What to do about my left boob

[jessmke]

My left boob was always a lower milk producer than my right. A few months ago Isla started to get frustrated on the left boob because she doesn't get as much milk as fast as she does on the right. She started refusing the left boob so I would feed her on the right and pump on the left, but now I barely get half an once when I pump the left. At night I can often get her to nurse on the left if she is sleepy, especially if I feed her side lying, but she doesn't get very much so I have to switch her to the right after a few minutes to finish the feed. My right boob has compensated and is now significantly larger than my left (which is going to look just fantastic in my wedding dress in September!) so she can get a full feed on the right side alone. Should I just give up on my left boob or should I keep feeding her on the left whenever she will tolerate it to maintain even just a small supply on than side?

 

[DaisyDreamer]

Same with my right, but can get Z to snooze on the breast on that side (not sure if it's a full feeding)
I think you could try to offer your lower one first, each time, then pump as she is on the right to encourage your supply. You might be more sensitive on the right hence the bigger supply. But it's not necessarily a bad thing to let one side dry up either

 

[Marumi]

My first did the same to my left. My supply lowered a lot but once he grew older he did not care anymore and it went back up. He even started liking it as a comfort nursing boob.

When I ask him today he says that side has less milk and the milk is slower.

I am dealing with an oversupply this time and my second actually prefers the left. Despite him nursing well in the left it still makes less milk, but more than with my first. Whem he is hungry he handles the fast flow on the right better and when he is fussy and wants to comfort nurse I offer the left.
Amazing how these things work

 

[_Meep_]

Same issue. My right has always been superboob and my left is pathetic in comparison. LO used to HATE right boob because it would choke her, but now she is almost 2 she much prefers it and has done for quite a while.

I usually just offer the right these days as it is easier and quicker and I am not too bothered by the (small) size difference - I'm hoping when she weans it will all just go back to normal. I wouldn't give up on your lower producer entirely - maybe keep giving it at night? LO often chooses the left when she is sleepy - I think she likes the fact it is more of a pacifier than a meal when she just wants to go back to sleep.

I believe nearly all women have one boob that makes more so it is definitely normal, and it won't damage your LO in any way as your right is still putting out loads, so at the end of the day, whatever happens, it's just a cosmetic issue that will probably correct itself in time. Mine certainly look much more even now than they used to - I was still getting quite engorged at six months, but these days my boobs are a pretty normal size again. The right is just a bit fuller.

 

[jessmke]

I haven't given up entirely on left boob, but I'm not worrying about it or trying over and over to get LO to drink on that side anymore and we are now both enjoying nursing much more! I offer the left at night and she will usually take it for at least one nursing session, but I have stopped offering it during the day as she just gets upset and frustrated. My right boob is making more than enough to feed her so I won't worry too much about left boob. Maybe it will come in handy if I decide to night wean or cut back on the number of times I nurse her at night.

 

[keepinitreal1]

Same here. We did bf + formula. I did all possible permutations and variations- left boob, right boob, vice versa, first bottle then boob, vice versa, first half bottle then left boob, right boob and vice versa. A ton of different holds and positions.

We're currenty probably days away from ending our bf journey since little M starts crying as soon as he sees a boob. Cannot blame him, he knows that a bottle is coming and cannot be bothered. He's not a cuddly baby so that doesn't help the situation. If I express I get about 1 oz from both sides which is a drop in the ocean with his appetite.

I'm feeling quite sad, lots of tears although I know I did my best and he's doing great health and weight-wise.

Could it be that you have a clog in your left side. Can your HV or gp check that for you?