who waved a hand over baby's head for 40 mins. I felt like such a fool. Dc2 I deliberately went out to find someone who actually understands the human body and is qualified and certified to offer advice.

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