Breastfeeding from one side per feed?

[Jedt]

Question for anyone on here who is (or was ) breastfeeding…would you feed from just the one side, so say the left boob for 20 mins and then 4 hrs later the right one?

So you would be feeding on one side per feed. This was recommended to one of our mums but she is doing it and does not feel it is right.

any thoughts??

[CaliGal]

As a trained breastfeeding counsellor, this advice I have to say is counter productive. Milk is produced on demand like a tap so a mother following this advice would not be producing enough milk for a growing newborn.

Babies should be fed on demand and try to use both breasts. 20 mins on each side is a guide but it depends on the mothers milk flow, how effective baby is at emptying breast, etc. If you feel the breast is no longer full and baby is still hungry, simply swap sides. If you finish the feed on the second side (say left side), at the next feeding you would start on the left side again where you left off and then end the feed on the right side. The reason for this is that breast milk has a watery component initially which quenches a babies thirst. This is followed by fatty hind milk rich in nutrients. When you pump milk you will see the fatty layer rise to the top much like cows milk.

Allowing a breast to "fill up" for the next feed can cause a breast to become engorged with the possibility of a blocked milk duct which can lead to an abscess or worse mastitis!

So to sum it up…feed on demand, from both sides if possible, and start next feed on the last breast you fed previously 🙂

Bit of trivia for you…the 4 hr gap between feeds has NOTHING TO DO WITH A BABY’S HUNGER! This time frame coincided with a nurse on an 8 hr shift having her break for lunch in the 4 hr mark!

[Jedt]

Excellent advice caligal, that is what I would say too.

I always fed off both breasts and I started each feed on the breast that I ended on, at the previous feed.

Top tip – To help remember which breast you finish on, you can stick a tiny pin on your bra on the side you finish on, which is the side you need to start the feed on for the next one. Works well for forgetful Mammies like me!!!

[Jedt]

Clare Boyle is a Midwife and breastfeeding expert and she has a website dedicated to information about Breastfeeding.

She has a list of FAQ’s to help new mums: http://breastfeedingconsultant.ie/index … stfeeding/

Questions from the FAQ page include:
How do I know when to move the baby to the other breast?
What are the advantages of breastfeeding?
What are the disadvantages of breastfeeding?
I really want to breastfeed my baby, what steps can I take to ensure that I will be able to breastfeed successfully?
How do I know my baby is latched on and breastfeeding correctly?
How do I get a good latch?
How do I know when my baby is hungry and needs to feed?
How often will my baby feed and how long will each feed last?
How do I know my baby is getting enough milk?
How do I know when my baby is finished a feed?
How do I know when my breasts are empty?
How do I know when to move the baby to the other breast?
I want my baby to have breast milk but am anxious about breastfeeding so I might just express and feed my baby by bottle – is this a good idea?

So to get information on any of the above questions, please visit Clare’s website above. HTH 😀

[munchin]

actually ladies you might be able to give me some advice for a friend – she’s breastfeeding her 3.5month old and is suffering very bad headaches the last 3 weeks. She doesn’t drink coffee and very little tea and tries to drink plenty of water.

Any advice would be appreciated – Thank you

[Jedt]

Munchin, I’d recommend your friend check out Clare Boyle’s breastfeeding website, she is a brilliant woman for advice on anything breastfeeding related. http://breastfeedingconsultant.ie/

The first thing I would think it could be is dehydration. You need to drink 3 litres of water a day when breastfeeding to have enough for you and baby so I would suggest she starts upping the amount of water she is drinking and then if it keeps up, go and get some more constructive advice.

Best place to start is to check out Clare’s website and make contact to ask her – she is fab!

HTH

[oriordan]

I always breastfed this way one side one time the other side the next. I couldn’t talk about for how long or gaps in between feeds as this always varied with on demand feeding. This always worked for me. I never had a problem; although I was lucky in that I always seemed to have an endless supply. My baby is now on solids and Im still breastfeeding left side at night right side in the morning So its certainly not impossible to feed this way. However if I was struggling with supply issues I think it makes sense to go from one side to the other in any one feed.

[Jedt]

I used to start on one side and do the majority of the feed on that breast, then I would switch after a few minutes to the other one for the end of the feed.

For the next feed, I would start on the one I had finished with on the last feed.

have to say, I miss breastfeeding now that my babies are bigger!! I really loved doing it. Some of my favourite memories from when my babies were small is sitting on the sofa, with the breastfeeding cushion, letting baby fall asleep on the boob and me sitting there, with a big soppy grin on my face looking at my lovely babies falling asleep so contentedly. I especially loved when they had a dribble of milk down their chins when they fell asleep.

Pure happiness!!!!

[oriordan]

Same here. My baby is 10 months and afraid of my life of letting go…

[Author]

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