My baby hates my right boob...

[rainface]

Any suggestions? It's not outright refusal yet, but she is MUCH fussier on the right side than the left and will usually just growl and scream at my nipple. If she's really hungry, or at night, she will nurse on both sides equally. This has started in the last 4 days. She'll be six weeks old in a few days. How do I redirect this situation?

[Rani]

Could your let down be stronger on that side?  That could be causing her to be overwhelmed by it?  Maybe pump from that side and give in a bottle till it evens out?

[asraidevin]

Both my children had the same issue with my right side. For me it seemed like the let down was slower. Try side laying or a foodball hold, this worked for mine when they were young, once they were a couple months old they didn't fuss anymore.

[EchoSoul]

My son does that. Only I've come to believe it's because it has the wrong kind of milk in it. If he nursed off that one last and cries if I put him back on it, I figure it's because it still has hindmilk in it and he wants foremilk, because when I put him to the other he's fine. And vice versa. I could be wrong, but it's just seemed to be what it is.

[Flopsy]

Could you try getting an adjustment from the chiropractor?

My son did the same thing right after he was born - he would always cry and fuss when I tried to feed him on the right side. After we went to the chiro during his first week the fussing stopped. Chiropractor said she adjusted something on the left side of his neck, so maybe his neck was just sore from the birth and nursing him on my right side made his neck hurt more.

[rainface]

Hmm...thanks guys. I'm going to try a few different things and see what helps. Trying different holds makes sense, as she has no problem when we nurse laying down at night. I think my let down might also be a problem, sometimes it seems like it's so strong (on either side) that she coughs and chokes and gets really frustrated. I've never gone to a chiropractor, but my accupuncture lady just moved to a new office with a  chiropractor, so I'll look into that. 

[Anna Phor]

Originally Posted by rainface 

Hmm...thanks guys. I'm going to try a few different things and see what helps. Trying different holds makes sense, as she has no problem when we nurse laying down at night. I think my let down might also be a problem, sometimes it seems like it's so strong (on either side) that she coughs and chokes and gets really frustrated. I've never gone to a chiropractor, but my accupuncture lady just moved to a new office with a  chiropractor, so I'll look into that. 

Does she nurse okay from the right boob if she is lying on her right side? (IOW, lying on the same side as she would be if she were nursing on the left?) And does she always lie on the same side when you nurse at night, or do you switch her over?

If the fussiness is *lying* on one side, rather than *nursing* on one side, I'd check for an ear infection.

[rainface]

She lies on either side when she nurses at night...I haven't quite mastered her nursing from both left and right while lying on my left side. I wish I could though, that would be great and my husband would quit complaining about her being in the middle of the bed  It seems to be the way that I hold her and she's oriented in my arms. She's getting bigger, and she squirms a bunch trying to find the right position to nurse in. Sometimes we get it right, and then she's content. Silly little bird. She's also hitting growth spurt/colic?/increased startle response territory and she fusses and wiggles about EVERYTHING.