What to Do When Baby Prefers One Breast

When your baby prefers to nurse on ane side

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By Andrea Tran RN, BSN, MA, IBCLC

Information technology can be frustrating if your baby shows a preference for one breast over the other. It is standard breastfeeding advice to offering both breasts and alternating which side y'all showtime a feeding with. However, some babies are not on board with that plan. I'll explain why it might be happening and what you can do about it.

Is it common for a baby to adopt one side?

This is not an surface area that has been extensively studied. Researchers in Kingdom of saudi arabia did look at the occurrence and found that of 480 moms approximately 26% reported their babies exhibited breast preference.

Why do babies show breast preference?

In that location are a variety of reasons chest preference may occur.

• Greater milk supply on one side. This is common. I study reported mothers who were exclusively pumping documented an equal volume pumped from both breasts less than 3% of the fourth dimension.
• Differences in nipple size or shape
• Breast preference in the early days of nursing may be due to bruising of an infant's head. If this is the case the preference will probably be short-lived.
• Infants with torticollis, or a "stiff neck", may be more comfy laying on one side over the other.
• A child with an ear infection may fuss or cry if positioned with that ear down.
• A female parent may be more comfortable holding her child on one side over the other due to hand potency.

Is it a problem for me if my infant prefers one side?

If ane breast is producing most of your babe'south milk you may have ane breast that is noticeably larger than the other. Sometimes this leads to problems with clogged ducts. If you don't experience that, your baby'due south breast preference is not a trouble from a wellness perspective. However, if a lopsided appearance bothers yous, y'all can attempt to aid your baby take both sides as.

Related: How to get rid of plugged milk ducts and prevent them from happening

Is in that location annihilation I tin do to help my baby take both breasts equally?

Having success in getting your infant to take both breasts will depend on the reason for the breast preference.

The amount of stimulation a breast gets can touch on how much milk is produced on each side. You could attempt doing some pumping on the not-preferred side after breastfeeding. Breast compressions while nursing can help increase the flow and aid in thoroughly draining the chest.

If breast preference is occurring due to an baby'due south discomfort from a bruised head, torticollis or ear infection using the football hold may make information technology more comfortable for a kid to take the non-preferred breast.

If the reason for the breast preference is unknown a mother could endeavour offering the non-preferred side first at every feeding for a few days to see if that helps her infant get over what is causing the breast preference. Infants may exist less picky when they are hungrier. Mom may desire to pump the other side if it is not getting drained adequately.

Another recommended technique is to latch the baby on the side they like ameliorate and then after a few minutes try gently detaching them and sliding them over to the other breast.

A lactation consultant can assistance you determine the reason for the chest preference and guide you through these techniques.

What should I exercise if my baby refuses to take the other side?

Initially, I would recommend pumping that side. If all the above techniques do not change your babe's mind and your baby is gaining weight at an adequate charge per unit you can accept your infant's preference and wean off the pumping. What is most important is that your baby gets the corporeality of nutrient that he needs to grow properly. If that can happen by feeding on one breast the chest preference does not need to be an issue.

Sources

Al-Abdi S.Y., Al Omran S.A., Ali Al-Aamri Thou.A., Al Nasser M.H., and Al Omran A.M. (2015). Prevalence and Characteristics of Babe'southward Unexplained Chest Preference for Nursing One Breast: A Self-Administered Survey. Breastfeeding Medicine, x:x, 474-480. https://doi.org/10.1089/bfm.2015.0116

Hill, P. D., Aldag, J. C., Zinaman, M., & Chatterton, R. T. (2007). Comparison of Milk Output Betwixt Breasts in Pump-Dependent Mothers. Journal of Human being Lactation, 23(4), 333–337. https://doi.org/10.1177/0890334407307575

Andrea Tran RN, BSN, MA, IBCLC is a freelance writer who has been helping moms and babies breastfeed for over 20-five years. She is married and the mother of three adult children.

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