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Since day 2, Lego has greatly preferred the left breast over the other. Sometimes he refuses the right one altogether and just gets angry when I try to offer it to him, and sometimes he does okay.
My milk came in today, and so both breasts are obviously engorged and harder to nurse from, but the worst part is that he will absolutely not take the right breast as of noon today. When I offer it, he might get it in his mouth, but he won't clamp down and suck. He will instead try to root past it or shake his head quickly from side to side as if saying no or just jerk his head back to get off it. Ultimately he will become angry and just start yowling, making the whole situation worse.
I have tried several different positions, and none of them work. I have also tried pumping a little to relieve some of the pressure. Is there anything I haven't thought of?
Posts: 1903 | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
Sometimes there's a reason they prefer one side. Does he show sides of discomfort when lying on that side? If positioning him doesn't help, what about positioning yourself? Can he see you better on the other side? Is there something else that's more comforting, or comfortable? Have you tried using a nursing pillow? How does he like that? Other than that, all I can think of is to burp him really well, keep offering it-- but don't force it, and a hungry, frustrated baby doesn't do any good, I know, so offer it once or twice and then give him the other-- and bring it up with your pediatrician (or a lactation consultant if you have access to one.)
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
I'm not a lactation consultant, but I would try to pump an amount out of that breast equal to the amount he's drinking from the other, and freeze it. I would continue to offer him both to drink from, varying position and so on to make it more comfortable for him. Might it be the taste is different? I would think that the higher the "production" the better everything would work, so keep the milk flowing from both sides, and freeze whatever he won't eat. Perhaps it will be useful later, and in the meantime you aren't shutting down half the factory from lack of use.
Another trick to get him to accept it might be to offer it to him when he's very sleepy, so that he might drink before he really notices the difference.
Posts: 6246 | Registered: Aug 2004
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My aunt has been a la leche leader. She recommended you call 1-800-laleche and ask. Or go to their web site www.lalecheleague.org and find a leader in the area.
She also said this happens, yes, babies get picky. You could try to fake him out by holding him as if feeding him on the preferred breast, but putting him to the other one. She said you will need the arm of the sofa or chair, plus maybe additional pillows, to support his body weight, and maybe some on the lap.
She also said when she was having problems with my cousin, the leader told her to just keep nursing her--every hour, even if only for a little bit, to help keep th engorgement down. Also for the swelling, she said try cold cabbage leaves (raw, not cooked) to help w/the swelling. Much of it is simply increased blood flow to the breasts, so they have everything they need to produce milk.
Most of these sentences were direct quotes, btw, so I wouldn't miss any information. So the grammar is a bit off.
I asked her if pumping was bad and she said no, but you need to make sure the baby is getting enough milk.
Posts: 1014 | Registered: Jul 2005
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He nursed from the "bad" breast for 15-20 min. this morning just as he woke up. He would only nurse while I was pacing, but at least he got some milk from that side. I'm sure we haven't solved the problem yet, so I will keep La Leche's number on hand. Jonathon scoured their website for me last night, looking for any kind of answers.
And the advice was so good, I hadn't even noticed the grammar. Posts: 1903 | Registered: Sep 2003
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My daughter did this, for the first month or so she would not nurse from one side no matter what I did. I just kept pumping that side, and as she got bigger and more hungry, she finally started nursing from both.
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Yay! Maybe it's like brocolli flavor or something, the yucky rightbreast milk, and it takes a while for his tastebuds to accustom themselves to it. Posts: 6246 | Registered: Aug 2004
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I just thought of something-- Ems sometimes didn't like my milk from one side when I had a clogged duct and was working on an infection. Any signs of that?
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Both of our first two boys preferred my left breast. They would eat from the right, but no matter which breast I started with they had a stronger suck when on my left breast. My left breast is now, I assume, permanently bigger than my right. Child #3 doesn't appear to have a favorite, at least not yet. Maybe he will prefer the right and I will balance back out again. Posts: 399 | Registered: Sep 2002
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I think Ela should be able to help after Shabbos, too, since she's a la leche league leader and all that. Posts: 14745 | Registered: Dec 1999
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I second the idea that there may be aplugged duct or infection.
Also, ( and thisa is purely antecdotal) my friends and I have noticed that many babies prefer to be held in the dominant arm. All three kids were into the right breast. The worst that can happen in permanant lopsidedness.
Posts: 2711 | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
I wonder if it might be the difference in how you hold the baby on one side compared to the other.
One arm might be stronger, and have more muscle. Maybe the babe likes the softer or harder arm? Maybe you feel more comfortable holding Lego on your left, and he catches on somehow.
Just a thought.
They are smart little buggers.
Posts: 10890 | Registered: May 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Theaca: She also said this happens, yes, babies get picky. You could try to fake him out by holding him as if feeding him on the preferred breast, but putting him to the other one. She said you will need the arm of the sofa or chair, plus maybe additional pillows, to support his body weight, and maybe some on the lap.
This is definitely a good trick. What works for a lot of moms is starting the baby off on the preferred breast and when the milk starts flowing, just slide the baby over to the other breast. You will have to use the "football hold" on the other breast - basically, as Theaca said, holding him in the same orientation he would be in on the preferred breast.
Make sure you nurse every 2-3 hours to get your milk supply established. Also, make sure the baby is latched on and postioned correctly, so you don't get sore nipples, and so that baby Lego can empty the breast efficiently. The baby should be making 5 to 6 really wet disposable diapers (6 to 8 cloth) and 2 to 5 bowel movements in a 24 hour period.
If you are uncomfortably full after the baby has nursed, you can express the excess, to your comfort level only. Heat will help with this - I used to get in a warm shower and just express a little milk down the drain. If you want to save the expressed milk, you can use a warm compress on your breast and then pump, or pump after a warm shower. (Heat gets the milk flowing.) You don't want to pump as much as you can remove, right now, cause that will increase your engorgement - that's why you should express only enough to make yourself comfortable right now.
Just for the record, in addition to the La Leche League website, Kellymom.com is also a good resource for breastfeeding questions.
Posts: 5771 | Registered: Nov 2000
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All 3 of my children have preferred my left side to my right. Space Space Baby used to screw up his tiny face as a newborn when offered the right side, prompting my father-in-law to theorize that the left side was chocolate so he liked it better. SSB still prefers the left, so I just begin with the right side every time.
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Best of luck. Sounds like you've gotten some great advice so far! And I am suddenly grateful that Xerxes isn't picky. Posts: 7050 | Registered: Feb 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Ela: What works for a lot of moms is starting the baby off on the preferred breast and when the milk starts flowing, just slide the baby over to the other breast. You will have to use the "football hold" on the other breast - basically, as Theaca said, holding him in the same orientation he would be in on the preferred breast.
This is exactly what I had to do for my son to nurse comfortably. Or I would start him out on the right side, "football style" then move him to the left. I thought that since his stomach is on the one side, it felt better when it was not pressed up against me. Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
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