Is breast feeding on one side is normal?

A baby with only one breast is a common problem. There are many reasons for this, but most of them are usually not too serious.

Being a mother is not easy, in the first few days, you will surely have a lot of surprises, one of which is breastfeeding. Some mothers worry about their babies getting enough breast milk because their babies are breastfed on one breast. What to do with the big chest on the small side? Does breastfeeding on one side have any effect? For the answer, let's join aFamilyToday Health to find out the causes and ways of changing your baby's habits to make breastfeeding easier.

Is it unusual for a baby to suck on only one side?

This is very normal, so many mothers feel more comfortable and more handed when breastfeeding only one side, some even say, breastfeeding one side makes them not feel tired like when breastfeeding two. side. If the sides of your nipples are unbalanced or the one that produces too little or too many rays, your baby will prefer which side "fits his mouth" better. For many reasons, some people only have milk on one side of the breast, and you can also be completely comfortable feeding your baby on the side that has milk.

Why do babies only suck on one side?

Most babies breastfeed on both sides of their mother's breasts from birth. However, there are also babies who only like to breastfeed on one side. When they breastfeed on the other side, they refuse to breastfeed. There are many reasons for this, be it that the breast is full of milk and producing more milk or simply, there is no obvious reason, it's just that the baby likes to be held on one breast over the other. Causes include:

1. The structure is different between the sides of the chest

Babies like to breastfeed on one side can be due to:

The nipple on the other side is larger or more indented, making it difficult for the baby to latch

The size of the breast shape can make the baby uncomfortable while feeding, such as the breast of a mother with moles

The erectile condition and areola breasts stretched after 3 to 5 days after birth can also make your baby uncomfortable

Milk rays one side more, one side less. Babies may like more or less milk depending on each baby.

Maybe the mother is blocked in the flow of milk , the milk on one side is less causing the baby not to drink

2. Pathological cause

The mother having one of the following problems may also cause the baby to suck on only one breast:

Mastitis: If your breasts have mastitis on one side, your breastmilk may taste more salty than the other. This may cause the baby to want to breastfeed on only one side and dislike the other.

Breast surgery can also affect milk supply and make your baby not like to feed.

Sick baby : Unilateral feeding may result from a stuffy nose, ear infection or pain inside the mouth.

The baby was injured during birth is also the reason why the baby likes to suck only on one side.

Milk with blood stains: If you see a darker color on one breast, this could be because a ruptured or injured capillary causes blood to get into the milk and make the milk taste different.

What to do if the baby likes to breastfeed on one side?

If your baby is under six weeks old, you need to find a way to keep your milk production evenly on both breasts as milk is produced on a supply and demand basis.

After your baby is finished feeding, you can use your hand or machine to pump milk from the breast of the baby who doesn't like to suck to increase milk supply.

Encourage your baby to suck on both sides. You can start feeding from one side of your favorite baby and gradually move to the other side.

Try to change the way you hold your baby. Hold your baby in a ball hug position or lie on his side to the breast to feed the baby. Your baby will be more likely to nurse when they are sleepy or have fallen asleep or suck in a slightly dark room.

If the milk is produced too much, too quickly, it scares the baby, does not suck in time, before feeding, you can express less milk to help the chest tighten and then feed the baby.

If all of the above measures do not work, please follow your baby's preferences, not force it because if your baby is still gaining normal weight, you absolutely do not need to worry.

Breastfeeding on one side can affect the mother's aesthetics?

During a feed, your baby's breast will grow bigger than the other side. However, there is no breast deflection and after weaning, breast size will return to normal. Therefore, you can completely rest assured about this.

Does your baby drink enough milk from one side?

If you are afraid that your baby will be hungry, with insufficient nutrients, do not worry. Your baby still gets enough milk even on one side because when he sucks a lot, the breasts will automatically produce more milk to balance the baby's needs. Therefore, if you find that your baby is still gaining weight, there is no need to worry too much.

How to increase the amount of breast milk less milk:

Let your baby start to breastfeed from the small chest, because the baby will often cooperate more actively, suck more strongly at the beginning of the feeding.

During 1 feed, feed your baby on the breast with twice as much milk from the other side.

If the baby cannot suckle, the mother will suck on the small chest like a normal milk.

If the big side is too engorged, the mother should pump less milk for comfort and avoid clogging, do not drain because emptying makes the milk on the side more and more.

Try to encourage your baby to suck on both breasts, however, if your baby still refuses, you can consult your doctor to determine the exact cause.