Breast Refusal

[Makennahamley]

Hi,
My 3mo has started refusing to nurse on one specific breast, as a result it is producing less milk. I have tried pumping to increase supply, i have tried multiple positions and nothing is working. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I am feeding him more on his less preferred side but when he isn’t sucking i have to give in and give him the other side to ensure he’s getting some milk

Well done on getting to 3 months of feeding! ❤️ I haven't experienced this exact issue, but my DC is a day time boob refuser. He's at the busy stage where he's too curious about the world around him to feed, and is refusing full stop unless he's half asleep. I've found getting him drowsy / asleep before popping him on helps.

Have you checked if both sides have similar milk duct openings (not sure of the word)? My lactation consultant checked by telling me to squeeze and count the dots of milk. 😅 One side could potentially have a slower let down if it does?

Could you try power pumping on the less favoured side to increase supply, and see if that increases their appetite for it in turn?

If it's side based, may also be worth getting them checked by an osteopath, to see if there's any tension in their neck? Fairly common for babies to favour one side due to this I've heard - especially if there was assisted deliveries.

Hope you find a solution that works for you soon.

Thank you! He does feed better during the night, however not to the extent he used to.

I definitely have a lesser supply in the breast he is refusing from and am currently pumping to try to increase however struggling to express milk from either breast. As well as this, I have only found a manual pump to work for me and trying to find the time to pump alongside encouraging the breast and entertaining my 3MO is discouraging my progress. My partner works away for 2 weeks at a time and is home the odd weekend so it definitely is becoming a battle.

As for tension in the next is that something that can arise 3 months in? FTM and am clueless 🙄 This problem has only arised in the last 2 weeks, before that was a dream feeder. As well as this, he will happily use that side to pacify him however won’t create the suction needed to draw out milk.

I am heavily considering feeding from one side permanently by increasing supply on that side however until consulting with a health visitor next thursday at trying to up milk production and encourage the less favoured side!

This is not uncommon. I'd ring the NCT or National breastfeeding helpline. Most HV have zero training in breastfeeding so be warned!

It is possible to permanently feed from one side if you don't mind the risk of being lopsided. I haven't seen this happen to more than two women in the bf support group I support. However a common disadvantage is if you get mastitis or a painful bleb etc and the other side no longer produces milk you'll have to feed through the pain.

Pumping can be good, as well as offering the least favourite boob twice every feed (block feeding) and shortening the feed on the favoured side temporarily to get back a supply balance.

Are you getting any RL support @Makennahamley other than from your HV?

@TinyMouseTheatre No support. I haven’t actually seen my health visitor since baby waS 13 years old so i started going to a self referred clinic. I have yet to go as they only see you every couple of weeks. I contacted the national breastfeeding service who just completely blamed his 1 bottle a day and said it was a bottle preference - NOT CORRECT as he still takes the preferred breast and often refuses his bottle

That doesn't sound very supportive.

Are there any other BFing Support Groups near to you?

I never found my HV very helpful but if you look in the Infant Feeding Section on MN you usually get good support.

I had similar when both of mine were younger babies with the same breast.

I don't know if you've tried feeding in the Rugby Ball Hold, then after a minute or two moving them across to the other breast? Doing some Breast Compressions on the least favoured side might help too.

That sounds so tough with your partner working away that much! Small babies are hard enough with all hands on deck.

If it's only arising three months in, not likely to be tension related I would think - though no harm trying an osteopath anyway? They get so busy at this age with trying to roll, it could be as simple as a sore neck from it.

Instead of pumping, have you tried a haaka? I hate pumping so much and the haaka is easy enough to pop on the opposite side while you're feeding I find.

Ironically since replying to this post my 4 month old is preferring the right boob. 🤣 I think because I accidentally only fed off that for an entire night while completely out of it with sleep deprivation, and changed my supply around.

@User8050 I got the baby weighed and he has still put on 2lbs in less than a month so i am at ease with his feeding pace. i think he has learnt to drain the boob quicker and therefore can afford to not be on there as long. my supply is definitely up again, but only with the help of a manual breast pump so i would defo recommend that