Breastfeeding: significant difference in amount from each breast?

Question

I am breastfeeding with my second child (7 weeks old) and he is thriving, growing, gaining weight etc., but I have started pumping because I am returning to work and have noticed I get a little more than 4 oz from one breast, but only a little over 2 from the other. I don't have any clogged ducts, nothing is painful, we switch sides to start when nursing... everything seems as it should be, but this is weird. I nursed and pumped with my daughter who is two for more than a year and always had pretty much the same from both sides. I've noticed in the mirror I'm starting to look a little lopsided also. Any ideas why this may be happening or how to increase the one side to "match" the other?

Answer 1

I have the same situation. I double nursed the low side for a week and it got better, although they still aren't the same, but now only by an ounce or two. To double nurse, start with the low milk breast, then switch to the other when it's empty, and then when you would be finished, put baby back to the low breast for a few minutes. You can pump while you're nursing the other breast, but I don't find that relaxing. By the way, this is the third baby I've nursed, and I never had this before either. Another point is that sometimes it's not bad to have one low producing breast, I put the baby on there when he just wants to suckle.

Answer 2

Mystic_eye_cda gave excellent advice. I don't know if this is something I read/heard or just something I figured out, but I let my now eight month old daughter nurse for as long as she wants. When she comes off, I offer he my nipple again and if she refuses, I switch to the other side. When she is done with the second breast and is sleeping, I lay her down to sleep. I've read that pumping does not give a good indication on how much milk is produced. Artificial expression of milk does not produce as much milk as what the baby actually nursing does. There were days in the beginning, even now though she's on solids, that she nurses for quite awhile. She probably does use my breast as a pacifier. I don't mind. It beats those artificial plastic or silicone or whatever they're made of things. I'm sure the breasts are much more warm and comforting, especially since she is curled up next to Mommy. (She also wouldn't take a bottle of pumped milk. I would never give formula unless it is medically necessary.) She's eight months old, but will sometimes nurse longer if she hasn't nursed much in a day, she's in a new situation and needs the comfort of both nursing and Mommy, or even has a new solid. Again, I don't mind. Breastfeeding is the best thing I can do for my daughter and just doing so is a beautiful, miraculous experience. As has been said, the baby's sucking helps build supply. When the baby starts to nurse less, the supply goes down. That has been evident with my daughter nursing less now that she is older.

Answer 3

I had the same problem. I would pump about 6 ounces at a time and it was always 4 and 2... and yes, when my boobs were very full, they looked lopsided.

I tried to pump longer on the smaller boob, but it never really evened out. My lactation consultant said it was ok... nothing to worry about.

Even when I began weaning, they were still lopsided. The one breast stopped making milk quicker than the other side.

Answer 4

Same thing is happening to me. My daughter prefers left one over right one.
I try to start her out on the right one (I call it the retarded one) and pump that one more than lefty.
It's not working yet and she's 4 1/2 months old. I just kind of lived with it. It has gotten a little bit better, I'm not lopsided. If I am, I can't tell.

Answer 5

He may prefer one breast over the other and nures more efficiently on it. Try pumping the smaller breast after every feed to encourage more milk. If he's nursing both sides on every feed it will equal out eventually, but you may be lopsided for a few weeks! Good luck!

Answer 6

Pretty normal. You're baby probably favors the side that is producing more. You can try to pump more from the other side or start feedings on that side to increase production, but sometimes it just stays that way. No need to worry, just keep up with the breastfeeding. No other gift compares.

Answer 7

Mine are like that. You can try pumping more from that breast but I haven't been successful in getting anymore production out my slow side. My cousin who is a nurse is the same way, its not unusual. She said her 3 year old told her the other day when she was nursing her 6 month old, "Momma, put sissy on the fast side so we can play!"

Answer 8

I experienced this with my daughter as well. I always tried to start her on the smaller side (when she was really hungry) and then finish her off on the bigger side. Unfortunately her preference was the big side (of course) because she had to work harder on the other side.

Once I stopped nursing eveything went back to normal size, so dont worry about it too much.

Answer 9

i did this with all 3 of my children i never used bottles so i never pumped but my left breast had way more milk than my right. it was gigantic and my right was just huge LOL i tried to feed them more on my right side but nothing ever worked and eventually i just fed from left side. all three of my children were healthy chubby little breastfed babies. i wouldn't worry about it. i bought a couple of push up pads for smaller side because it was noticeable and it did bother me other than that no big deal.

Answer 10

SWitchign sides to start is what tyou shoudl be doing. But do you switch at a certain number of minutes to the other side? Just completely drain teh first side before switchign even if it means only using one per feeding.