How to increase supply in one breast?

[toriaj]

One of my breasts seems to produce much less than the other. 11-mo DD doesn't have a preference, it's just that the left side is now smaller than the other. I think it's a supply situation, is there a way to increase supply in just one side? If I nurse more on that side, it just gets even smaller. Would that eventually change? Should I try a cabbage leaf on the larger side, to try to even them up?

[shapiro-strano]

[MacKinnon]

I never did straighten it out, honestly. I nursed both my children till around 3 and both of them almost exclusively on the right breast. My supply wouldn't stay up in the left. I was sure with DD it was that I was offering the right more, so with DS I tried to offer the left as frequently, but my supply still tanked quickly in that breast. My nipples look different, and the left is flatter, the streams of milk coming out when I pump are obviously different as well. In the end, we just nursed on the right and I padded my bra when I didn't want to look lopsided (like when I stood up in a wedding). However, we never used formula, it didn't seem to matter much!

[Quinalla]

Nursing/pumping that side would eventually increase the supply, but not necessarily be even with the other breast. No guarantee that would increase the size though I definitely would not try to even them up with cabbage leaves (though I think you were joking here, just in case!), you might dry up more of your supply than you want and then your baby wouldn't be getting enough milk until it reestablishes.

It is common to have one breast that produces more than the other and ends up larger than the other and it isn't a concern, but yes it can be a annoying when the size difference is significant. My right breast is normally 1/2 cup size smaller than my left, but now it is at least a full cup size smaller since it produces a lot less. It is from baby preference though probably because my nipple is somewhat flat on that side.

[DivineMrsM]

i'm with ya. my left is at least a cup bigger than the right. i've tried many things to increase the supply, but the size hasn't ever changed back to what it was. it sucks and it's VERY noticeable.

[toriaj]

Well, at least I know I'm not the only one! For now, I'll try to keep the large side as empty of milk as possible (long nursing on that side) and the small side as full as possible (by frequent, short nursing on that side.) I'll see how that goes ... what I do NOT want is to reduce the supply in the small breast even further, by not nursing enough on that side!