New to Breastfeeding: Have Questions! Please Help!

I have two kids who I breastfed; to answer your questions:
1) The two breasts are probably just different. I think if you continue to switch sides (pin a safety pin on the side of your bra that the baby will start the nursing session on and switch the pin after each session) it'll even out. I usually put the baby on "side 1" for about 20-30 minutes, then switched it up to "side 2" when "side 1" seemed drained.
2) springing a leak is 100% normal; the first time my husband and I were "intimate" after baby #1 was born it was like a pair of milk-filled fire hoses were at loose in the bedroom!
3) my babies did this when they kind of lost their way on the breast. They were trying to find their way to a comfortable nursing position and a good latch. You could try a couple different holds with the baby to see which works, and do you have a nursing pillow? My Boppy helped the baby be at exactly the right spot for effective latching.
Relax! And enjoy this time together with your new baby.

1. Well most woman have one breast larger than the other anyways so once milk comes in it just makes it more notice able. I have very small breast so they look the same size but with both my kids when I fist get milk coming in...like the first month or two I usually can see that one breast is larger than the other. But your breast will settle and not be so full and that will help. You can also try to nurse your baby a little longer on the other breast so that the larger breast will get smaller and the smaller breast will get larger, then they will even out more.
2. Haha yes the milk spray is totally normal and just means you go a lot of milk which is good. I remember that happening often with me.
3. Some babies just get really hungry and it does take a min. for your milk to let down so he might just be getting impatient. But if he keeps doing it through the whole feeding then he might not have a good latch to begin with. So you could try to pull him off and start again....making sure his mouth is open really wide so he gets a good latch on your breast.
But congrats on your new baby and for breastfeeding. It is such a wonderful thing.

It's okay if one is larger than the other. Your breasts still have to adjust to his nursing demands and one side he may be nursing from more which would explain why one breast is larger. I wouldn't worry about that.

Springing a leak...this is entirely normal. My breasts often sprayed like that with engorgement. It will eventually stop doing that. Just keep a little cloth nearby to catch the spray.

He could be having trouble nursing on the side he is pulling on. For a 3 week old to be doing that, I hardly doubt at this age he is distracted. Are you certain his latch is correct? By any chance, the breast he pulls on, is it the one that is smaller? For good measure, I would suggest you contact Le Leche League in your area or contact a certified lactation specialist. IF breastfeeding your baby is very important to you, it's crucial at this time to get help before your milk supply is affected.

Another idea that comes to mind, is he pulling on the breast that is larger? Could it be engorged? Sometimes the baby has trouble latching onto an engorged breast. IF this is the case, you may need to express just a little milk to soften your breast slightly before latching him on. Again, a lactation specialist would be best for you to contact so that she can watch how he latches on and see if it is indeed a correct latch.

All of these are normal. The biggest thing I tell my clients and friends is to remember that breastfeeding is hard! You are doing the best thing by asking for help and advise. It's amazing what a little support can do to get you through any challenge.

Breast size being different on each side is normal whether you are nursing or not. Many women don't notice as it is subtle. But if you are significantly larger on one side, it may be a milk supply issue. The side that is engorged is providing more milk and will eventually normalize. Nothing to worry about!

Spraying is totally normal. When you let down sometimes it just goes with extra flow and pressure. Little ones will sometimes make choking or gagging sounds. If this is the case, simply unlatch and let the milk spray into a cloth until it stops and then relatch. Others will simply gulp and drink happily. Just watch for cues from your baby to see what is the most helpful.

Babies will move and squirm. Many times it's because they are hungry and trying to get more milk, maybe struggling to drink with too much flowing at once, or a position that isn't quite working for them. Try other positions. If you are really engorged and have the opportunity, try pumping for a couple minutes to relieve the pressure and slow down the letdown for your baby. If he is congested, he may be struggling to get a clear breath too. So make sure the nose is clear of breast tissue or if it is against the breast, it should be flattened down the middle so the nostrils flare out to the sides allowing for clear breathing.

If you need assistance, your local LLL can offer help too!

All normal.

Breasts are not naturally symmetrical anyway, but after pregnancy the change can become more pronounced.

Baby will ALWAYS have a preferred breast, so pump often from the other one while he's nursing on one side. Save up and freeze as much as you can now, because by month 4-5, your ability to pump will diminish, tho your milk supply will be more than it is now.

Don't forget to try different holds and encourage a strong and pain-free latch!

1. yes , NORMAL : he may favor the right so he eats better on that one
2. Yes, NORMAL I would spring a leak as soon and my kids would cry, it happens. wear pads so your clothes are not wet.
3.He is learning just like you, it will take time. Seek a lactation consultant in your area to evaluate things, so if the latch is bad they can correct that while they can, and before you are getting hurt. Remember breastfeeding should not be painful. Obviously if he bites, pitches etc that will hurt but the act of the feeding part should not.

Also check to make sure his one nostril is not pluged. he might freek out on that side only because he cannot breath or just being picky again not comfy

1) I'm sure the irregular sizes are normal, one may be just producing better than the other, and its no big deal, nothing to worry about.

2) Squirting: totally normal, expect that to happen whenever you're full.
If you are commonly too full, then pump.

3) Those movements sound totally normal for a newborn, they just don't have much control over their body and as he uses his face muscles to suckle, it may just cause the rest of the head to go crazy

Don't worry, all the things you are describing are normal! Sometimes one breast is bigger just naturally, even when you are not breastfeeding. Or it may be that that breast is not being fed from often enough or long enough, but it is not cause for alarm, just let him feed from that side for longer periods of time. Milk will often leak out of lactating breasts, and it can and does come out in a stream! Squirting the baby in the face once in awhile will not hurt him, and he may occasionally have to cough and take a breath if he is nursing when let down (which is the same as squirting milk) occurs, once again, this is normal and nothing to worry about. Babies can be very wiggly when they nurse, and it gets worse when they get older and want to play and nurse at the same time! My son often pulls on his ear while he nurses or tries to hold onto a toy while he nurses. The banging head thing has happened to me too when my daughter was a baby. You just have to laugh sometimes because babies are such funny little people! He may be incidicating that he is uncomfortable and wants to change positions, so you can try that. But he is most likely just wiggling for the sake of wiggling. Best of luck to you, I have breastfed 3 children and survived, it is an experience that you will miss someday!

My right is noticably larger then my left- that is the side I prodominately feed him on, even tho I try to switch evenly. The spraying is perfectly normal- your glands are full and start self milking (I usually put a pad over one breast while nursing on the other. He is trying to get your milk to come down when he bobs and pulls. again...normal! ;)

I am a Mom of 5 and breastfed them all! This sounds pretty "normal" to me. If you can call anything about being a breastfeeding Mom "normal".
-I would think that as long as you are switching sides you should be fine.

-The spraying is your milk letting down and this is a good thing. I would just press gently on your breast with your forearm until the milk stops leaking.

-His "head banging" as you put it seems like his natural reflex. He knows what he is doing.

I am sure you will get a lot of advice. Just remember do what is right for you and your new baby. You are doing a great job! Good Luck! and Congrats on the new Baby Boy!

It looks like you already have a lot of good advice. I would also suggest checking out "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding." It is a great resource that can probably answer lots of questions that may come up.

Also, not sure if this is available where you are, but the hospital where we gave birth has free lactation consultants that are available throughout your breastfeeding experience. You can set up appointments with them or even drop right in to talk to someone, have them help you, etc. It's a great resource. :o)

Good luck! Breastfeeding is wonderful for you and your baby and is an amazing opportunity to bond.

S.,

These are all normal things. My little guy likes to stick his hand up in the air and when he is done he puts it down. For me my right side has always produced more milk leading it to be larger. If these are your only questions then you are doing a GREAT job with breastfeeding.

Good luck and I wish you the very best with breastfeeding. I hope you enjoy your special bond that will get to build with your little guy.

1) That happens. My right breast makes WAY more milk than my left. It doesn't really matter what I do - it's just how it is.
2) Also normal and GOOD - it means you are making enough milk for pressure to build up between feedings! Yay YOU! You can express a little to relieve pressuer if it becomes a problem for your baby.
3) For mine, this has always meant they weren't actually latched on.

I nursed three and will soon be nursing a fourth.
1. My left was always larger and a better producer. I felt that it was because I was more comfortable nursing on that side and would get a better latch or just preffered it myself because I'm right handed. It's much easier to control the baby in the beginning with your dominant hand and I think that can often set the tone for the rest of your time nursing.
2.Spraying normal.
3.I had one baby that would get very uncomfortable either because he needed to be burped or was perhaps working something through his tummy. I would usually take him off and try to burp him or switch sides to see if he was frustrated at a slow milk flow from an almost empty breast.

1) normal :) start him off of the left breast a more. They will eventurally even out.

2) totally normal!!

3) also normal! he's just learning to suck, latch better. Also trying to get his head or body in a more comfortable position, feeling the new experience in the muscles. Mine would bite and pull... ouch! so I held their heads close so they couldn't do it too band, or removed them for nursing to help them stop.

The breast size difference is normal, as long as you dont start feeling pain from the left side. The whole time i breastfed my left was larger than my right and always had more milk.

I used to spray my baby too, you could have an over active let down, you can help by pumping for a few minutes before you feed him to let the 'presure' go.

babies will do different things while feeding...one of the girls in my support groups little one would stand almost upside down in her lap while eating...weird I know. You might want to get a nursing necklace and see if he will eventually start playing with it.

You are doing great momma!! keep it up!!!!

You're doing great it sounds like!

WIth my oldest, my right breast was bigger had seemed to have more milk. This time it's my left. Completely normal, though;)

For the first 5-6 months (especially when nursing my YDS) I would frequently spring leaks. Heck, he's still nursing at 13 months and I will occasionally still leak. Even my DH has gotten breastmilk in the face;p Again, completely normal.

Is he acting uncomfortable while nursing, or just happily being a wiggly baby? If he's happy, I'd say it's normal. But if he seems to be wiggly due to discomfort (also being fussy while doing it) then mention it to your dr, or find a lactation conusltant. That said, from what you said it sounds normal. I agree with getting a nursing necklace. My favorites are Mommy Necklaces (www.mommynecklaces.com)! Soooooo pretty, and tough! They are on a winter break now, though, so they're not taking orders til Jan 1, I believe.

Tons of great advice here! I would agree with absolutely everything everyone has said, I just wanted to add one thing...my little girl was acting crazy when she would nurse sometimes, and she would cry and get all crazy..turns out, I was overproducing milk and she was having a hard time drinking it because it was coming out too quickly! I ended up just pumping a little bit out of each breast before nursing, and the problem was solved!

1 - most of us have one boob that produces more than the other. I only feed on one side at each feeding (except for the last of the night), so am probably even more lopsided than you! :) Just make sure you start on the opposite each time, and as your body gets used to nursing, you will even out more.

2 - SOOOO normal. Whenever my daughter unlatches to smile at me or talk I either spray her in the ear, up the nose or across the room. I actually think this is quite funny. :)

3 - Don't you love it when they are latched and turn to look at something and take you with them! OUCH! When my kids were that little, I tried to limit their headmovement when they started that. My 7mo is too quick sometimes, but I try to unlatch before she gets too far. Also, totally normal.

Congrats on breastfeeding, you are doing great!

1) more than likely there is more milk in the left have him feed on that one longer
2) normal... just have a nursing pad near
3) maybe he doesn't have a good latch and is trying to get more comfortable, just take him off and get a better latch.

Your left breast sounds like it is producing more milk than the right. This is probably because he is feeding more on this side. My third child had a 'favorite' breast and though she nursed on the other side, she was more comfortable on her favorite side. I dealt with it by making sure that she nurse equally on either side but it was still clear to me that one made more than the other.

Totally normal that your left breast sprung a leak. I remember with my second child, it squirting into his month without him having to suckle. If you get nursing pads to put in your bras, you won't have a leak when you don't want to.

For the third queston, it sounds like he is just trying to get a good latch or the milk is not coming fast enough for him. He will calm down as he becomes more profienct.

Good luck and enjoy!