So I have been breastfeeding Theori since she was born. we supplement formula because she is a big baby and had really bad jaundice for a while that was caused by my breast milk.
I am having an issue. I seem to have one breast that is overproducing and is larger than the other. I know this must seem so selfish but I am bothered by the one breast being larger. I am truly afraid it will stay that way....( and I have severe body issues so it doesn't help matters). also I have been trying to pump the breast that produces less to see if I can get it back up to speed...( theori never liked that boob because it was pierced and the nipple is a little different)
Can anyone shed some light on if my boobs are going to go back to being the same size and what I can do to help relieve the engorgement in the overproducing boob, or at least slow down milk production so it is even with the other one?
i'd say try to encourage yr lil on to use the breast she doesn't like as much first, maybe let her have the one she likes and then put her back on the first one - Also your boobs will go back to their new normal at the same rate, at least i think mine did. Oh and how old is she?
Lopsided here too, and have been for years. For the same reason too - both my kids have preferred the breast that didn't previously have a piercing in it. I thought it was just me! I haven't stopped nursing in between babies so I can't say for sure but I assume they must eventually go back to their previous size right. Not too worried about it. I do sometimes wear bras with molded cups to make them seem more even though if I'm concerned.
Not really sure what to do about the over/underproduction.. How old is she now? I find the first 6 weeks or so your milk supply is still adjusting so it should probably even out. This is your best chance to cut the formula out too, since it's still early, and then you can get her to do the extra nursing she needs to do on the side she doesn't use as much to build up the supply, or at least I'd try that.
Good luck mama, I know it's hard in the beginning.
she is three weeks old. I have been successful over the last few days getting the supply up in the other boob. it now is almost the same size as the other. I feel like i cannot remove the formula because no matter how long i let her eat she is never satisfied. She will still nurse with me for 30 minutes or more but looks like she is still starving after i stop.
i have been doing 20 minutes on the under producing boob and 15 on the normal side. I have noticed a decrease or leveling out in the other one since i have done this so i guess thats a start.
Yeah, start with the one she doesn't like so much when she is hungry, and keep encouraging her on that side. Also keep pumping in between if it helps you feel better. My son was premature and it took several months for him to really get with the whole program of nursing, but he was eventually a champ.
I would also add that if you can avoid formula supplements it will probably help some. My preemie was so droopy he would have gone for the easy bottle over the difficult breast, and I needed him to nurse to stabilize my milk production. Though I know you have a slightly different situation with the jaundice. Maybe if you just switch the schedule around somehow that would help? This is also largely about each unique baby, so her own habits and preferences might be good guidance. What worked for my son would not have worked for my daughter, though I didn't change at all!
In terms of how you look, I would predict you will go back to 100% normal afterwards. Most people I know have reverted to pre-nursing shape and size.
Good luck!! x
Like some women said here already, try to pump and feed from the breast that is not liked as much. It took my Bubs months to be OK with both, he preferred the left side. And eventually my breasts evened out.
We are all different and our children are all different. For most Mummies at different times in your milk production you will have one breast that is larger than the other.
If it is hurting you, you can use hot compresses and use hand expression to relieve some of the milk in the enlarged breast.
It's not selfish to feel this way. Your body will be changed forever from having a baby and that can be a really scary thing. I do know some people who have gotten close to their pre-baby body but does that make them happier or more attractive than the many who do not?
Hang in there Hunny! It sounds like you are doing great with yours and Theori's situation. You'll look back at this one day and think, "What champs we were!"
i had a similar issue. i can assure you they go back ;)
Thanks everyone! We have been doing better but she still isn't satisfied lately an her poop has gone green. I am assuming it is a foremilk/ hindmilk imbalance. I am going totry block feeding to fix that now. This is so hard ;(
I had that problem with this baby at first too. One boob was like a whole cup size larger. Like pps said, I started on the less producing side and then switched. Now at 3.5 months she only nurses from one side at a time so I sometimes pump from the other side when I'm done. I was also having a hindmilk problem and that's when I started feeding that way. Good luck!
I have fixed the hind milk issue and the boob issue! Thanks everyone for the help, I really appreciate it. we are still supplementing 2 oz of formula because she is always hungry but wev are back to yellow poop!
It's already said, but definitely one thing that will help is to try and rebalance by using the other one more, offer it more and pump more, if you default to the other side because she takes it more, it'll keep up. Can I just say btw, that I love her name?