any other lopsided moms?

[TzippityDoulah]

this is my third nursing experience... and I always have the same issue - my kids all prefer one side to the other. (and frankly i do too b/c I find it a lot more comfortable to feed on that side). so we started out fine. both sides making milk... and a few months later the one side makes less so they refused to nurse it more etc etc... until I'm lopsided.

this is worse than before b/c my 11 month old refuses solids and he only wants to nurse. I can only trick him into nursing on the "bad" side if it's in the middle of the night and usually he only falls for it for a few minutes before realizing he's being duped! so as it stand he does all feedings on one side and if I'm lucky he might get an ounce or two out of the other once a day.

so I'm HUGE on one side and shriveled on the other. I tried to fight it and pump the little side, but it just wouldn't give much. it only wants to make milk if it's properly nursed regularly. the pump just doesn't cut it. so I am like 2 whole sizes bigger on the left than the right (maybe more!) I'm stuffing my bra but it still looks lopsided b/c well frankly a milk filled boob is a lot heavier than anything i can find to stuff in the otherside. I try to wear shirts that don't make it too obvious... but it still is. lol. even my mom makes fun of me (which I try not to be hurt over... but dang it's embarrassing to have someone notice! I don't want my boobs being to topic of conversation, thank you!)

so... anyone else in this boat? and goods bra stuffing ideas?

[Katie T]

I am too and I think it is so bad that even when we are done nursing I will have one bigger side and one smaller side. lol

I know Joanns (yes the fabric store) sell jel filled pads for your bra. They look like they would work great for your issue! Hopefully you can check them out!

http://www.supergelproducts.com/beP00.html

They are like this.

[Megan73]

I was going to suggest the gel "chicken cutlets," too.
I'm a low-supply mama but I think it's due to my slow (and shrivelled) right boob - and that was with making sure I always started with the slow boob and did breast compressions.
Might breast compressions help to keep up your LO's interest in the slow boob? Dr. Jack Newman has a good explanation of how to do them on his site.
When I was nursing full-time, my left was a D+, by right barely a C. It makes you feel soooo attractive, huh?

[averlee]

Before pregnancy, my left breast was always slightly bigger. My daughter has always nursed pretty well on both sides, but now my right breast is the larger, and always makes the most milk. I've found wearing tops with a busy print make it look less obvious. Also, I have one nursing bra with sorta foamy, molded cups- it fits the larger size, and though the smaller breast doesn't get much support, the shape of the cup makes my shirt fit more symmetrically.

[SilverFish]

i have lopsided boobs too. one is an A cup, the other is smaller than that. have you ever looked for a nursing bra in anything smaller than a B? they don't exist. fortunately i haven't noticed a preference for feeding. however, i tend to prefer to feed on the "big" side because the other side also has a sort of wonky nipple that is harder to get a good latch on. i'll try to be more careful though, based on your experience... i don't want any more size difference than there already is!!

[TzippityDoulah]

thanks for letting me know I'm not alone

as for breast compressions... I always do that. but now that he's almost a yr old he's picky and you know how toddler can be - you can' make them do what they don't want to do. and he doesn't want to nurse from the side that only dribbles. I can only trick him when he's a sleep and sometimes not even then. which is why it's gotten worse with age. It would be an issue regardless, but I know it's worse b/c he wont nurse on it. and actually i nursing on that side b/c it's just uncomfortable to my back (I have neck problems) so I'm sure i favour it.

I'm excited to find those inserts though! right now I'm shoving whatever I can in my bra to even it out and it looks so lumpy! it's not that I am ashamed of my situation so much as I don't really want my boobs to be the topic of conversation for ANY reason. and I don't want anyone to think of me as the girl with one big boob LOL they are already quite large to begin with and I've always hated that it was the first thign people notice... but lopsidedness makes it that much more obvious I guess.

anyhow thanks for the advise and support!

[Birdie B.]

I was just coming to start a post about this! My daughter prefers the right side, and my poor left breast has stopped making much milk at all, and is so tiny! It's so embarrassing - I am about to go swimsuit shopping and it's so hard to find a top that will disguise the lopsidedness. But you're not alone - my breasts are very different sizes now, and I'm having a hard time with it!

[jeminijad]

Def get the chicken cutlets. Even Target has them in the lingerie section.

I am a small B on one side and a big C on the other, even when NOT nursing. No fun.

[TzippityDoulah]

Originally Posted by jeminijad

I am a small B on one side and a big C on the other, even when NOT nursing. No fun.

I'm normally lopsided too.... it's just WAY worse when i'm nursing. i'm going to look into those cutlet things next time i go to target!

[pbjmama]

I'm 2-3 cup sizes different, I just don't find it to be that big of a deal! Maybe when I am finished nursing it will bother me more.

[TzippityDoulah]

Originally Posted by pbjmama

I'm 2-3 cup sizes different, I just don't find it to be that big of a deal! Maybe when I am finished nursing it will bother me more.

doesn't the lopsided feeling bother you? one side of my chest feels so heavy and one so light - maybe I'm just very sensitive to that sort of thing, but I feel like I'm leaning to one side LOL

or maybe you meant it doesn't bother you visually? if so, that's great! if it wasn't the first thing people noticed about me it wouldn't bother me either. I'm heavy chested to begin with and I'm modest so drawing attention to my breasts isn't my ideal. nursing is one thing - but having people stare at them trying to see if yes they are lopsided - ugh... not so much. i was known for my big breasts as a teenager - not something I wish to carry into adulthood with me.

[pbjmama]

The feeling doesn't really bother me as long as I am wearing a supportive bra. It does look a little funny if I'm just wearing a bra, like one breast is deflated or something?! As I'm nursing less my breasts are going down in cup size but I've been a G cup and it didn't bother me any more then.

I think maybe you are extra sensitive about it because of the negative attention your got as a teen. That must have been really difficult! And obviously there are plenty of other moms who feel the same way that you do. In my experience people are usually more worried about themselves than looking at me and don't notice the flaws that I find in myself.

[leavemealone]

I am also quite lopsided, but I am only about one cup size different. The right is larger than the left boob. Strangely, before I was ever pregnant or breastfed, it was the opposite but not quite as noticeable. To make a silly joke of it, I refer to them as "boob" and "super boob" b/c super boob is larger and produces more that regular boob. LOL

[madis81]

Mine were bad! And I was so embarrassed when someone noticed. I actually bought some expensive silicone inserts and they helped wonders.

[CalmCenter]

oh, my dd is 3 1/2 months and has slowly stopped nursing my left breast, now it is looking so much smaller. I am not so worried about lopsideness, though guess i will be eventually, but more is she getting enough on just the right??? She has had great weight gain, but that was with some left side too. Anyone have suggestions or reassurances?? Thanks!

[pbjmama]

Originally Posted by CalmCenter

oh, my dd is 3 1/2 months and has slowly stopped nursing my left breast, now it is looking so much smaller. I am not so worried about lopsideness, though guess i will be eventually, but more is she getting enough on just the right??? She has had great weight gain, but that was with some left side too. Anyone have suggestions or reassurances?? Thanks!

Nursing from one breast is fine, she will get enough. I know a couple of moms who have done it from 6 weeks with no problems.