Toddler preference in one side?

1041 Views 9 Replies 10 Participants Last post by AshleighM, Jun 18, 2005

MyLittleWonders

Discussion Starter · Jun 7, 2005

Man, ds (18 months) has definitely decided he prefers the right breast. When he wants to nurse, he'll say his "that-that" and then point to the right breast. It's even kind of a joke for him now. Sometimes (because he will still nurse on the left, but it's not his favorite

), he'll be nursing on the left, pop off, pull my shirt down over my breast (he's very good about putting it away), and then point to the right and say "that-that".

Ugh ... is this typical of toddlers ... this side preference thing? Ds#1 didn't nurse this long, so this is all unchartered territory for me.

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TiredX2

· #2 · Jun 7, 2005

I think it is fairly common.

I have heard that one side usually produces more.

And I noticed that my right arm is enough stronger than my left that I held the "baby" slightly differently based on which side they were on.

At one point w/DD I was pretty lopsided, but DS has never had such a strong preference and it seems to have evened out.

CONGRATS on making it 18 months already!

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strawberryprincess

· #3 · Jun 8, 2005

dd (20 months) just recently started preferring my left side. she'll side nurse on the right, but very decidedly prefers the left. so i've been wondering if this is normal...i'd heard about it in small babies, but not in toddlers. i'm also wondering, if she weans herself from one side, does that mean she'll wean entirely soon? somehow, i can see her nursing on only one side for many months

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MsMoMpls

· #4 · Jun 8, 2005

My chiropactor thinks it is a neck issue, not a boob issue. If it gets really pronounced, we go in for an adjustment. Just a thought.

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nfpmom

· #5 · Jun 8, 2005

My DS definitely had a preference for one side and it was most definitely a supply issue... my left side always outproduced my right side. I would always try to start him on the right side but as he got older he would quickly recognize that he could switch to the left and get satiated sooner... thus causing a further reduction in supply on the right side. *sigh* so yes, I was quite lopsided for a while...
take care

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InochiZo

· #6 · Jun 11, 2005

My DS has always (almost always) prefered the left. I think the let down is faster. Since he prefers it, it produces more. I have hard time pumping much from that side. I am waiting for DS to say "that" or point to the prefered side. He usually always squirms on the non-prefered side but at least he'll take it. I hope he nurses long enough for me to ask why he likes the left more.

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DaryLLL

· #7 · Jun 11, 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by strawberryprincess
i'm also wondering, if she weans herself from one side, does that mean she'll wean entirely soon? somehow, i can see her nursing on only one side for many months

Sure she can! Lots of kids do it. And not just twins.

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mommamin

· #8 · Jun 12, 2005

My DD has nursed from one side since she was 6 mos old. I tried to get her to nurse from the other side but my let down on the right was faster and produced more. I have a feeling it is the way I held her. I even pumped my left side to try to increase my milk supply on that side but the pump I purchased was for occasional use

I probably could get my supply back up to her standards :LOL but that would mean pumping for hours on end! So she is 14 mos now and i very lopsided but it is for a good cause

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Lavish_Grace

· #9 · Jun 14, 2005

Hi,
I was just lurking but I wanted to post b/c my ds has a preference too. He is 20 months and prefers the right side. I am 30 weeks pregnant so I don't think it can be a supply thing since I'm probably just making colostrum now. He will still nurse on the left but mostly on the right. It might be a position thing. I originally nursed ds in the football hold on both sides and then at 9 months he switched to cradle hold on the left breast and retained the football hold on the right and the right breast is the one he now prefers. He actually developed a preference before he was a year old but it just wasn't as pronounced. I think his preference was originally the right side but I can't remember. When we used to do the football hold for both sides, there was always one side where I held him more comfortably and maybe that's the reason he developed a preference originally. I figure he probably just feels more comfortable on one side than he does on the other and that makes sense. People often do not use their right and left sides w/equal strength or comfort and I think it makes sense that our dc are affected by that or are perceptive of it.

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AshleighM

· #10 · Jun 18, 2005

I'm a lurker too, but wanted to add in that my DS2 who is almost 3 yo has been nursing on one side for almost 2 yrs now! I sleep on my right side the most so I guess that's where he got the preference from.

Ash
Mom to Seb ( 5 yo) and Joe (almost 3 yo)

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