Lopsided boobs

[roberta]

I'm finding that one breast produces much more milk than the other. Not only does it look and feel much fuller but when my baby (three weeks) goes on one side he chokes a lot, on the other side he has to suck forever to get anywhere. I expressed the other day and got about four times and much milk from the bigger breast. First is this normal? And secondly does it matter i.e. should I be trying to increase supply from the smaller breast or should I just let him feed more from the fuller one?

No answers, but I had this too. Ds much preferred the fuller boob and I think this just led to a vicious cirle as it cosequently produced even more to keep up with demand.

Roberta and Bobbins, I know what you mean.

I tried to feed dd on the fuller breast, in doing so it reduced my milk supply even more on the smaller breast, by then I had really lopsided boobs. Not recommended to do that, as when I looked in the mirror, it looked freaky.

So I tried another approach, by always feeding dd of the smaller breast first then the fuller one. At first, my fuller breast was really engourged even after feeding. So I cupped my breast with my hands and squeezed, to push the milk out, without touching the nipple, otherwise your body will continue to make more milk, because it thinks baby is suckling.

After a few weeks, both breast are not engourged, but not empty. Dd is 9 months now and I'm still b/f her and my left breast still is making much more milk, but at least I don't look too lopsided.

I hope this helps, best of luck with the b/f.

My experience is similar to Honeybunnie; I use the smaller side for comfort feeding, long feeds to sleep or just offer it first. Use the bigger side when baby is quite hungry.

I had this problem with my dd. I spoke to La Leche league and they were really helpful. They suggested letting baby suckle on the smaller breast as often as possible. Instead of using a dummy (I don't know if you do use one) let the baby snack instead. Basically offer your baby your smaller boob at every opportunity to encourage supply. I feel all broody now!!

hurrah!!! I thought I was abnormal.... Left boob is 36DD, right 36C....8month old DD prefers left to right. Probably my own fault, as I prefer to feed her on left side. Will try small boob as 'dummy' as suggested. Also, I cannot express any milk from right boob - if she suckles more on this side will my supply increase?

Thanks a million. What would we do without this website?????

Same here, just been to get measured for new feeding bras and left side 34E and right side 34F, DS2 8 months and prefers the right side although we always start with the left.

Roberta as you can probably see by the responses you are totally normal. I've got the same...much more milk from one breast than the other. I feed my dd from the low supply breast and express from the other. I had the same with my ds too, so that finally when I had him down to one feed a day (11 mo.) I only fed him from the fuller breast and the other one totally stopped producing milk. I think that you will find that after a few months the breasts sort of shrink a bit and the lopsidedness really isn't terribly noticeable with clothes on.

I've always had slightyly lopsided boobs even before motherhood. Its got worse recently though. My left boob gave up the milk producing ghost some 3months ago (ds2 is 10mo) and has now shrunk back to its usual A cup. Right boob is coping with am and pm feeds and is rougly a C cup.
I tried really hard to persuade my left to make more with always starting feeds on the left. But ds2 would bite so hard on this side (I suffered about 3weeks of persistent biting, even as far as almost frightening him off bf completely with some of my loud yelps and blood spurts) probably with frustration of no milk at around 7mo that I just gave up offering and stuck it out with the right. He seems perfectly happy with this arrangement and I've not suffered any bites since.
Not sure how my "chest" looks to anyone else but I try not to pay the lopsidedness too much attention. I'm sure it'll shrink back to its A cup once he gives up the boob.
It seems to be a really common problem that babies favour one side to the other, whether its a better let down reflex or he/she just favours lying to one side or another and feels more relaxed that way.

one of mine was so much more efficient that it became fondly known as supertanker.

Roberta, ds seems to prefer the right hand breast so this is larger and very noticeable and even if left hand one is offered when he is upset will hang out till right one comes out, so to speak. Will take left hand one for snacking but it is nowhere as big and he is now 4.5 mths. I will continue to bf till we come back from holiday in June but don't know what I'll look like in a bikini!!

Yeah, I had this too, can't remember now (pg brain and anyway it is a year ago!) which side was better but I know I always got a lot more from one boob than the other when expressing. Not a major problem IIRC but Angie's tip of snacking on smaller boob is a good one. I feel broody too but then that's just as well, 32wks and counting!

Thanks everyone - it's great to feel normal. I almost feel sorry for my poor little left boob which is totally overshadowed by its other half. Am trying to feed from leftie first but as others have said, my boy just seems to get frustrated and now can only manage to express an ounce from that side(previously 2 ounces) so it seems not to be working. I don't really care about the aesthetics - more whether it will effect my ability to feed and it seems from your answers that it won't - so here's to lopsidedness! thanks again.