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One Breast Producing More Milk – Is It Normal?
Doctors recommend exclusively breastfeeding babies for the first 6 months of their life. However, breastfeeding a baby isn’t always as easy as it sounds. Breastfeeding comes with its own complications. Sometimes, one of your breasts feels fuller than the other or one breast has a faster let-down reflex (release of milk from the breast). Video : One Breast Produces More Milk Than the Other – Is It Normal?Keep reading to understand why there are differences in breast milk supply, and how you can increase milk supply in both the breasts. Is It Normal for One Breast to Produce More Milk?Breasts produce milk according to the demand-and-supply rule. So, if you or your baby prefers, say the left breast over the right one, the left breast will produce more milk than the other. This could lead to low milk production in the other breast, which is quite normal. When your body senses that there is a greater requirement for milk from one side, it produces a larger quantity of breast milk on that side to meet the increased demand. What Causes an Uneven Production of Milk in the Breasts?There are several reasons for the uneven production of breast milk in a nursing mother. Some of them are: 1. The Baby/Mother Has a Breast PreferenceIf your baby favours one breast over the other and feeds more on the preferred side, there will be more milk supply in one breast. In nursing mothers, continuously breastfeeding on one side produces more milk in that breast. That’s because milk production and let-down reflex are triggered by the baby’s suckling. 2. Surgeries and InjuriesIf one of your breasts has been operated on, milk production may reduce in that breast. Injuries can also affect breast milk production. If you’ve sustained an injury to a particular breast in the past, it may have damaged the milk ducts and reduced milk production. 3. Anatomical DifferencesBoth the breasts aren’t exactly the same. One breast can have more milk ducts than the other. The structure of the nipples also varies. It may be easy for your baby to latch on to the nipple of one breast than the other. 4. Variations in Let-Down ReflexThe force with which milk is released from the breasts also makes a difference. If the let-down reflex in one breast is less forceful than the other, the baby may not prefer to feed on that breast. Alternately, if the let-down is too forceful, the baby may have trouble swallowing quickly and may not prefer that side. How to Encourage Equal Milk Production in Both the BreastsThere are some things you can do to stimulate your breasts to produce the same quantity of milk. Here they are:
Does an Unequal Production of Milk Affect Your Baby?As long as you nurse on demand, your baby will get enough breast milk to fulfil his nutritional needs. Even if one breast produces less milk, the other breast will produce more milk to compensate. You need not worry if you are feeding only from one breast as there are mothers who just feed from one side. The size of the breasts may differ, but you can feed from both sides equally to compensate for it. All mothers have a different experience of breastfeeding their babies. You may panic if one of your breasts produces less milk but there’s no need to worry as long as you are feeding with the other breast. Your health also plays an important role in the production of breast milk, so take ample rest, eat nutritious foods and stay hydrated. Also Read: Foods That Increase Production of Breast Milk
What to do if one breast is producing more milk than the other?In addition to increasing the frequency that you pump or breastfeed from the underproducing side, Bermudez suggests doing breast compressions (gentle squeezing of the breast) when nursing to help your milk flow. You can also try hand expressing or pumping after feedings.
Which breast usually produces more milk?Conclusions: These findings suggest that differences in the milk output from the right and left breasts are common, and that milk output is often greater from the right breast.
How do you fix uneven supply?How to Fix an Uneven Milk Supply. Always begin a feeding session on the breast that has the lower production; baby is likely to feed more actively and attempt to “empty” the breast they begin on.. Once baby is done feeding on that side or is showing signs that milk isn't flowing anymore, move baby to the other breast.. Why is my milk supply uneven?What causes uneven milk supply when you're breastfeeding? After the first few weeks, milk supply is controlled locally, within each breast, so it makes sense that they might produce different amounts.
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