Help - left breast running out of milk fast...

[Gurraun]

Please can I have some advice.

DS is 2 weeks tomorrow. Due to various issues he didn't manage to latch on (yes been to BF counsellor etc) so I now express and am feeding exclusive EBM by bottle.

One breast has loads of milk, but the other has hardly any. I 'try' to express at least every 4 hours (less at night) and try to more in the day (time permitting). The left breast always has milk and can easily express 8oz in 20 - 30 mins (and lets down when DS cries, I wake up in pools of milk etc). The right takes ages to get going and then struggles to produce 4oz and needs lots of refill time. I know I'm meant to pump more from the right breast to get production up but that doesn't seem to be working - plus to keep up with DS I have to do the other (have just hired an Ameda double pump to see if that helps).

Any advice to improve production from useless boobie?

Plus I'm hating the double expression as have to use both hands - has anyone bought one of those funny bras that let you express handsfree? Any good?

Thanks

It can take 6 weeks for your milk supply to be fully established. I am in awe of the fact that you can produce 12ozs at a time!! I think you're correct when you say you need to express more from the right breast, most people have one breast thats more efficient, and 'preferred' by baby. A newborn, which your baby still is, should be feeding 10-12 times in 24 hours, so you would need to be pumping this often to ensure that your milk supply keeps up.

Would it be worth trying your son at the breast again? He's bigger and stronger now, and whatever the issues were in the beginning may not be there now. Also, the slower breast might 'perk up' more with the stimulation of baby's mouth. Even some of the feeds at the breast would cut down on pumping, and consequent sterilising, time. Obviously I don't know the circs, so please don't feel this is a criticism, just hoping that it might be possible to cut down some of the extra work.

Kudos to you for keeping expressing!

Gurraun, sorry about these difficulties

Would it help to contact the bf counsellor again?

2 weeks is way too soon to think your only option is to express.

Most women can produce enough milk on one breast to feed a baby, and most women have a 'better' breast, so of itself your issue is not something you have to get sorted.

The double pump you have ordered should help, though.

You can convert a normal sports bra into a hands-free expressing bra - the firm cups hold the flanges in place, if you just cut a slit into each cup.

Hope this helps.

I've not got much advice with regards to expressing, sorry, but just wanted to say it is totally possible to feed with just one breast, it's what I'm doing at the moment!

My right nipple is malformed so DS was just never able to get a good enough latch, so the supply just never really got going, DS got more frustrated, vicious circle. So I ended up just feeding from the left side and the supply on that side has more than picked up to meet demand. Maybe when he's a little bigger, we might try the other side again, but we're both fairly happy at the moment to go with the flow, so to speak

Thanks for all your replies = will not stress too much! Double pump already proving useful - just need to do more often :-(

Will also try to revisit BF although do keep trying and DS not keen!

It is normal for one breast to prduce less than the other though. My right breast always procuced less when expressing but I did directly breastfeed so that helped.

Have you evr tried feeding DS with bottle teat over the nipple then slipping it out after he sucks when the milk is flowing?

That was a very old trick seldom seen now because we avoid teats like the plague (and rightly so when establishing BF).

Could be useful though for a baby used to sucking one and then getting hoodwinked onto the nipple without realising it.

Actually - just thought about it and it was my left

Hi Mears

Did try the teat trick - MIL suggested it and midwife agreed was a good idea and helped me - he didn't fall for it though!! Lazy little tike!

Wee monkey Do you spend time skin-to-skin? Have you had him in the bath with you? That can encourage a baby to latch on.

Good for you continuing to express - he may take to the breast sometime if he is able to access it with no pressure.

Ever nursed him at the breast post feed so he finds it a lovely place to be?