Well it got better but now he's doing it all over again:
Things are not going so well here today. For the first time ever I had to
supplement DS with formula on a home day (aka a non-work day). I am really upset and nervous that my supply is tanking for some reason. I'm doing everything I was doing before but something wonky is happening.
DS has absolutely REFUSED to latch on the left side for the past couple of days. He's never liked the left anyway but right now he won't even try. I don't think its an ear infection as he'll take the bottle while in the same position as he would be to nurse on the left and he does fine. Its just the breast. ARGH! I can't fully feed him out of one side only. The left produces about 1/4 of what the right does but I need that milk too - I'm barely making enough to get by as it is!! I really wanted to at least get through cold and flu season (say end of March-ish) but when things happen like the past couple days I get really worried about how long this is going to hold up. I know I shouldn't catastrophize and that one day does not a disaster make but this left sided rejection has been building for a while now and it seems to have reached a critical moment in that now he won't latch at all and we had to do a little formula. I am working so hard to keep my supply up so when he completely refuses a side and we have to supplement - I fear what it means for the longevity of our BF relationship.
"Baby Fake Out" (see above) isn't working. Nor is waiting until he was really sleepy. If I tip him so that he's headed to the left breast he immediately begins to cry - even if he's asleep!
I have no idea what to do now and I desperately don't want this side to dry up or to have to EP on one side. I am pumping it 2-3x/day but that's a pretty big burden amidst everything else going on when I'm home with him. The left is getting a better "work out" on days when I am at work and consistenly pump 3x/day than it is on home days when I'm supposed to be exclusively breastfeeding!
Thanks for any guidance you might have.
Happy New Year.