Breastfeeding - change sides?
Printed From: OHbaby!
Category: Have A Baby?
Forum Name: First baby? Second or more?
Forum Description: Want help? Need support? Want tips? Men and women share advice and tips in this supportive community
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13428
Printed Date: 20 June 2025 at 7:59am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Breastfeeding - change sides?
Posted By: JoannaNZ
Subject: Breastfeeding - change sides?
Date Posted: 07 January 2008 at 3:34pm
|
Hi everyone,
This is my first time on this site, it's awesome!!! I've just had my first baby a week ago and I've been given such conflicting information about breastfeeding. I was told by one midwife to feed from the same side each time, so the baby can get foremilk and then hind milk. Then I was told by another midwife to offer both sides each feed. Then I was told by yet another one to offer one side twice and then the other side a third time (for a 'top up') My baby is a great little feeder but she never wants either breast a 3rd time. I was wondering what everyone else does? Offer the same side or both sides for each feed? Thanks heaps everyone!!!! :-) |
Replies:
Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 07 January 2008 at 3:38pm
|
It sucks that they don't just have standard advice!!
I like you got told soooo many different things and was "told off" for the way I was doing it but I thought stuff em and did what worked for us. While I was breastfeeding I would feed Daniel for 15 mins on one side and then offer the other side. Most of the time he didn't want it which was fine by me. Then with the next feed I'd start from the opposite breast. |
Posted By: Mama2two
Date Posted: 07 January 2008 at 3:38pm
|
Hi Joanna. Congratulations on your new daughter:) It is a daunting thing being new at this isn't it. The good news is that everyone on this site is just fantastic and I know I have found them all to be a great sounding board/support system.
I always just offered Sam the one side per feed. That way she got all the foremilk and hindmilk at every feed. As a bonus I never had any problems with breast infections etc either as each breast was drained fully each time. If Sam was still hungry I would then offer the other breast. I never understood the whole offering 2 or 3 times thing. It seemed to me that if I had done that then Sam would have gotten a whole lot of foremilk and not much of the high fat hindmilk. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
|
Posted By: DJ
Date Posted: 07 January 2008 at 3:46pm
|
Hi Joanna - I do the same as Mum2Sam. I've occassionally had to switch to the second boob (during growth spurts etc), but mostly one boob each feed is all good. The main problem is remembering which one you're up to! ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
|
Posted By: kabe
Date Posted: 07 January 2008 at 4:21pm
|
My mw initially had me feeding off one side only when Eva was first born. Can't remember her reasoning for this, but it made sense at the time! Now I top up with the other breast if Eva still seems hungry. ------------- http://alterna-tickers.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
|
Posted By: .Mel
Date Posted: 07 January 2008 at 4:21pm
|
Welcome to Oh Baby! and congrats on your wee girl.
With all three of my kids I feed from my good side first then wind/nappy change then offer the not so good side. I was also told by my midwife that I should do one side feeding, but Cooper just wasn't getting enough so I flagged it. ------------- Mr Mellow (16) Miss Attitude (8) Destructa Kid (3) 
|
Posted By: Mum2ET
Date Posted: 07 January 2008 at 4:23pm
|
hi welcome to Ohbaby. I feed Ella on one side and then after she has finished I always offer her the 2nd side. A lot of the time she doesn't take it.....but if I wait 30-40 min and offer it to her again then she will take it. I was told it was OK to do this, as long as the2nd feed is within the hr then it still part of the same feed. Not sure how good this approach will be for a young baby (depends on how long it takes her to feed- at that age Ella used to feed for 30-45 mins (lots of breaks inbetween) but now will only feed for 5 mins), but it works really well for us now that she is a bit older. As long as your baby is gaining weight steadily and has lots of wet nappies then you should be fine, whatever approach you decide to do. ------------- Mum to Ella (5) and Tom (2) |
Posted By: mum2paris
Date Posted: 07 January 2008 at 4:25pm
|
I too mostly did the 1 boob and offer the other if still hungry.
What counts is that bby fully drains the breast they feed from first, and then if they want more then offer the other, so some people will feed from both breasts as that's what their baby takes, others feed from only 1 each time as 1 breast makes enough milk for the whole feed. If they do take both, start on the one they finished with last time it probably will be fuller if they had not finished it off, then offereing the other side after that, baby will only take whatever it wants, leaving some for next time so to speak. There is the whole hindmilk/foremilk thing that's used alot. In reality foremilk is thinner etc, and is the first milk that comes down, but from about 3 - 4 mins into the feed the hindmilk starts coming through anyway. I guess the theory is the longer fed from one breast the more rich fats start coming through in the milk. The way i remember what breast i was up to, BTW, was to put a red pen dot on one breast pad and switch the pads around on different sides so i always knew which side i was up to. ------------- Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja 
|
Posted By: BabyOnBoard
Date Posted: 07 January 2008 at 4:30pm
|
I feed Arabella one side until she falls off and it looks/feels empty and then give her the other side, she always takes both. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  
|
Posted By: NikkiB
Date Posted: 07 January 2008 at 5:15pm
Welcome to OhBaby 
I haven't got a large milk supply, so I have to feed my little man from both sides for a feed. He generally feeds off one side for about 15 minutes and then the other side. I then 'top him up' just before he goes to bed (which is normally within the hour). Good luck with BF  ------------- A very lucky mummy to two gorgeous boys: RB 3/10/2008 JB 29/12/2009 |
Posted By: babyg
Date Posted: 07 January 2008 at 11:23pm
|
Hi, welcome to you and your little girl
I used to give both sides, but realised recently that i actually have oversupply issues and now feed from only one side which means that i produce less milk (only what baby needs) and don't get such sore, leaky boobs. I guess it depends how much milk you have. I was told about the LaLeche League website by other mums on here a week ago and now consult it for everything BFing related - here's a link, just check out the 'answer pages' in the 'resources' section for anything you want to know - http://www.llli.org - LaLeche League website Good luck. ------------- Ev, Mum to: Carys Ruby - 4 October 2007 Spencer James - 2 July 2010 |
Posted By: Neeks
Date Posted: 12 January 2008 at 5:02pm
|
In the morning (7ish) Keziah wakes up and has boobie number one... she normally feeds on that for a good 30 minutes (due to not waking all night for a feed) then I burp her, change her bum and hen wrap her before giving the other side of which she does about 15 minutes on before getting sleepy again...
She normally goes back to bed just after 8 and sleeps for a couple of hours. Next time she wakes we play for 20-30 minutes before offering the first side which is normally 20-30 minutes... then we play or read a story or 5 for about an hour before offering the next side and putting her back to bed for her longest nap of the day... Our routine is pretty much the same unless we go out and it gets buggered up -------------  
|
Posted By: Tiff
Date Posted: 13 January 2008 at 7:59pm
|
*Lurking here*
Sorry to thread jack but this is quite interesting as my baby is due in a few weeks. I see most of you say to feed off one breast then only offer the other if they are still hungry. My (probably stupid  ) question is how do you know if they are still hungry to offer the breast? ------------- http://lilypie.com">  
|
Posted By: Neeks
Date Posted: 13 January 2008 at 10:17pm
|
Tiff - The only stupid question is the one that un asked
Let bubs feed for as long as needed, will either dose off OR pull away when full.. burp, change bum to wake up again and then offer the other side.. If bubs isn't interested s/he will not take it no matter what you do. I find that Keziah (2 1/2 months) will now only take both in the morning after sleeping right through the night between 8 and 7am and even then I stop, burp and change her bum and then give her the other side.. -------------
|
Posted By: miss
Date Posted: 13 January 2008 at 11:44pm
|
In the early days i would offer left side for up to 30 minutes (she wouldn't unlatch herself, i wanted to build supply otehrwise I would unlatch at 20 mintues) then offer the right side for up to 30 minutes. Next feed I would offer right side followed by left and so on.
Once feeding was established and more efficient (and I became a milk machine) I started split feeding where I offer whichever side I finished on last time for around 10 m inutes till she unlatches (usually relatching about 10 times in between as she is a nosey feeder) and stays off, then shehas play time and I offer the other side a bit later on. good for hungry big bubbas like mine as they go longer! -------------  
|
Posted By: Bobbie
Date Posted: 14 January 2008 at 8:12pm
|
OK my turn for questions - how do you know when the first breast is empty? Just by weight? My breasts seem constantly full even if I've fed from one recently. I can only tell which breast I've just fed from right after a feed. By the next feed they both feel equally full again. -------------  
 
|
Posted By: kabe
Date Posted: 14 January 2008 at 8:27pm
|
Bobbie, I can tell it's empty when Eva comes off the breast and won't go back onto it. I then offer the other breast and she suckles away happily if she's still hungry. ------------- http://alterna-tickers.com">
http://lilypie.com">
|
Posted By: aimeejoy
Date Posted: 14 January 2008 at 8:53pm
|
If you gently squeeze your boob, no milk will come out if its empty. In the early days they do always seem to feel huge and full, but it all settles down after a few months and then you feel all lopsided! I used to change the hand I wore my ring on after each feed so I knew which side to start feeding from next time. ------------- Aimee Hannah 22/10/05 Greer 11/02/08 |
Posted By: Kels
Date Posted: 14 January 2008 at 10:12pm
|
I have always offered both sides at every feed for all 3kidlets. I never had any issues with the hind or foremilk intake as my babies were great feeders so I could always get both side into them. I would get them up, feed one side, change nap, playtime, other side then bed. This was only for the little bubbas tho, as they got older they thought it was a all you can drink buffet ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
Busy mum to Miss 15yrs, Miss 10yrs and Master 4yrs |
Alize still thinks it is on my days off from work lol