milk production slowing on one side?

[Tuesday's Child]

The last few days I have noticed that my left side isn't producing as much milk as it used to. I had issues with oversupply early on but that settled down by around 3 months and occurred in both bbs. The left side has always been the easier/more comfortable side to feed on. It has also been the side prone to blockages...but that hasn't been an issue for a couple of weeks now.

DD has been sleeping since 9pm (woohoo! first 9 hour sleep). I woke at 5am needing to express from my right side. My left is still very soft but feels fuller than it has for days. I've been letting her feed from that side first and letting her comfort suck on that side when she needs to, but haven't noticed any results yet.

Thoughts, comments, experiences are greatly appreciated.

[*EJ*]

I noticed that my right breast seemed to slow towards the end of feeding DS1. It was further down the track than you are experiencing though but it never proved to be in issue for us. I'd suspect that it's your body adujusting to your LO sleeping longer

Once i realised i fed from that side first each feed and we were fine. I'm pretty sure once this happed though the amount he was getting wasn't so much an issue as he was well and turely on solids.

I am no expert and there may be some better advice out there for you but i'd continue to feed first from the lesser side to try and encourage the production.

And for what it's worth feeding DS2 i have never had this issue But he's still having 4 a day at almost 14 months old

[STARRYSKY]

I had this problem with my right side from about 3-4 months, that side is also my smaller breast, also the one DS doesnt seem to like!
my left hand side is about a cup size bigger and let down happens much easier and quicker, definately the one that DS prefers.
I just did what you are doing, started putting him on that breast first and the comfort sucking during the night on that breast, TBH, I still dont think that breast has as much as DS will get on, get a letdown after 1-2 mins of sucking, feed for 3 mins then want the other one, where he will camp for aaages, if I let him.
But we are still feeding now, it sjust been over 18 months for us! Good luck!

[studymum]

I worked out with DD1 that it was a pattern thing, she was having 6 feeds a day, all at the same time each day but taking different volumes. Turns out the larger feeds were all from one side and the smaller on the other and my supply adjusted accordingly leaving me with one slightly bigger b00bie

[Sammiejane]

Same hapened to me when MJ was around 6 months - also there was a considerable size difference when looking at my boobies too
by about 12 months she would have a very small feed from the right sixe and then the rest from the left.
By about 16-18 months she stopped feeding from the left side entirely. we continued to feed until she was a week shy of her 2nd birthday (she stopped not me)
I think that it is normal and certianly didnt seem to affect MJ in the slightest.

HTH

[Sagres]

I have developed one side that is really sluggish in producing milk. I have heard of other people having this and even to the extent of feeding from one side only (because one side just gave up) so I know it isn't abnormal or a real issue. If I try to express from the dud side (the left) I get diddly squat. I get DD to feed from that side first all the time but it hasn't achieved anything.

[Tuesday's Child]

Thanks all for your replies. Now that I think about it, that side has always been a little slower, but its only been since the oversupply has settled that its become noticeable.

It's reassuring to know that it isn't out of the range of normal. I just didn't want it to be the beginning of the end IYKWIM. My aim was to breastfeed for at least 6 months and now that we're almost there, I'm not ready to give it up. DD doesn't seem to be bothered by it so I guess its all good.