I have a one month old that I have been breastfeeding. Now, my right breast is noticably larger than my left one. I have been having him nurse off of the left breast all the time now and only pump my right one twice a day. I still can't get them close to even. Any suggestions?
2007-01-19 06:38:13 · 18 answers · asked by Angie G 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
I have the exact same problem as you only it's my left that's bigger. The advice a LC gave me was to start feeding on the smaller side at each feeding and it would even out since the sucking is more vigorous at the beginning and more milk is extracted. It's been 6 months of that and I'm just starting to even out. From what I've heard, it's completely normal and will go away once you've weaned.
2007-01-19 07:03:44 · answer #1 · answered by Mel 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The only way you will get them even is if you allow him to feed off both breast and you need to alternate. The reason for your uneven breast is pumping will never do the same extraction as your baby will. If you think about it, when you pump the actual pump pulls more from your breast rather than your nipple & breast. Your baby when he/she nurses cups his/her mouth over your breast squeezing your breast and sucking your nipple. Along with that your baby will stimulate you sending signals to your brain telling you to produce more milk. Something a breast pump cannot do as well as your baby can. Why don't you try to atternate with pumping. I would also say to pump more often! Right now your building your milk supply. The more you pump, the more you should produce. Take turns, feed on your right pump on your left and than switch. If your baby favores a breast, its going to take patients, but he/she will eventually take to the unfavorted breast. There might be days or periods during the day where he/she will fuse over the unfavored breast more than others and its usually when he/she will be tired. Breastfeeding is work! for you and your baby, hence the fusing. If breastfeeding is someing you really want to do than stick with it. It might be 2 or 3months into breastfeeding before it becomes second nature. Every baby is different and everyone mom is different. There isn't a right answer or a right way to do things! It's what works for you and your baby! OH!! and when your finished with breastfeeding completely make sure both breast full! because you will end up with uneven breast forever!! which is normal anyway LoL
2007-01-19 06:56:47 · answer #2 · answered by josette g 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because your baby is 4 weeks old::::
At 6 weeks and again at 9 weeks old a baby takes more ounces. So you may get mildly engorged again. And I have a fear if your not letting the baby nurse both breast evenly it will not produce milk later and you will stay uneven. While nursing you let out hormones that increases milk. The suckling increases such hormones. A breast pump is great but not the same thing.
I would suggest you feed on each breast the same amount of time at each feeding. Then when the baby is done you can pump for 5 minutes more on the lower breast.
On your next visit you can ask your doctor to see if you have something wrong. But i really do not think you do have a milk duct block. ( No pain)
good luck
2007-01-19 06:54:55 · answer #3 · answered by charontheloose 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't have any suggestions...I just wanted to make a comment. I had a similar problem when my right breast got infected while breastfeeding my second baby, my left breast got huge. I tried lots of stuff Like only nursing on the right side most of the time, but nothing seemed to help. I thought when I stopped nursing her it would go back to normal but it really didn't. Now after another pregnancy and almost 6 months of breastfeeding my third baby things have evened up a little more, but I still feel slightly loopsided. Sorry I couldn't help, but I hope you figure it out.
2007-01-19 06:50:49 · answer #4 · answered by mommyem 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Better to have baby nurse on one side, then nurse on the other side for the next feeding. Sounds like since you're pumping on only the right side, you're not pumping out the same amount as the baby is eating on the left. If you have to pump, alternate breasts and as long as you don't have any pain, the breasts will go back to "normal" when you wean.
2007-01-19 06:50:08 · answer #5 · answered by chnchita 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
A 1 month old baby eat around 10 times a day. If you only feed him on your left breast and pump the right one only twice a day of course it will stay bigger...(why would you do that anyway?) The best thing to do is to alternate breasts at any "meal"...
2007-01-19 06:47:13 · answer #6 · answered by Annamaria Mahmoud 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I had the same problem, only it was my left that was larger. Once I weaned my older daughter when she was three, it went back to normal. Same thing happened with my second daughter. I weaned her at 2 years 8 months and again it is pretty close to being like the other side. You have to remember, that they aren't ever the exact same size, we are all a little lopsided even if you don't nurse. It should go back to normal with weaning though.
2007-01-19 06:57:52 · answer #7 · answered by Debbi S 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do not let him get comfortable only feeding off of one breast you should be switching back and forth, keeps them even. Unless you like uneven breasts? :) You can not tell how much he gets as you can from pumping or maybe start pumping more? He is getting more milk then you think.
2007-01-19 06:51:02 · answer #8 · answered by Shelli Belle 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's normal. Most woman already have one breast that's larger then the other. With them swollen with milk, it's more noticable now. Just keep switching which side your nurse and pump on, not just pump from one side only and nurse from one side only.
If you tighten up the bra strap on the smaller breast, it makes it less noticable too.
2007-01-19 06:46:19 · answer #9 · answered by sassydontpm 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Your problem is not uncommon. There's no harm in it unless you are uncomfortable with how it feels or how your breasts look. There are several possible reasons for this (different number of milk ducts on one side, flat or inverted nipple) and different things to try (always nurse on the left side first). For more ideas, see:
http://www.breastfeeding123.com/what-do-i-do-when-one-side-produces-more-mom-to-mom-3/
Good luck!
2007-01-19 13:51:09 · answer #10 · answered by twocatmommy 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋