One breast now larger than the other....

[NinasMommy]

So, I know this is kind of minor, but one of my boobs is now about twice as big as the other, after feeding for 10 months (and still going strong, no plans to stop any time soon).

Is there any way to get them to be the same size again?

[silversparrow]

same thing happened to me... my right breast was always a little bit bigger, but now it's rediculous. I often double up the nursing pads on my left side to even things out. I wish I could help you, but I'm just subbing for advice : (

[NinasMommy]

thanks silversparrow! 

i wonder what causes this? mine used to be really quite even.

i'm wondering if maybe i start nursing more on the other smaller side, it'll get bigger?

[silversparrow]

Originally Posted by NinasMommy 

thanks silversparrow! 

i wonder what causes this? mine used to be really quite even.

i'm wondering if maybe i start nursing more on the other smaller side, it'll get bigger?

I've wondered the same thing. I definitely favour my right side when nursing... but is it bigger because I favour it, or do I favour it because it has better supply... chicken and the egg!

But I have tried using my left side more and it seems to help a bit, but I always just forget and go back to using my right more. Especially out walking around, my right arm and hip are stronger and my sling is usually on that side so, of course I'm feeding on that side too.

[crayfishgirl]

I had this with my daughter, and now again with my son (although my left is bigger....maybe because I'm right handed?).  I work outside the home during the day and found that pumping on the right side (smaller boob) one extra time has helped.  There's still a size difference, but its no longer mondo-boob and mini-me.

[NinasMommy]

chicken and egg - exactly!

when dd was first born, i didn't realize i needed to switch out breasts each time, so i favored one, then later on something else happened and i started favoring the other, maybe that's how i got to this state of unevenness.
 

Originally Posted by silversparrow 

I've wondered the same thing. I definitely favour my right side when nursing... but is it bigger because I favour it, or do I favour it because it has better supply... chicken and the egg!

But I have tried using my left side more and it seems to help a bit, but I always just forget and go back to using my right more. Especially out walking around, my right arm and hip are stronger and my sling is usually on that side so, of course I'm feeding on that side too.

[NinasMommy]

so pumping an extra time has helped your smaller one to get a bit bigger?

do you think it would work in reverse too?

i've started mostly nursing out of the left (small) one, and pumping a few times a day out of the big one and keeping nursings from it to a minimum... maybe it will go down? i don't want to lose my milk supply though.
 

Originally Posted by crayfishgirl 

I had this with my daughter, and now again with my son (although my left is bigger....maybe because I'm right handed?).  I work outside the home during the day and found that pumping on the right side (smaller boob) one extra time has helped.  There's still a size difference, but its no longer mondo-boob and mini-me.

[lsmama]

No solution, just commiserating.  My right one is way bigger.  I also work outside the home and when I pump, I get 3x as much from the right as the left.  I think I will try pumping one extra time on the left.  Wish I had a suggestion for you!

[crayfishgirl]

Originally Posted by NinasMommy 

so pumping an extra time has helped your smaller one to get a bit bigger?

do you think it would work in reverse too?

i've started mostly nursing out of the left (small) one, and pumping a few times a day out of the big one and keeping nursings from it to a minimum... maybe it will go down? i don't want to lose my milk supply though.
 

It has, and it seems like your plan should help too.  I try and start my son on the smaller one, but he (and my daughter too when she was nursing) preferred the left.  I know I use to find holding them on my right side (smaller boob) more awkward, and I think there's a wonky duct that sends milk in an odd direction (which I discovered when hand expressing).  I couldn't just nurse him on one side...I don't want to bring my pump home from work, and my son is at that stage (9 months) when he's super distracted and less interested in nursing (at least during the day and when he's not tired) so I don't want to make sure he nurses and try take care of the size discrepancy when I'm away from him.  They're certainly not the same size, but the difference is way less obvious now.  Good luck!
 

[anjsmama]

My right one is way bigger. DD definitely prefers nursing on that side, and though I try to use both during the day, at night I'm only 25% awake and not thinking at all about which breast I'm giving her. 

FWIW, my left one was bigger when I was nursing DS, he really preferred that one. After he stopped nursing and before being too pregnant with DD, they were more or less the same size again. Fingers crossed the same thing happens this time!

[NinasMommy]

thanks for all the commiseration, information, and consultation! 

been so busy lately, haven't even been thinking about solutions to the size issue ~ maybe in the end, i'll just have to be ok with it! 

:P