Another BF question :)

[Happybunny]

Sorry, to keep posting, but I am still getting the hang and you guys are really knowledgable!!

Should I be offering one or two boobs at each feed? Last week midwife just said do one. But I have been reading that I should do one, give her a break and then let her have some of the other boob if she wants it, then start the next feed on the boob I offered second.

What do/did you do or does it depend on your little one?

Also, how do you know if your boob is drained? I have quite big boobs and find it difficult to tell just by feeling. April feeds on one boob from between 15-30 mins...would that be long enough to drain one?

 

[leckershell]

I was always told to only offer the second if he was taking himself off the first one and seeming still hungry.. The milk comes out in different thicknesses, so to get to the thicker more-filling milk they have to suck the watery milk out first. If you keep swapping boobs, they only get the thin milk which doesn't fill them up so they feed more often. And honestly you do get used to when one feels more full than the other, it's just time and experience and then you start getting the hang of how things feel.. give it a few weeks and everything will be sorting itself out - the first few weeks can be tough, so stick in there cos it's worth it and things will muddle themselves along until you realise you've got the hang of it and you're both in an accidental routine x

 

[KJ]

Hiya,

I did one boob per feed for quite a few weeks. Asher seemed very satisfied and it was good for me, as my nipples were so sore, at least they only had to do every other feed if that makes sense! It gave the last one a chance to heal before it got sucked to pieces again!

I did swap to 2 boobs per feed when he was abotu 4 weeks old.

K.xx

 

[Becky]

I was told always to empty one side before changing to the other. If LO is suckling but doesn't seem to be getting anything then try the other side, otherwise, just stick to one per feed. LO will soon let you know if they aren't getting anything!

 

[valentine]

I've always done one boob per feed, but I don't have a particularly hungry baby. Its always worked well for us and apart from during growth spurts, she's never indicated that a boob is empty.

Valentine Xxx

 

[Squiglet]

There is probably some left afterwards tbh ...keep to the same boob a whole feed till she comes off herself ..then if she still seems hungry offer the other ...Dont swap half way through coz they need to get that hindmilk at the back and that can take a while but thats the stuff with all the fatty goodness

Just leave her on till shes finished then the next feed do the other ...I forget now and they never get chance to feel full lol ...I have to feel which one has more bulk and feed off that one lol


Oh I know when I run out coz she sucks the nip white and gets fussy and gives hunger command...and my boob feels saggy lol

exactly what she said..

 

[Xena]

I just do 1 boob per feed, it always seems to be enough for him

 

[andreag]

This isn't going to help much I don't think but I always offered second boob when she came off the first, and then offered the second one first for the next feed (I wore a handy braclet that I swapped to remind which boob to start with. When she went to sleep in between in the night, I changed her nappy then rather than before feed, and this would wake her up a bit to take the second boob. I have big boobs too, so during the day it was difficult to tell when they were full and empty, but you can usually hear/see them swallowing. she invariably did 10-15 mins on each side. She always grew well so that was what suited us. I think the recent Bradford study used this method as well.

 

[trixipaws]

melissa was "a good feeder" (thats what my MW said!) and yet she NEVER emptied a boob! i would feed just one side, then swap sides every 3-4 hours. worked well for me my supply was abundant