how do you know when your breast is emptied?

[babycrazy1706]

how do you know when ur 1st breast is emptied and therefore have to move onto 2nd breast. i know the importance of baby getting the fore milk and hind milk so not to move to the 2nd until 1st is empty but what if baby keeps on sucking on an empty breast? or do u just know somehow?

 

[Leopard]

Baby will let you know once it is emptied. No baby likes an empty breast. A good rule to go by is 15 minutes each side and repeat. Just remember your breasts are never truly empty.

 

[babyjiva]

you don't know! and what's more baffling is that people tell you your breast never fully empty but then the same person (an HV or someone) will tell you to switch once the breast is empty. confusing!!
here is the tip that I finally squeezed out of someone (no pun intended) that helped me.

look at the babies chin/jaw. if the baby looks like he/she is chewing gum or otherwise the movements are very quick and repetitive, there is probably no milk in there. if the babies movements are quick for a few seconds and then the chin drops down slowly (as if LO is swallowing) then there is milk. it will be like a suck suck chin drop. hehe. hard to explain. of course there's always just hand expressing for a second to see if there's anything in there but it's hard to say if that'd be accurate because even if a little comes out that doesn't mean there's enough for the baby so that can be misleading.

we had to do blockfeeding due to an overabundant milk supply and spitting up, gas, baby choking while eating etc. so i have had my go with trying to figure out my milk supply at all moments of the day, a right pain!

 

[stouffer]

Well apparently they're never empty because milk keeps being produced but I can feel mine are lighter and softer after a good feed.
Sometimes I forget which one I used last (my baby only has one per feed) so I kind of weigh them with my hands to figure it out Have to resist doing that in public though!

In the early days it's hard to tell so I'd make sure your baby's had about 20 mins on the first one before moving on or sometimes the baby will pull off if it's ready for the next one. You need to try winding the baby though because they'll often pull off early if they need to burp.

Hope this helps

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

When one breast is getting very soft and Scarlett is fussing and bobbing on and off but doesn't want to not feed, and I can\t get any wind up, I try her on the other side. I don't know if that's right though, I'm a total BF beginner!

 

[aley28]

When one breast is getting very soft and Scarlett is fussing and bobbing on and off but doesn't want to not feed, and I can\t get any wind up, I try her on the other side. I don't know if that's right though, I'm a total BF beginner!

That's how I do it too. I only offer the other boob if he gets fussy while trying to still feed from the first one.

 

[RaspberryK]

I do the same as the last two posters, I get worried my lo isn't getting enough hindmilk especially as his weight gain isn't that great and I have a bit of an oversupply so I think there's loads of foremilk. He never empties my breast unless its late in the evening when I have slightly less milk.
Its not a magic switch over though it gets progressively fattier during the feed.
X

 

[nickyXjayno]

mine only feeds on the one boob but I have a bit if over supply as by time his next feed is due my boobs are rocks, usually have to express the boob he hasn't fed off otherwise I'd be leaking everywhere.

 

[ellie27]

I certainly do not have an over supply - probably just enough to get LO by (hence is poor weight gain!)

LO feeds on one side til no more swallowing and then I do compressions etc to try keep it going and get more out, then switch to other side, then do the same on that side, and if LO is still awake and looking for more I put him back to the first.......

 

[nickyXjayno]

I used to have a lowish supply & do breast compressions but he slept longer than usual one night & I got engorged.
he drained that boob & went into a milk coma lol.
ever since then I have an abundance & let down is very forceful & frequent.
can be very embarrassing nip as he fusses & splutter/coughs for what feels like ages.