Expert: ruth kraft - 1/27/2010

Question
My daughter is 3 months old and has recently started refusing to nurse from both breasts.  This started when I went back to work and she was drinking breastmilk from a bottle while I was working.  She now gets frustrated easily when nursing and will only drink from the first breast offered and will scream if I try to latch her onto the second.  She is still gaining weight appropriately but when I pump I'm only getting about 3 ounces out of a breast during a session.  I'm now staying at home with her so we have banished the bottles... any other suggestions?

Answer
If you are saying that when she nurses off the left side, then you offer the right side she refuses, then the next feeding you offer the right side and when you offer the left she refuses.. then you have nothing to worry about. Nursing off only one side is perfect. She is getting enough from that one side. I teach many moms that one side nursing is fine. As long as you switch sides when you start the next feeding. The only reason you need to start the next feeding on the other breast is so you don't get an A cup and the other side a D cup. Makes it hard to fit bras :) but as far as milk is concerned you can feed a baby on one breast alone . It just makes them match when you switch sides.

When you pump, keep in mind that the pump rarely will get as much as a baby will. Babies are much more efficient. 3 ounces sounds great to me. As long as she is gaining and doing well, then you don't need to worry :)  

If you still pump at times to go out on date night etc... you can pump and save up if you want. If you feel supply gets lower, you can try to take mothers milk tea or fenugreek capsules, and drink matemucil. this will help keep flow moving. But you really don't need to do that at the sounds of things. Just nurse one breast each side. Offer the second, if she takes it good. if not, thats fine too :) Don't force it on her or she will associate nursing as bad :(

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