Feeding on One Side vs. Both

[agomalley]

Hi,
My DS, Ryan, is six months old. I have been feeding him on both sides up until now. He has become increasingly more and more distracted and a lot of times will only take 5-8 minutes on each side. This didn't worry me much until we went to our 6 month appointment last week and I found out that he only gained 1 pound and 1/4 inch since his 4 month appointment. He dropped from around the 70th percentile to the 25th. The doctor isn't worried, but I'm a bit concerned. We just started solids this week, so I really want to make sure that he's not losing any of the benefits from the breastmilk. I thought maybe I should go to feeding him on one side so that he has a better chance of getting the hindmilk. I'm pretty sure he's not getting it now since he's on for such a short time. If I do go to one sided feeding, will it affect my supply on the alternate breast? Also, what about pumping? Do I pump from the breast he just ate from or the opposite one? Any advice from you "one-side-mommies" would be appreciated. Thanks :)

Anabelle and Ryan 4/9/03

[momma_boo]

When DD was about 4 months old, she decided to drink only from one side for about 10 minutes and would have an occassional marathon session of 15-20 minutes on each side. She has not gone down in her percentiles, so I would assume that she's getting enough this way and atributed the shorter nursing sessions to the fact that she was getting more proficient at sucking.

In terms of when to pump, you have to judge based on how engorged you are. When DD first started to drink only one side, the other side would be pretty engorged and I had to pump to feel better. Eventually, they did adjust. On a normal work morning, I will pump one side and then feed DD on the unpumped side. Even if she decides to have a longer feeding session, it's ok to switch her to the previously pumped side b/c there is always more milk for them!

[peanut4us]

I don't know that what we do is necessarily a "good" way to do it, but it works for us. And FWIW Sara only gained 7 ounces in the last 5 weeks!

She used to be a one-side only girl. Then at around 5monhts she was a 2-side girl (more, please *sound of lips smacking!*). Then at 6 months she became REALLY distracted. Now she eats usually on one side and a couple of gulps on the other, or not at all. Sometimes she wakes in the morning and doesn't eat "well" until almost noon. But when she's hungry, she downs both sides. I guess my point is that she's kind of like me. Sometimes I'm hungry in the morning, sometimes not. Sometimes I'd rather not eat, even when i should be hungry, because I'm in the middle of doing somethng more interesting. I am trying to just not stress about it.

I do try to make an effort to be in a quiet, low-lit place when I nurse. Sometimes it helps, sometimes not.

How's that for advice :)

[Karenn]

Hi,
I know nothing about one sided nursing- we always did both. However, I did want to let you know that I had the same experience in terms of growth. From the beginning, Colin was a big boy. Then, around six months, he suddenly dropped in height/weight percentile. Like yours, my doctor was not worried. I, of course, was worried that Colin wasn't getting enough to eat. After several more months of watching him nurse well, put away all sort of high calorie food and still stay around the 10-25th percentile I finally began to realize that he was just a little guy. We're at 16 months now, and he's still on the small side even though he can eat like a horse! I think that six months was just sort of his "reorganizational period." :)

I know that's not what you asked, but I thought it might help ease some of your concern to know that someone else had been there. Good luck!