MAJOR supply difference between Righty and Lefty?

[GingerPanda]

I know it's actually uncommon for both breasts to have equal supplies.

But what about if they give WILDLY different amounts?



Backstory:

My daughter is less than a month old. She was/is an IUGR preemie, and is too small to actually feed directly from my breast. My nipples are also huge and inverted, and nipple shields have been totally ineffective. So I exclusively pump for her EVERY SINGLE THREE HOURS, day and night. Have done so since she was born.

My left breast has always produced more milk than my right one. Righty used to produce about half. But a little more than a week ago I got mastitis, and my supply totally tanked. I was put on strong antibiotics, and now the infection has cleared up. My supply is slowly returning back to what it was with my left breast, but my right breast hasn't recovered supply at all. In one 15 minute pumping session, I can get about 1oz from Lefty, and MAYBE I'll get 5ml from Righty. That's such a huge difference! It's really really really annoying. I've done massages, I've done heat packs, I've upped my water intake, I'm taking these supplements, I've tried pumping on Righty alone for extra time... Nothing is helping!



Any suggestions?

 

[KylasBaby]

I exclusively pump. My left used to be the breadwinner despite the right being the bigger. I would get at least an ounce more from the left. Well that's also the side I got blocked ducts on at least 2/3 times a week so since that has started I get about half of what the right produces. When I pump every 4 hours I get about 3/4oz from my eight and 2/3 from my left. Sucks bc that one used to produce more, but I really think the ducts are majorly damaged now. I had mastitis and another infection in my right but thankfully it seems to have healed fine. I try everything but nothin has made a difference in helping it produce more sadly.

 

[_Meep_]

Mine have always been totally different - the right is the big producer and the left is pathetic in comparison. My LO HATED the right to start with as the flow was so fast and strong. By 8 months though, she much preferred the right. The difference has never caused us any issues - she nurses from both, but the right does most of the work admittedly. She has always put on plenty of weight. We're still going at nearly 15 months. Don't worry too much. I know ladies who have ended up nursing/pumping from one side only for various reasons and done just fine.

 

[sil]

I usually get 4-5 oz from lefty and 2-3 ounces from righty when I pump. It's funny because with DS1 it was completely opposite (much more in righty and less in lefty).

I don't really have any advice, but didn't want to read and run. I hope you feel better soon and are able to get your supply back up again.

Can you try pumping an extra 5 minutes after you typically finish on your right side only? That extra stimulation in theory should tell your breast to produce more milk

 

[jlw617]

Have you heard of power pumping? It's basically where you add in an extra session, I know you're already pumping a lot and believe me, I've been there-I basically felt like a human cow :/ anyways so power pumping is really easy in theory, if possible I would try to do this 2x in a 24 hr period, you basically just pump for 10 min on, 10 min off for an hour. Besides that, you could try some lactation smoothies with Brewers yeast/flax seed/chocolate malt/oats

 

[GingerPanda]

Thanks for the suggestions, ladies!

I have been trying to pump extra on Righty to get more. My supply in general has totally dropped. I pumped 20 minutes at 11:30 and 2:30 last night, and didn't even get 10ml TOTAL. So discouraged...

Upping my water intake AGAIN, and I will try power pumping.

 

[kajastarlight]

GP, I have supply issues too because of PCOS. You could be experiencing something similar. I also have way more on lefty than righty! Like, when I pump on my way to work in the morning (that is when I get the absolute most of any pumping session depending on how much Ian nursed from about 3am on ) I usually get like 2-5oz from the left one and then about .5-2oz from the right. Then throughout the day I start getting a little more like 2oz from the left and 1oz from the right if I pump every three hours. (obviously that is a very small amount considering my LO is almost 6 months)

 

[GingerPanda]

I have done AMAZING if I get a quarter of an oz total per pumping. In the middle of the night, it's not uncommon for me to just get drops. And Luci is a whole month old now.

The lactation consultant thinks it's my thyroid.

 

[kajastarlight]

From what I hear, establishing a good milk supply after a csection is hard - establishing a good milk supply with exclusive pumping is hard - establishing a good supply with inverted nipples is hard. You got all that AND a thyroid condition! The only somewhat good advise I have for you is power pumping - and someone already said that. The only other thing I can say is I understand and have been there! (with DS1 even more so than DS3) Well, kinda - I never had a csection and I don't have thyroid problems lol But still

 

[GingerPanda]

Honestly, I want to let my milk just dry up. But I feel obligated to continue.

 

[Septie]

Oh dear, that sounds so so hard!! Well, thyroid issues are super easy to check - just a blood draw! Ask for TSH and FT4 and FT3 (Free T 4 and Free T3). I have thyroid issues and am on medication, and am producing plenty of milk for my 2 months old! So I would definitely get that checked before giving up!! FWIW, I don't think c-sections cause supply issues - I've had 3 sections and had no problems feeding any of my 3...I am not sure I could exclusively pump only, however. And 1/4 oz per grueling pumping session, what a downer