breast feeding help

[Tick-Tock]

Evie is 12 days old and is feeding quite well except that she doesn't feed of my left breast very well. She takes big huge gulps off the right but only little sucks from the left (and it often takes 2 or 3 attempts to latch her on properly). I have noticed that before a feed my right breast is quite firm and obviously full of milk whereas the left one still seems very soft... do you think it isn't producing as much milk as she isn't taking as much (although if I hand express it comes out easily)... should I try expressing off that one to get more to come in... I feel like shes starving as when I feed her from the left it takes ages and then I have to top up with the right (it rarely happens the other way round)

Any advice would be appreciated
J
XX

 

[heles7]

my left side never seems all that full but the milk is there and james doesnt seem to have a preference - we have good and bad feeds no matter which side.

carry on as you are doing and good luck, you're doing great

 

[clarey]

Sounds like you are doing great hun, Eva had an aversion to the left side too, have you tried holding her under your arm in the rugby hold? I used to trick Eva like this when she was being fussy and she latched much better thinking she was on the other boob lol

 

[sarah2807]

My LO struggled from the left for ages...I couldn't get her to latch on at all and had to express that side and give her ebm in a bottle. I then started using nipple sheilds and this helped her latch and i gradualy took the shild away. now we can do both sides.

 

[DebbieM]

These breastfed babies are little buggers aren't they! LOL

Well, Seed and Luke deffo have been!

 

[purple13]

These breastfed babies are little buggers aren't they! LOL

Well, Seed and Luke deffo have been!

you can add connor to that list too!

 

[Tick-Tock]

Just to update you, it seems that the "fullness" I was feeling in my right breast wasn't full with "good milk" as I developed a fever and have come down with mastitis!!!!!! So it looks like the left one was actually the better one. I am on antibiotics and the right breast has "softened" like the left one. Still having latching problems on the left 10% of the time but it's much better. Thanks for all your advice

J
XX

 

[clarey]

Aww poor you, hope you feel better soon, hang in there, it will get easier, the first few weeks are definately the toughest, I would never have got through them without the support of the girls on here but it will all be worth it soon

 

[valentine]

Aw Tick-Tock, I hope you are feeling better soon! It sounds like you are doing everything brilliantly. Keep up the good work.

Valentine Xxx

 

[kalia]

I exclusively express and I know for a fact that my right breast produces far more milk than my left. I express the same amount off each side as I don't want lopsided boobs but I've been doing this for 9 weeks and the right still has plenty more - it has loads left to give when I get to a bottle's worth whereas I am eeking the very last little drops out of the left for ages to get the same amount. I notice lots of people are saying they have a harder time with the left breast Do you think it's something to do with being right handed?