[JuniperMama]

I have always been very lopsided and produce a lot less on the left. DS clearly knows this and has a strong preference for the higher producing side. However, I could usually get him to latch on my left even if it wasn't his favorite. Well for the past couple of days I can't get him on over there at all and when I try he just howls. I even try what we call "baby fake out" which is to use football hold so he's laying like he would be to nurse on the right but he's on the left breast and even that isn't working. I don't want to lose everything out of the left - any tricks to get him to nurse over there? (I've tried dark room and when very sleepy - used to work but not the past couple days...)

thanks.

 

[JoyofBirth]

Have you ever taken your baby to a Chiropracter (sp?)? I have seen many babies with side preferences helped by an adjustment. HTH.

 

[littlemommy18]

i knew a lady who had the same problem, so she pumped that side while nursing on the other side, then finger fed him with a syringe the expressed milk, then eventually he got over it kinda like a 1/2 nursing strike!! she would also try and latch him on to unfavorite side when he would let her!! only lasted a couple weeks!! good luck and great job still nursing!!!

HTH

 

[MacKinnon]

My DD has never liked my left side... Ever... We also used the "baby fake out" to get her to nurse on the left. At first she did, then she wouldn't EVER, and now she will if she wants. I was formerly "even" but now rmy right breast is like twice as big!! DH teases me about "good old righty." That said, DD is 10 months now, almost exclusively breastfed, in the 95th percentile for height and weight and doing GREAT. My pedi., midwife and lactation consultant all told me not to worry about- pump for comfort and let it be....

 

[JuniperMama]

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.

 

[BeeandOwlsMum]

Hey babe....I would try the chiro route, he may be out of whack and it hurts when he lies that way. It seems odd if you tip him that way he is crying...like something else is up if that is bothering him long before he gets to the breast. His ear infection cleared up right?

 

[JuniperMama]

Maybe the chiro would help. I talked to our Chiro and she said it didn't sound like something that was coming from adjustment issues. Especially since he'll let you tip him that way to hold him or to bottle feed him without complaint. It is literally ONLY when I go to nurse over there that he protests. This morning I got him on for like 2-3 mins. but that was it and that took some serious doing just to get him on that long. I don't understand why we'd have a 1-sided nursing strike. I could call chiro again I s'pose. The last time we talked to her she also suggested taking him fo some cranio-sacral work but that's pricey and we're pretty broke. I'm gonna see my naturopath on Friday so I'll ask her about it too... I'm baffled. (and kind of hurt)

 

[BeeandOwlsMum]

Isn't is lucky for you that I know a chiro who does cranio sacral....and that will be in the same town as you when you come to help us unpack at the end of Jan?