Any solution for different size breast due to BF???

[diekatze]

I've been breast feeding for 5 weeks for my DS.
My left breast produces more milk(can tell from pumping) so when my DS cries for food, I tend to just give him the left side...

Now, I can see the big difference in size! And I am worried.
I am not sure whehter this issue will be solved after BF ends or should I do something about it now???

I tried to feed him with my right side first during the day but many times he gets fussy. I try to pump whenever but I don't seem to find enough time to pump after each pump.

Does anyone know any good solution for this problem???

[spu]

Ever since my babies were born, I've been lopsided too. At least a good cup size difference. I asked the folks at my LLL group and many others had the same problem. Sometimes there's not much you can do and some people say the lopsidedness goes away, others said they stayed lopsided. Here are a few things you can try:

1. Nurse more often on the smaller side, especially during the hungrier times (ie. mornings, before or after naps...)

2. Pump the smaller side whenever nursing on the fuller side.

3. Pump the smaller side after nursing on that side.

In my own experiences, I tend to produce more foremilk from my larger breast. At 14 mos of nursing my babies, I still have 2 different sizes. Unless I'm wearing a clingy tank top, you can't really tell.

susan

twin girls 7.20.02
charlotte + else

http://home.earthlink.net/~sunger1/bash/nonflash/year.html

[jayhjay]

I had this problem too. Not too lopsided, but always got more from one side. I just ended up always starting on the less full/smaller side so that I could be sure she would eat from there when she was really hungry. That way, if she got full part way, she would have at least eaten from that side.

[diekatze]

Thank you for your tips.

I did pump after I feed may DS today in the morning. And I feed him couple more times after that. I tried to feed him with smaller side.
But in the evening(actually just now), I pumped again on my smaller side and NOTHING was coming out!

I've posted couple questions before and main problem than I have is lack of milk production. If I pump, it seems like nothing there to feed my DS on next feeding....

Someone suggested that I shouldn't pump at all and just feed the baby more frequently. I don't know what I should do.

[deborah_r]

I think you should definitely start him on the smaller breast more often than on the larger one for a while. Then if they seem to start to equal out, change it so you alternate starting breasts with each feeding.

I did exactly this and now they've pretty much evened out.

You probably shouldn't pump yet, if you don't have to. I think it;s going to send confusing signals to your body as far as how much milk to produce and when.

(Just my two cents - I am not an expert by any stretch!) Good luck

[diekatze]

But what if my larger one decrease in milk production??

I am having such a hard time keeping up with my DS, I don't want any decrease in milk production.

What is a good time to change breasts anyways???

[deborah_r]

In the beginning, when they are not as efficient, I was told 10 minutes, switch, 10 minutes, switch back to starting breast and then let him finish as long as he wants.

Then when they get more efficient, it's more like 5 minutes then switch.

Some people just feed on one breast per feeding, but it sounds like this isn't necessarily going to work in your situation.


If you are really worried about losing milk production in the larger one, I have heard of people using only one breast. I don't think it's highly recommended, but it's possible.

[diekatze]

My DS is getting more efficient with his sucking but not til recently. I was wondering whehter it had something to do with my low milk production. He will sleep rather than eat so I had to suppliment after hour and hour and a half feeding.

He doesn't eat frequently either. Every three, four hours.

He actually slept for 5 hours tonight for the first time.

I do not want to wake him up to feed him but I think that really did effected my milk production.

I will try to feed him on my smaller side for 10 minutes(which he doesn't really suck efficiently) first then my larger side.

Thank you.

[Momof3Labs]

Is your baby gaining weight? Is he producing enough wet and dirty diapers? Then he is getting enough!

Fullness of breasts and pumping production are very poor measures of milk supply. Colin was sleeping 5 hours by 4 weeks, also, and my milk supply was fine because he was eating a little more at each daytime feeding.

And, if your production in your smaller breast is increasing, it is okay for the production in the other breast to decrease. If his sucking is a problem, that is likely causing any milk production issues, rather than being caused by milk production issues. It is so important to put him to the breast rather than to supplement, bottle-feed EBM or pump because those things don't help your supply nearly as much as straight nursing.

Please, if his weak suck is still a problem, see a lactation consultant who can help you! If I remember, you were seeing someone, but I am concerned that you are still having problems. Try another LC - they are NOT all created equal!

[diekatze]

He is getting much better. Especially at night, he's finishing eating in 30 minutes and right back to sleep.

But the day time is the problem. I might be just over worried or did't figure him out yet.

Here is the senario. He will wake up and get feed around 12 noon. Feeding will be about an hour so 1 o'clock, he stays awake and play. around 2pm, he starts to cry or get fussy.

Or the worst is after getting fed for an hour(both breasts), he gets fussy and cry. I give him 3 oz of formular, he will finish that off in 10 minutes or less.

So I don't know whether it's my breast not producing enough or I am over feeding him. I got so curious so I even got a scale to weight him before and after the feeding. Normally it shows 3 once difference but not sure whether it's accurate. He still eats 2.5 OZ to 3oz after that.

He doesn't suck as well during the day time but getting better.

He gained about 3 pound since birth and so far I used average 10 to 16 diapers per day.

It's just that I can't tell how much he ate from breast feeding makes me wonder.

[Momof3Labs]

Oh my goodness - three pounds since birth and 10-16 diapers per day! Hon, you have enough to feed TWO babies! Mamas with supply problems don't have babies who gain three pounds in one month.

About your noon to 2pm stretch, I bet that he is getting tired and that's why he is fussing. Two hours is a long time to stay awake for a newborn, even for a 4-5 month old baby! Fussing doesn't mean that he is hungry - he can fuss for a lot of reasons. And if you put a bottle in his mouth, what choice does he have but to swallow? Otherwise he will drown. Have you tried a pacifier? He might just want to suck (sucking is very comforting to babies) and the pacifier might keep him calm.

Try to trust in yourself. That is very important to bf'ing succes!

[diekatze]

^__^***

Thank you. I will try a pacifier.

[stillplayswithbarbies]

>
>It's just that I can't tell how much he ate from breast
>feeding makes me wonder.

When people say to me "but how can you tell how much she is getting when she breastfeeds?", my answer is this: "she is getting exactly enough".

Trust your breasts, they know what they are doing.

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03