What to do when a baby only wants to nurse from one breast?

What should you worry about regarding your child's behavior?

Babies who have developed a liking for a particular breast will strongly show their dissatisfaction with the other, "less loved" breast by tensing up, crying, and hitting the breast with their fists, pushing it away from them. The baby will deliberately turn their head, and even if you eventually manage to latch them on, they will quickly release the nipple without trying to latch on again.

What are the most common reasons a baby only feeds from one breast?

The baby prefers a particular breast because the milk flows more easily from it than from the other. This is due to individual differences in breast structure in every woman. It is rare to have a perfectly symmetrical structure.

Sometimes, the baby cannot feed from one breast due to physiological asymmetry, so the head has to be turned to one side only. Such asymmetry should disappear a few days after birth. If the positional asymmetry persists and the child clearly does not want to turn their head in both directions, you should consult a pediatrician or physiotherapist to rule out any more serious abnormalities. Some babies often prefer to feed from a particular breast because the position they are in is more comfortable for them.

Nipple shape can be a problem for the baby. Sometimes the baby doesn't want to drink from one breast because, for example, it has a flat nipple and it is harder for them to latch on. Sometimes the baby cannot feed from one breast because, when lying on that particular side, they feel pain, for example, at the vaccination site or due to an ear infection. Usually, in such cases, the baby previously eagerly ate from both breasts.

How to encourage your baby to feed from the "less loved" breast – 6 proven tips

1. If your baby prefers one breast during feeding, offer the "less loved" breast when they are very hungry or after a long break since the last meal.

2. If the reason for choosing a particular breast is a more comfortable position during breastfeeding, try positioning yourself differently than usual. If the baby previously preferred to feed in the classic side-lying position on the right side, put them to the other breast in the football hold position, on their back, or in the so-called "sideline" position, i.e., lying on their back.

3. In cases where the baby rejects the breast due to a flat nipple, you can try to improve its shape by expressing milk with a breast pump between feedings or by placing a special corrective pad on the breast.

4. A good method is also to start breastfeeding with the breast the baby skips. Only during the feed, switch breasts to the other, more loved one. This method will work well if you do not change the baby's position during feeding.

5. Before feeding, you can express a little milk and rub it on the nipple to encourage your baby.

6. You can try to feed your baby from the "less loved" breast when they are half asleep. A non-awake child will be indifferent to which breast they are drinking from, so you will avoid frowning.

If, despite everything, the baby still rejects one breast during feedings, consult a pediatrician to rule out any more serious causes for only wanting to feed from that particular breast.

Is it possible to feed a baby with only one breast?

A single breast is capable of producing enough milk, so there are no contraindications to breastfeeding a baby with only one breast. There are mothers who, for various reasons, decide on this method of feeding. However, in such a situation, you must take into account that there may be a disproportion in breast shape. To avoid this, you should regularly express milk with a breast pump from the unused breast. This will reduce the difference between the shape of the two breasts.

If you decide not to express milk with a breast pump, after a few weeks, lactation will stop in the breast that is not regularly emptied. You will also notice that the breast will be much smaller than the one from which the baby is still drinking milk. Fortunately, this is a reversible process. When you stop breastfeeding your baby after a certain period, the size difference should disappear.