Baby Favoring One Breast over the Other

Both of my sons preferred my left breast, which is why that one had more engorgement than the left and I was lopsided for nearly the entire time I breastfed...each time. Then my daughter came along and she prefers the right side to the left. Who knows? They both work fine.

It might be that his neck is out of place and causes pain when he is in that position. Try seeing a chiropractor who does children.

What i used to do is hold the baby in a football hold. it's backwards to us but the baby thinks it's on the other breast. Good Luck, K.

My 8 month old has always spent more time on lefty b/c it flows better/faster and it's bigger/holds more... Yes, I'm uneven, but only noticeable from my vantage point. I've heard you can even them out by having baby suck on the less favorable one 1st, b/c they suckle stronger due to hunger, but it made no difference for me, so I stopped worrying and made sure she had an opportunity on each breast every feeding.

Maybe it is just that simple, but it looks like some other moms have some interesting ideas, so consider them and ask your doc at the next appointment if they are a concern.

My first did the same thing, I think it is fairly common, so I thought nothing of it... But she wound up having a condition called Torticollis, which is a muscular imbalance which caused her head to tilt to one side. It was pretty subtle and I did not notice it until the doctor asked me at her 4 month visit if her head always was tilted to one side. I looked at the pictures of her and sure enough, her head was tilted! She went for physical therapy twice a week for six months and now she is perfect. It would have affected her development - sitting, crawling, walking, if I had not gotten it fixed. The physical therapy was actually pretty fun for both of us. It is amazing what they can do with little babies!

this may be due to Torticollis, which is simply a tightening of the neck muscles. try laying your baby on his stomach, some extra tummy time. this will help he/she work out the tightness in the muscles of his neck. in the meantime, the breast in which he/she favors least, try nursing in the football hold position. best of luck!!

All 3 of my girls seemed to favor my left breast over by right one & it did get bigger over time, but now that they aren't nursing anymore, they are the same size again. I always thought that maybe the milk came out faster from the left one, which is why they liked it...or maybe that was just the more confortable position to nurse in, so they kept it up. I always still nursed them on the right one, too..

Suzanna,
I wish I could help you with this, but I have a four month old daughter who prefers the left breast over the right one...Im very interested in finding out more about this as well. Any info you find out, could you please share as well. Thanks, J.

i've not had that experience, but a friend did. her nickname was "lefty" for her ~2yrs of nursing, as her daughter refused the right side--her left side was 2 cup sizes larger thru-out nursing...maybe you want to pump her favorite side & make sure she keeps nursing the other side for a while...it is harder to break the habit as she gets older!!! best of luck...

This is normal. My son favored my right one over my left. I think it was a difference in nipple shape or how I held him. Regardless, he had to drink from both. Every other time he had to start on the unfavored breast. Don't worry, it passes. At about 3.5 months, my son didn't care which breast. Hell, I think I could have put him on my husband's nipple and as long as milk came out he'd be happy hahaha

there can be multiple reasons why, It can be something as simple as your nipple sits differently on the left side and the right fits just right. At two months of age you can still offer the side that needs empty-ing, with a different body positions, like football hold or cross body, etc... Just remember to try to keep a balance so that you don't reduce milk production for lack of stimulation. My little one has the same preference, she especially didn't like the left side while in the sling. I kept encouraging the left side, but with in different position or extra pillow and things got better for a long time. The preference is back, but I'm not too worried now 22 months later....Good luck.

if this is the breast you gave her when she was first born that maybe why, i had the same problem and my other breast would get huge, make sure she gets both you dont want a clogged duct. i hope this helps

That happened with my kids, too. One breast probably produces more milk than the other. Also, the baby might be more comfortable on one side, which will lead to favoring that side, which will cause that side to make more milk, etc. Make sure you use both, or you might be a bit lopsided.

Suzanna,
Flow is ususally the answer, or, not switching off.
The first breast relaxes them, so by the second breast they are not as agressive, drawing, falling asleep. Some groups, call this slurp and sleep.
Be sure that you offer the unfavored breast first for a while. If you notice the child is frustrated and unsatisfied don't freak. It may be flow and stress and worrying that this one doesn't work can only make things worse.
Try taking a warm shower, just before nursing. I don't know if you have noticed that a warm shower may make your milk let down and it can be just spraying all over the place. A little bit of pressure on the nipples and getting out of the shower will resolve this.
A warm shower may stimulate this "UNPREFERRED breast" to flow better. Always remember it is all supply and demand. The more they take from either or both breasts the more your body will make, even from one particular breast.
Relax, keep switching, enjoy breast feeding, and the beautiful bond that occurs, and your body will take over.
Best of luck to you and your cherub.

Everytime you feed the baby always start on your
left breast. After ten minutes transfer the
baby to your right. The milk on your right
is tasty than your left. Try to taste it.

Suzanna,
I am no expert, but I have nursed all 7 of my babies. My youngest is 16 months and still nursing. He does favor my left breast, because it does fill with more milk for some reason. My left breast has always been slightly bigger, even before pregnancy. God just made me that way. Anyway I think the milk flows from that side more easily. If it is easier to drink it why not favor that side. This could be a possibility for your two month old. If your baby has found that to be easier to drink from it will get the tummy satisfied sooner. Babies are incredibly smart!!!
Anyway make sure to alternate sides as evenly as possible because you want to keep up the milk supply on the less favored side. Make sure to always start nursing first on the left side because the baby will probably suck more vigorously in the beginning of the feeding. This will hopefully keep that left side with ample milk production. Good luck, you seem very in tune for a first time mom. If you are a first time mom?

My oldest son favored my left breast because milk came out faster on that side. I just kept feeding on both sides and eventually he got used to it.

My son favored my left breast after I got mastitis in my right breast when he was 7 wks old. He refused to nurse off of my right side no matter what. I tried pumping and had very little success in getting my milk production up. I nursed him until he was 18 months, and 16 of those months were off of my left breast only. Although it was discouraging initially, I got used to it. Definitely not ideal, but nothing life changing either!! Everyone has their own experiences with breast feeding. It's great that you have made that choice. I wish I had some great advice for you, but I just have the encouraging words that I survived breastfeeding on one side only for a year and a half and my son and I are both happy and healthy and bonded with no regrets (but I think the other advice you got about having better let-down on one side is probably more relevant to your situation). Best of luck and don't give up!

Hi Suzanna,
As a chiropractor, this sounds like it could be due to muscle and spinal imbalances. Your baby may not like turning to the left due to the discomfort. I recommend you find a pediatric chiropractor in your area to assess your baby. If this is the problem and is left uncorrected can potentially cause more problems. visit www.icpa4kids.org and search for a doctor in your area.
Good luck,
C. Tanaka, DC
www.naturallifechiro.com

It may be that your right breast is just easier or more productive. I know from working and therefore pumping regularly that my right breast produces way more than my left and it comes down quicker, too. Not surprising that my son prefers it (and always has). I still try to alternate between both, but when I'm trying to fill him up fast (like in the middle of the night - he's eight months now and STILL wakes up once) the right is where I go. Good luck and congrats on your newborn. Enjoy every minute!

My son has always favored the right breast. We call that the chocolate milk side:0)

It's funny that you mentioned this, I thought it was only me who had this challenged. My daughter used to aim for my right breast often. I thought it was because my left breast doesn't produce much. I realize it was because I wasn't encouraging my duaghter to use the left breast therefore the left was not getting the stimulation needed. When I pumped, I noticed the flow from the left breast is "slower" compare to my right breast. When I started using the left breast first for all feeding, it was funny to watch my duaghter working hard to nurse off the left breast. If she was still hungry, I switched her over. Though she still favors the right breast but after walking around with my right breast bigger and fuller than the other one, I really made sure she nurse with "balance". Besides finding balance between the breast, I think sometimes babies like adults find "favorable" positions. I like sleeping on my left with a pillow between my legs, hubby likes sleeping on his back with his hands covering his face and baby likes to sleep with arms & legs spread open as if she is doing the "jumping jacks". Good luck!

It could be due to the milk let-down. My son is 5 months old and prefered my right breast as well...this was because my left breast produced more milk and it was hard for him to swallow all at once. So some of the time I would pump a little out of that side before feeding. He is over that now because he is more developed. It will just take a couple more months of patience. Keep offering both sides.

Hi Suzanne, Your baby is prbably gettng more milk out of your right breast, your left breast may not be producing enough to satisfy her. J.

This might be occurring as others have stated due to the milk production or ease of latch-on for the right, however, I would also think (as a therapist) that you might have an easier time with her on your right if you're right handed and she can also sense this. Please make sure you are switching her back and forth as it does affect her neck musculature and her overall muscular balance throughout her body with the change. I am due with twins and know that I will have to make sure that they don't become attached to one side over the other because it will affect their overall skeletal and muscular structure.
Good luck and God bless!

This happens often, sometimes the milk comes out quicker out of one side or the other due to clogged ducts or just luck. Still offer both sides, they'll get used to it.