One sided bf'ing and lopsidedness

[DevaMajka]

I'm nursing mostly on one side, with the exception of once a night on the other side. I've noticed recently that my breasts are quite lopsided- the one I use is bigger, even when it doesn't feel at all full. Will they even out when I'm done nursing?

I could nurse more on the other side, and will if I have to to even them out. Ds *much* prefers my left, and it's more comfortable and convenient for me (I can use the mouse right handed ). Usually, if I try to nurse on my right, ds will nurse just a minute (long enough to get the milk flowing, but not get any out), then run off, and he'll repeat it until I offer the other side, so I stopped offering the right after he turned 1yo. But I'm willing to try harder to keep things even. lol

[CheriK]

They'll even out once your LO weans. If it bothers you, then you could encourage more nursing on the right, but that will simply keep it making milk that your DS isn't particularly interested in drinking. Many babies and toddlers show side preferences like this. Maybe add a nursing pad or two to your bra to even things out for now?

[DevaMajka]

Great! It doesn't bother me so much right now (only a little bit), but I really don't want it to be like this forever, kwim?

[JudiAU]

I got lopsided with my first. I had more milk and pumping a lot aggravated it. I tried very hard to use the other side as much as I could and that seemed tohelp. It did not get better when I weaned. However, my next pregnancy and nursing eliminated the difference. I am actually much smaller now nursing an 13m than I was at any point with two pregnancies or nursing DS.

I have another friend who got lopsided with her last (only) and it didn't resolve itself.

Eta: I now always alternate feeding sides, regardless of volume. Both will usually nurse one sided but I want to give both a head start.

[DevaMajka]

yikes! I guess that means there's a chance for perpetual lopsidedness. hehe. Alright then. I've been focusing on getting ds to nurse on my right side once or twice a day, in addition to once at night. Hopefully that's enough to make them even again.

[purplepaperclip]

Mine didn't even out. I also have a friend whose didn't. Just one of those badges of motherhood, right? (At least that what I keep repeating when I look dejectedly in the mirror )

[DevaMajka]

I repeat that when I look at my belly

[LionessMom]

oh my. i am going to quit NAKing. bc i am lopsided too.

from now on i am using just the smaller side. i want them to be even after i wean!

[jimblejamble]

Mine haven't evened out. I stopped nursing on the right a couple weeks ago because he wasn;t taking it anymore. Even when I was favouring the right side in attempts to even out they were ridiculously lop-sided. And by lopsided, I mean the right side looks like that if a 12 year old girl, flat and barely more than a nipple. If they were both as big as the left I'd have some cleavage. It's embarrassing!

[PatioGardener]

Originally Posted by LionessMom

oh my. i am going to quit NAKing. bc i am lopsided too.

fortunately my small side is the side that gets used when i nak

nak

[GoGoGirl]

Originally Posted by PatioGardener

fortunately my small side is the side that gets used when i nak

nak

I'm happy that my small side is the one I use when DD is in a wrap.

My plan is to nudge the next baby towards preferring my small side. Hopefully that will help them even out!

[cheenya]

It is so easy to get lopsided nursing. A friend of mine has silicone pads she stuffs one side of her bra with because none of her babies have been willing to nurse on more than one side. Something to remember though when you talk about evening out is that very few women (even who those who have never nursed) are exactly even on both sides, we just don't think about it until we start nursing, because then the differences are magnified
I tend to try to focus on using my small side during the night. I've been nursing for over 7 years with no break now as each of my children has tandemned, so I have no clue if they will ever even out totally, but I do know there are times ther are more even than others. I like that badge of motherhood idea

[MacKinnon]

I've spent 6 years lopsided! My DD1 and DS vastly preferred the right, the flow of milk is quicker and the nipple is smaller (although I swear they were the same pre-nursing!!). No matter the effort I made, they didn't want the left. I weaned DD1, 2 1/2 yo, at 20wks pregnant and within a month my breasts were back to the same size. I got equally engorged after the birth of DS, but within a month the difference was obvious again. I weaned DS at 3 yo and 8 weeks pregnant, and again, my breasts were back to the same size quickly. And again, with the birth of DD2 my breasts became equally engorged. And again, I'm a month out the difference is obvious. Although DD2 is happy to take the left and actually prefers it because the fast letdown on the right causes her to choke and sputter. She nurses on the left a fair amount, but the right is still WAY bigger and produces WAY more. I can pump 3oz on the left and 15oz on the right. I'm struggling with massive oversupply in the right right now!!