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I am so frustrated! DS refuses my left boob. It's not positional because he lays that way fine with a dummy, and bottle. I have also tried the football hold to no avail. It drives me mad. My left boob is my weaker supply boob but he screams as soon as my nipple touches his lip without even giving it a chance. What do I do? What could it be?
Contrariness? Sorry hun I'm not much help, my DS did something quite similar with my right boob not long ago. I wound up feeding him on that side mainly first thing after a sleep when he was hungry enough not to realise what side he was sucking on until milk was coming out. I also would try hand expressing a teeny bit so the nipple has milk residue on it and is already ready to go as soon as he starts sucking.
It does pass eventually.
Some babies just always prefer one side. It's annoying hey?
My DD1 always preferred the right side (and at age 3, still does :rofl:) and so does my DD2!!!! My left nipple is a flat/inverted nipple (been told its both, been told it's either, i'm confused) I can kinda understand why and it has less quantity and slower milk flow.....
To this day, I only feed DD2 with my right side and it carries her supply she needs and has done since she was 3mths old when I gave up on the left side. Now and then I offer the left side to her as it does still have milk in it and she will have a bit but not for long..... goes back to her good side again. DD1 who is 3yrs now and then still feeds but I say she can only have the left side and she's happy with this, better that than none right? :lol:
It may be that baby doesn't like the shape of the nipple if it's different to the other one, or milk flow is slower/faster or the position when they are lying that way isn't comfortable. I always found feeding lying down helped on that 'fussy' side like you have been doing but I know it's not practical when you're out at the shops to lie down on the seat and start breastfeeding LOL.
You'll get there I promise ;) and you can always feed with one!!!
Yeah sometimes he'll feed laying down. As for feeding with one that's ambitious considering I'm having issues feeding with 2!
BAL, you will get there with lots of persistence, I promise you. I had horrific start to BF with DD1 and it took me 4-5mths to establish a proper supply and wean her off the formula top ups as well. And it feels AWESOME when you finally get to where you want to be. Hang in there. It sucks BF isn't natural for everyone. :hug: you aren't alone.
Not much help but dd2 did this with my slow lefty as she got older and in the end she was feeding about 80% from the right and occassionally finishing a bit on the left. She did fine on one breast but I felt rather lopsided for a few months. I know you are worried about supply so maybe it might be worth speaking to a LC about ideas to get him to attatch to the left.
Has he had any blood taken from the lower arm when he feeds on that side? Is something making him uncomfertable?
Could you pump a little first to get let down happening then put him on?
Sorry I might be way off base just a couple of ideas and yes it is very frustrating!
Can you give him some of the right side, then some left, and then back to the right again - so he's not really really hungry when he has to deal with a lower supply?
The pre-expressing is also worth a try, as is lying down.
I don't think it's the issue of the lower supply. I have tried switching, starting on both sides and alternating and I'm sure it's not positional because he lays that side fine with the dummy.. Sometimes I tease him with the dummy then put my breast in and he gets cranky! It's like my nipple tastes funny! It shouldn't taste any different to the other one!
Shanti, that's really inspiring to know that you had such a rough start and are still feeding at 3. I loved how she had weaned them got back on the breast after DD2 was born!! (I think I remember correctly?) I hope to feed DS for years to come yet too!!