Breast refusal on one side...

[OceanPrincess]

Hey ladies

Just wondering if this is normal? DS is 10wks old and today has been refusing to feed off my left breast. He attaches, sucks half heartedly and then pulls off and cries. If I swap to the other side he'll feed happily but won't go back onto the left.

Doesn't matter if I try it first or last, he just doesn't seem to like it. I've tried cradle hold and football... Had marginally more success with football but still not a decent feed.

He did this a few weeks ago but after a day or so he was happy to feed both sides again.

The other thing is he seems quite happy with just the one side - goes to sleep as per usual.

Plenty of output still, every nappy is wet and once or twice a day pooey.

Does this sound ok? Normal?

[MummaSue]

I think that it is normal for them to prefer one side. I hope it is, because DD loves my right way more than my left and I feed off my right I'd say, 80% of the time!! Even when we are lying down, she sometimes doesn't want a bar of the left.

Maybe the flow is too fast for him, or something like that?

I guess as long as he's getting enough - and it sounds like he is from the output etc, then he should be fine. Your right one will make more milk to compensate.

What I find though, is that over time I have started to look a little, lopsided shall we say

Sue xxx

[Kmn]

It may be "normal" or it may be that the view from one side is more interesting, but another possibility is that there is some reason why it is not easy for him to feed from one side - like an earache for example.
To maintain supply and stop blockages you need to express from the unpopular side - and I would get bub checked at the GP as well.

[~MummaBear~]

My DD did this as well I was told to take her to the chiro and it took him 2 mins to tell me that her neck was out and she wasnt feeding from one side because it hurt another 2 mins and it was all fixed!

maybe he might have a sore neck,
good luck with it!

[onthefly]

You could try chiro/physio or an ear check just to rule out any issues related to him. It may just be that he prefers the right side. You can make enough milk for him from one breast, so it's not really a problem.
Sometimes they get frustrated with the 'slow' side - it's more often the left for some reason. Have you tried triggering letdown before attaching? might reduce his frustration if it's a bit slower.

[OceanPrincess]

Thanks for the replies ladies. We've been to the baby osteo twice and she has cleared him so I'm confident it's not a neck issue.

Could be an ear ache, I'll definitely keep an eye on that.

Had more success feeding on that side just before he went down, had a good feed on both sides.

I'm thinking the slow let down could be a trigger... Do I express a bit before feeding to encourage the let down faster??

Oh and Sue - lol I am already starting to get a bit lopsided!!!

[Janie]

If that's what you think darl, then you're probably right . You may find that expressing a bit before he attaches, as you mentioned, will help. Possibly the flow is a bit slower on that side, so on his fussier days he's not happy with that? It's pretty common for babies to prefer one side over another, so you're not alone there

Maybe have a chat to your GL at your next meeting, just to run over the possibilities?

[OceanPrincess]

Maybe have a chat to your GL at your next meeting, just to run over the possibilities?

Good suggestion Janie... We've got a meeting on Monday, will ask then.