Breast Feeding - Council Bluffs,IA

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

At 6 weeks - you should be switching breasts mid-feeding - the whole time/meal should take between 15 and 30 minutes - in my opinion.

GREAT JOB!!!! In pumping after you feed!! What a great way to build up your milk supply!!! Pumping and feeding will increase supply. Keeping your stress level down as well as getting enough sleep is key to having a good milk supply!!!

When I breast fed - there would be times that each breast would "take turns" in having lower supplies - so don't stress over that....it's ALL GOOD!! DO NOT stress over this!!

1 mom found this helpful

Most women produce more on the left side (the literature does not have a concrete reason why- but some conclude better blood supply due to being closer to heart?). At 6 weeks that is more than your baby is eating. Was the pumping after a feed, was it a good feed, even on both sides, duration since last feed/pump, usual place, usual amount, any supplements, etc. I am a nurse and IBCLC, but there are so many variables, that it is hard to say!

One thing you could try if the other suggestions don't work is to pump the right side while you breastfeed on the left side (if you have enough milk on the left side to sate him.) Sometimes you get more from pumping if you are breastfeeding on the other side at the same time you pump.

You might need help since you don't have 4 hands... ha ha! (Don't we all need at least 4 hands when dealing with an infant! :)
D.

I usually only pumped half as much on one side as the other!

my son is 7months and one of my sides has never produced more than about 3oz, it is perfectly normal to have one side produce more.

I had lots of trouble BF'ing in the beginning too and then had a low supply (I also supplemented with formula). But, I was able to go on and BF for a long time. I think you'll be just fine, don't worry about it too much.

If you are concerned, there are vitamins to help with supply, fenugreek. Also talk to your doc if you are concerned. But I think it will all work out.

You want to ensure your production is at it's optimal level? Stop giving bottles to baby so early!! When you pump instead of nurse, you are sending your body signals that the baby doesn't need as much breastmilk and you slow your production. You should only give bottles if you are away from baby longer than 2 hours from birth to 3 months and 4 hours after baby is 3 months. Between 2-3 months, 5-6 months and 8-9 months are the major growth spurts in which their constant cluster feedings will ensure your milk supply (as in supply and demand) will keep up with baby's development and growth needs.

Pumping is a poor substitute to stimulate your body to produce more, it can get MAYBE 25% of what the baby can get. If I were you and was trying to stockpile breastmilk to freeze in knowing I"d be returning to work... I'd pump one side while baby nurses from other side to completion - then switch sides the next feeding.

Totally normal. If you want to increase production on the right side, start nursing sessions with the right side. Typically babies nurse more agressively on the side they start feeding on. Check out kellymom.com for more suggestions. I found the site so helpful when nursing my daughter.

I would nurse one side then the other in one feeding. Also when I would pump(the few times I did) say the baby ended his nursing on the left side when I would go to pump I always got less on the left than the right. My cousin tried the teas they have out and she said they taste nasty but work well.

the only thing that will stimulate milk production is your baby nursing. so be sure that whatever you do, you MUST nurse nurse nurse. pumping might seem like the same thing, but its not, and it wont increase supply, nor can you rely on it to keep your supply going. so always, when you are with your baby, nurse first.

another little caution about pumping, make sure that you massage your breast while pumping it, to get the hindmilk out. a common problem with pumped milk is that the hindmilk doesnt always come out or let down, and you end up with milk that isnt "complete" and it can cause problems like runny stool, gassiness, fussiness, etc. so make sure that you always nurse first, and you can pump between times, or after a nursing session (especially helpful in the morning when your supply should be up).

anyway. contact a local or nearby la leche league. :) they are awesome, and will have mom-experience to share with you!

First, congratulations on sticking with breastfeeding, especially when you had a challenging start! Good for you!

Pumps are never as efficient at removing milk from your breast than babies' mouths - so there may be more in the right side than you can get out with a pump. That said, there are a couple of things that might help. First, when you nurse him, make sure you're alternating boobs - start with the right one time, then the left the next time. When you pump, keep pumping (especially on the right side) for five to ten minutes *after* you've gotten the last milk to come out. This tells your breasts "make more! Baby is hungry!" One breast may also always give you a little more than the other. It can get really easy to be fixated on those "oz" marks when you're pumping, try to just relax and as long as your son is continuing to grow and pee, know that he's getting enough. Keep up the good work!

That's a great output! I only get about 1-2 ounces from each side (on a good day :) My DD is 3 months old and I had to stockpile breastmilk because I had surgery last week and was gone for 23 hours. I never did respond well to the pump, but I was able to stockpile 50 ounces over the course of about 3 weeks. My 2.5 y/o nursed for 2 years, so I think my supply is and has been fine. You can try mother's milk tea but sometimes it gives me a stomachache.

Hi--
I had the same issue. My right side let down much faster than my left side. Also, my midwife said that each breast has a different concentration of essential nutrients, and that the baby will eat more on the side that has the nutrients it needs most (I think one side had more potassium, and the other more sodium, but I'm not totally sure on that one). Anyway, as long as the little one is gaining weight and not hungry all the time you're probably fine.
J.

I definitely had this issue! It hasn't gotten any better, and my DD just turned a year old. I tried starting on the 'empty' side (I heard that helps sometimes) but it didn't make a difference to me. Just wanted to let you know it's normal!! I'm lopsided, but I just double up on the nursing pads on the small side and no one can tell.

This happened to me as well. I also had lots of problems breast-feeding at first. Then I had the same issue with less milk on one side. Our pediatrician said this is normal and suggested I start off each breast-feeding session with the side that wasn't producing as much. I never had "balance"--one side always produced a lot more. I nursed for over 2 years so it wasn't a problem. If you're really concerned, don't hesitate to contact a lactation consultant and/or go to a LaLeche meeting. Hope this helps!

Hey, sounds like you have some good advice. I'll throw mine into the pot:) I went back to work part time when my boys were about three mos. old. Seems like I always produced 1-2 oz. more on one side. I'll also add that a lacation consultant told me once to do 20 mins on the first side while nursing, then as long (up to 20 mins) on the other (early on, both of my boys were always wanted to go at least that long). If you're worried about supply, and baby wants to nurse more, you can try going longer:) I also had a lot of problems early on with my first, and I never cut him off from eating after such a tough beginning (and continued to be paranoid whether he was eating enough for the duration of the 15 mos. I nursed him!). Good luck:)

I was wondering if he actually ate from the right side first. If so he may have drank more from that side than the other. Do you switch side when you start hime off. You know this feeding he starts with the right and next he starts with the left. That will help even it out. Since he drank out of the breasts before you pumped having what you get out of them be different isn't a cause for concern.