Breastfeeding help! Why does my baby prefer one breast over the other? What do I do?

Question

My daughter is 6 days old. She is my first baby, so needless to say, I am very new at this. She is latching on very well. It's just that it's a serious battle to get her to feed from my right breast. She takes to my left with no problem. I don't understand why. Can I feed with one breast and pump the other? I mean, I fought with her for half an hour to feed from my right breast today and she would only feed for a minute before I had to fight to get her back on again. I am staying calm and talking softly to her while trying to get her on, so I am not giving any negative energy or anything like that. I am very patient with her, I just can't see myself doing this every single day. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

Answer 1

One breast may be easier to get milk out of than the other. i suggest you keep being the mommy you are and encourage her to breastfeed from both (the more she knows she needs to drink from both, the easier it will be for you), bcuz you dont want one breast feeling ok, while the other very enlarged and sore. DONT FRET new mama, just do what you do & soon both of you will be on the same track!

good luck

Answer 2

It could be that the milk comes out quicker from your left and she is impatient and wants the milk right away. What you can do is try to hand express your milk or pump it until your milk lets down and then put her on the Breast and when she first sucks she will get milk right away. Once when she starts to drink from it on a regular basis then try to get her to let down the milk and she will realize that the right breast is not that bad. Also always offer that breast first so you can keep the milk supply up in that breast.  Also try to feed her before she gets to be really hungry once when you see her rooting around for milk, like sucking on her hands or fist and moving her mouth all around on them then you know she is hungry and want to start your feeding process. Either pump and get the let down or put her to the breast and she may be more then willing to try and get the milk out herself.  

Answer 3

This happens a lot. Nursing moms complain about being lopsided.  

You could try different positioning for yourself of her. Try lying her on a pillow to your right side while she lies on her right side.  That will have her in the same position that she is on when she nurses from your left breast.  Have you tried a football hold. She is on her back with the back of her head on your hand and you bring her to the same breast.  Her body is under your arm.  It is easier if she is also lying on a pillow.

How does she do if you are lying down when you nurse?  

You can also contact LaLeche League for advice.

I am an RN.

Answer 4

My bubs did this for a while also. Keep persisting with it. Maybe try feeding your baby so that it is lying in the position it would be if latching to your left breast and slide her over to the right so her body is under your right arm and her mouth is at your right breast. This can be awkward! Use a pillow to position the baby on. It might be that your bubs just likes lying on her left side to feed. She may find it easier on that angle or something. Try it and see how it goes. good luck and hang in there. It gets alot easier and breast feeding is definatly worth it.

Answer 5

i had the same problem. Always offer the problem breast first, even if she only latches for a minute before swapping to the other one. My midwife told me to keep forcing bub on the problem breast 3 times before swapping but to make sure bub fed off it first before swapping. my son is now a month old and has no problems feeding, he is a greedy guts

Answer 6

I had the exact same problem!!

She was brilliant at latching on...even in the hospital she did both just fine..

Then when i got home, she didnt seem to want to feed off my right...I finally figured out it wasnt her..it was me. I preferred the left so i held her in a better position when feeding from the left...and must of been holding her differently in a position she wasnt comfortable in.

Make sure you are not doing the same.. make sure she is comfortable and everything. If thats not the problem then you will have to be persistant and just keep trying her on it. She WILL learn eventually....I know b.f is hard but it is definately worth it in the end.

Promise :)

Your doing great!! keep it up hon x x

Answer 7

A lactation consultant told me that all babies have a favorite breast.  Almost all of them do eventually latch on to both b*****s, but it is sometimes a long process.  It's great your are staying calm; that will help both of you.  If she really just won't latch to the right, then you may need to pump just to avoid painful engorgement.  

It sometimes takes a few weeks for baby to really catch on.  Maybe it's harder to stay latched to the right because of the shape.   Do what you have to do, pump if you need to, and keep trying. If you have a lactation consultant locally, call her, or call Le Leche League.

It really does get easier; soon you'll forget all about the difficulty and just be able to enjoy breastfeeding.