My daughter is almost 3 weeks old and she has been doing a great job of breast feeding, however, in the last few days she has refused to nurse on one side. I seem to over produce on my left side, so when I am nursing her on the right side I literally put a bottle up to my left breast to allow it to let down. It usually lets down 2-3 oz (without pumping). I then try and put her on the left side but she seems to get air along with the breast milk and starts crying and pushing away. I am not sure if I should pump instead. I almost feel as though my milk is not good on the side. She just refused to nurse on the left side and I need to know if there is something I should be doing to get her to go back to nursing on both sides. I just don't know if I could have milk that is no longer good on that side or some how have air in the line :) I just would love anyone to let me know if they have had this problem and how they dealt with it.
Thanks and God bless
THANK YOU ALL!!! I started pumping my left side and then put her on, and she is starting to nurse again from the left side. I do think I was was too engorged on the left side and she was not latching on properly and when she would latch she would get way too much milk too fast and thus push away. I will continue to pump the left side while she is nursing from the right until I balance out. Thank you all for responding, it really did mean alot to read everyone's suggestions. Take care and God bless. K.
Could it possibly be that something is bothering her on that side ie, ear or arm...etc. Some babies also perfer certain sides to lay or rest on..just a thought. Could also try putting her to the left breast first with her in a different position and see if that helps. Feed her with you laying down as an example.
One thing that would happen with me is that the milk would be coming out so fast on my left side that she couldn't keep up and that would frustrate her. I would express a little first so the flow wasn't so intense right in the beginning. It's all good milk, just easier on the other side to latch on, but keep trying the unfavored one first and she'll get used to it.
Here's a dumb question - is her nose stuffed up on one side? If it is, then she probably prefers the side on which she can breathe.
Good luck.
My daughter is 11 months old and for most of the past 11 months she has prefered one side over the other. I still offer it and sometimes she will take it. I have done some research and have found several different possible reasons.
1. One book I read said it could be a possible malignancy. I felt pretty sure this was not our problem.
2. One said that it might be the different way we hold the baby on one side.
3. A friend said she read some research that said they interviewed some 7 year olds that were still breast feeding...That is really creepy to me. I will be happy to last a year but anyway...they said one side tasted sweet and one salty.
4. One of the books mentioned that babies may just like nursing from one side better. To test this out I tried the football hold so she could turn her head the same way she seemed to like and it worked. She nursed!!
5. I noticed that if that side was too full she had trouble. I sometimes had to pump a little off so she would nurse.
6. I also noticed that when I had a breast infection she would boycott the boob again.
...Then for no reason that I could tell she switched sides a few times. I hope all this helps. Most of all just keep a sense of humor and join the rest of us who go around lopsided.
God Bless You
You've received a lot of great advice. I want to suggest one additional thing: She could have a slight misalignment of her spine in the neck or upper back area. I had trouble for a few days when my son was about 4 or 5 weeks old, too. Same thing- wanted to nurse from one side only. I already saw a chiropractor, so I told him about it on my regular visit and he checked my baby, did a VERY GENTLE adjustment on his neck, and the problem was gone. My chiro is Dr. Mick Mahan, at Discover Chiropractic on 529 near Hwy 6. ###-###-####. He is trained in pediatrics and VERY good w/ brand new babies. Your baby won't know anything is even going on when he is adjusted. I know it sounds kind of nuts, but it could really be as simple as that!
It appears from the other posts that you can successfully nurse a baby on only one side, which is good news for you, but I would say that she just may not have as good a latch on the other side and it's causing her to get air as she's eating. I know that I was much better at getting baby latched to my left side than my right and my son had issues at first too. He also went through phases where he would refuse one side or the other at times. They are just funny little creatures that way! Just keep offering that side as well and if she won't take it or gets overly upset, just continue nursing from one side. I'm not sure what to tell you about the pumping since it seems like if you didn't pump that side, then the milk would just slow down and stop producing on that side. I guess if you decide to nurse her from one side only, you would want the other side to dry up, but if you want to pump it off, it will keep producing I would think. Good luck to you. Breastfeeding can be tough sometimes, but very rewarding for both of you, so keep up the good work!
First - I am so proud of you for sticking with nursing. I read about this in one of my many breast feeding books. Keep offering the breast and then pump on the side she doesn't take long enough. If you keep offering she should come around and it should help balance you out.
Just a thought... Maybe she has an ear infection on one side and it hurts to suck when she lays on one side and not the other???
I just wanted to let you know my daughter went though a period where she preferred one side over the other. I just kept offering the side she didn't care for first, then allowing her to switch. She eventually would eat from both but she would spend longer on the side she "liked".
HUGS!!!
All of the posters have great solutions and the only thing I would add, is if you decide to only nurse on one side you run the risk of having that one breast get larger than the one you don't feed on regularly. I know first hand because although, I nurse my son on both breasts, he prefers the left breast because the milk comes out faster than it does on the right and because of this I'm a little lopsided as far as size now. So just keep that in mind; it is better to nurse from both equally.
call your local " le leche league" they can answer these and other questions for free. Also you can call the hospital and ask a nurse. I would think that she was just getting too much at once and did not like it. I never produced any milk but bottle fed. When we would change a nipple size and it was too fast our son would not drink.
Start her on the left? Seems that would solve two problems. ....
If you are really full on that side, she might not be able to latch. Try pumping it for a minute (to 'empty' it out a little) then see if she can latch on. Just a thought. Call your local LLL also they are a great help.
Good luck & God bless!
H. B
K., good for you for nursing your baby!! She's only 3 weeks and it takes a good 2-3 months before your milk supply is "figured out." You milk is not bad and there isn't any air in there. Most likely, the flow is too fast for her. You might start pumping the left breast before you start nursing her on that side; this way it is mostly drained and won't be too fast of a flow for her (or, just pump that breast and don't feed her on it for a couple of weeks; then try again when she's a little older and can handle the quicker flow). Most likely your left breast will always be your better producing breast so you don't want it to dry up if you plan on nursing long term. Just think of all of the milk you are storing up right now by letting it drip into a bottle!!! :) Anyway, in another month (I know it sounds like a long time but it will be here before you know it) she'll be able to handle a better flow. It's going to work itself out as she gets a little older. Lastly, contact your hosptial. You most likely can talk to a lactation consultant for free. Or, look up La Leche League online. Just don't quite nursing on either side. She's very young and not eating much yet. You have a lot more milk than she needs right now (you are getting 2-3 oz from that left breast w/o pumping! ....and that's all a newborn eats in one sitting!) The more I think about it, the more sure I am it's the fast flow that she doesn't like. You are very lucky; I was one of those who didn't produce much and my right breast produced next to nothing. It will work itself out as long as she's getting enough milk.
I breast fed all three of mine on one breast (my left). None of them would go near the other one. All three are huge and healthy and never wanted for milk. On the down side, my boobs are very lop sided, but it was worth it for sure.
I would offer her the "weaker" breast first each time for awhile. She'll be hungry and suck harder. That should help increase the milk supply on that end some.
Just a thought. Have you tried changing the position on the side you're having trouble with? Perhaps the football hold or sidelying? I had trouble with my milk coming out too fast and I actually had to put my finger on my nipple and only let out a little at a time until the pressure was relieved a little. Whatever works. Can you get a consultation with Le Leche League? Those ladies know a lot and can help work out any issues. Google Jackie Griggs in Pasadena, TX for a referral if you don't have someone handy to call.
K.,
I had a similar issue, though my son was not as determined as your daughter sounds. All the books say to just keep trying that breast and eventually she will take it. It is my understanding that the milk is all the same from either breast.
When my son was refusing, I would just keep trying to give him the neglected breast first, then if he had a fit switch him to the seond. Also, if she is getting enough from the "good" side, then I would just save the milk that you produce on the neglected side, for when you want to give her a bottle. She will start taking that breast again, I am sure of it. My son still prefers my left over my right, but he does nurse on both sides. Hang in there!
K.
This could be a super dumb question, but have you tried starting her on the left side? If you think you have too much milk you could pump just an ounce or so and then try putting her on. Although, I know that with my son, I would just stick him on my breast and he would go to town, especially if I was a little engorged and it would be a tremendous relief. So maybe try starting her on that side and see how that goes. As far as bad milk or air, I don't think so. If you are concerned, you can just feed her on the right, pump the left breast out and start her on the left at the next session. Best wishes and congratulations!
babies do have a side they prefer, but i thought it didn't start until they were older. i would see a lactaction consultant or la leche for help. it's amazing what they can do!
Definitly pump on the side your daughter will not nurse on. She may be complaining about low volumn, which only gets worse when you supliment with a bottle or don't nurse. Then, before you pump when your breast is full, try giving her the prefered breast first, then the other one. If you pump and the volume is the same, maybe she will take the second one. If you have tried all this for a couple weeks, lactation consultants can be a huge help. They vary greatly in experience. I had three lactation consultants over a period of weeks before my first baby would get on the breast. And doctors say that nipple confusion is a myth. Ha.
Hi,
You may find that your breast is engorged and you may need topump it down a little so she can latch on better. It may be too big for her mouth :)
My son solely breast fed from the left one after he was about 1month old. In my case the righ tone never caught up with thte left and he did not get enough milk from it. I used to pump the right while feeding on the left.
Hope this helps
I wouldn't let the lopsided thing discourage you. Both mine feed off both and I am still bigger on one side than the other. Keep up the good work.
call the le leache league, you want her to nurse both sides because if the one breast drys up the other will eventually dry up as well. Its been years but if I remember right it is so. The le leache league is suppose to be pretty awesome about helping you out thru nursing.
Try this, tandem pump the left while nursing on the right. At the next feeding start on the left, if the regular position doesn't work try the football hold.
It really isn't that big of a deal if he only wants to nurse on one side, just make sure to pump on the other side. My sister only nursed on one side because she had the same dilemma now her breasts are 1 cup size difference. (Fortunately she is amply blessed in that area so it's not that noticeable.)
My son only nursed on one side at a time. I never switched mid feeding because he was done! My pediatrician said he was just a very efficient eater!
Keep up the good work, don't get discouraged. If you need help ask your pediatrician or OB to help you find a lactation consultant. also the La Leche league has some great info too:
Hi K.,
FIrst of all, great job breastfeeding! You're giving your daughter an invaluable gift (and yourself -- that snuggle time is precious, isn't it?)
Please do not worry about the right vs. left breast thing. It is not actually important that a child nurse from both. I'm a training lactation consultant and I promise you that your baby is doing great if she's nursing on one side. Your one breast will accommodate her needs, no problem. There is magic that happens between a nursing mom and her baby. Your bodies communicate and adjust to each other in ways that science can't yet explain, and our brains don't even need to understand.
You're wise to hold the bottle up and capture some of that milk. It might be wise to pump afterward, as well, or during the nursing so that you have extra milk for an emergency and that breast continues to be stimulated to produce milk. Do consider using the breast horn part of the bottle when you capture the milk for minimal bacterial contamination of the milk.
My left breast let down too forcefully for my young babies to suckle at. I continued to offer it to them and they would pull away. Eventually they were able to handle the pressure of the milk flow, but not at first. Some women never are able to nurse off of one or the other side and that is FINE. Please do not worry! Just keep nursing, you're doing great!
