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Has this happened to anyone else....my left boob just seems the same as it was pre-pregnancy, I don't get a let down and it doesn't get that full feeling that the right does. DS2 sucks on it for a little bit then pulls off as if there is nothing there so I put him on the right and he feeds away quite happily. What could have happened? This has only just happened in the last week or so. Thank you.
I am no help at all, but just wanted to say the same thing happened to me. I think DS2 was around the 10month mark or so, had been happily feeding off both and then all of a sudden one didn't seem to get full like the other if a feed was missed. He would have a quick suck and then just go to the other one. I tried hand expressing, expressing with a pump, putting him on that side first and nope it just didn't want to co operate. My main concern was them being different sizes, but it hasn't made any difference, they are both small and saggy :)
Erin_25 - thanks for your reply, can I ask, how long did you keep breastfeeding for - I guess I am concerned that this will happen soon in the other boob too and our breastfeeding days will be over. Thanks :)
Was your DS2 satisfied with just feeding off the one boob, I guess did he get enough milk from just one?
My left side was my super boob, DS didn't like the right side as much, always fussed and fed mostly from the left side. I never felt let down on either side and never really ever felt full. DS was exclusively fed until about 5 and 1/2 mnths before we introduced solids and was a really budda baby :D I fed him until he was 2 and 3/4 before I weaned him (he was night feeding only at that stage and I had had enough by then :redface: )
So as long as you keep feeding DS (which I am sure you are :D ) that you will keep producing milk. I did find when DS when through developmental leaps (both physical and mental leaps) or was sick and would feed more often that he would feed from both sides and seemed to increase the supply in both sides, I could see how when he would demand more I seemed to produce more even if it took a day or 2 to catch up.
Could you be getting your period, or be pregnant? This can affect milk production, or the way bub reacts to your milk. If it is only a recent thing, i would keep encouraging bub to feed on both sides and you might find that it picks up again.
I have what I call main and desert. One has always been a lot better. I have breast feed all the kids til at least 18 months. :) try not to stress your body is very clever it will be fine.
My leftie was always my slackest producer too. It's very common for women to have one bb that produces more than the other and it is usually the RHS. One theory is that right handed women hold their babies better with that hand and the baby drinks better, meaning the demand on that side leads to better supply. But it's just a theory.
I bf my DD for four years, so leftie never held us back! I used to start on the LHS, then switch to RHS and then football hold on LHS to get her to take more, but in my case it was more because I was so prone to mastitis that I didn't want to overproduce on RHS or not drain the LHS. You could happily bf from just one breast without any trouble, so whatever works for you. Your baby will still get plenty of milk.
Another here who only fed from the LHS towards the end. For both my kids. From about 8 months on. Nat fed til 11 months and Phoeb til 14 months. They didn't wean because I'd run out of milk.
Don't stress - the worst that happens is you are different sizes :)
Another option is that you have the cause and effect the other way around. Is there something that is making DS uncomfy to feed on that side (e.g. ear infection or sore shoulder or just that the view out the window is better from the other one)? In which case he would feed less from that side and in response it would slow down production.
You could try just moving him across from his favourite side, rather than turning him around, and see if that helps.
Kmn that's fantastic advice, wish knew how to give rep points on my phone. Clap clap
No no prop with him weaning, he went on to feed regularly past 12months and at almost 2 still likes the occasional taste test.
DS has fed exclusively off the right since about 8 mo and he's nearly two and still feeding, so a dodgy side needn't hold you back. Kmn's advice is well worth some consideration though before giving up on it!
thanks ladies for all your help. He does seem to be getting enough milk and I do keep putting him on the left to see if he will stimulate it again to make milk. Will keep perservering. Definitely not pregnant :)
This happened to me... turned out it was an abcess blocking the milk from coming out of the ducts O.o. Do you have any signs of mastitis?
Maruschke - no signs at all of mastitis x
Awesome!