Side preference when BFing?

[ladygrey]

L isn't even a week old yet and I think she's already developed a strong preference for my left breast over my right. She latches easier, feeds longer, and seems more content when she's on the left side. Is this normal for newborns or even older babies? Are there any ways to make nursing on the less-favored side easier? At the advice of one of my nurses in the hospital, I tried using both the cradle hold (my normal position for BF) and the football hold, but there doesn't seem to be much difference.

DH jokes that maybe my left boob is producing chocolate milk, hence the strong preference 

[ssmjlm]

I would still offer the right side. So if you alternate which side you start with keep that.

My left is a lot better than my right but I still alternate.

[havarti]

He started out preferring my left breast then switched to right a few weeks in. For us i think it had to do with let down. You might try side lying as lo will have better control of flow.

[dcn]

Ds has always preferred my right side. My left is kind of a dud production wise so he's just happier on the right! I offer the left side first as much as possible.

[AmyRI]

It could be a preference based on milk flow speed or on position. If it's milk flow, not much you can do since generally if one side starts out faster or let's down sooner, it's going to stay that way. Just keep offering it. If it's position, keep trying different holds out or consider a pediatric chiropractor to make sure everything is aligned well and it's not a tight neck or back that is making her uncomfortable.

[DarcyLongfellow]

Are you right handed? I have always preferred nursing a baby on my left breast because it keeps my right side freer for playing with my phone, etc. And both my girls seemed to do better on my left side -- I think because I'm right handed, so I do a better job latching them on the left because I use my right hand to position the baby. Even using football hold on right side it isn't as easy -- somehow it's just easiest for me to do cross cradle on the left side.

Definitely keep offering both equally. She's still teeny -- she'll figure out how to nurse on both sides soon :-)

[MadamePresident]

We both kind of prefer the left side. Its easier based on our sleeping position and even the way we sit on the couch to nurse. I do make sure that I offer the right side as often though, I don't want to get uneven, well more uneven than I already am at time.

[lolo]

Have you tried cross cradle for the other side?

[slug*bug]

DS started out preferring my left: it was a pain to keep him equaled out, but I really tried to resist the urge to give in and keep him on that side. As much as I dreaded switching to his less preferred side, we switched at each feeding. Eventually we found a hold that worked (for me it was the football hold.) As an added bonus, as he got bigger (and less wiggly) everything about BFing seemed to get easier, even on the less-preferred side. Hang in there!

By the time DD came around, I was a lot more comfortable with latches and different holds that I'd used with DS. Whether it was my experience (or just sheer luck) DD was more of an equal opportunity girl.

[Deleted]

Totally normal. DS was all about the right boob for most of his life, probably because I'm right handed and could hold him more easily in the crux of my right arm. As a result, righty became superboob and lefty dwindled. So I starting putting DS on lefty first at every feeding, to make sure lefty got drained every time (signaling my body to make more on that side). That technique worked, and from 6 months onward my supply was pretty even on both sides.

ETA: DS has always nursed in cross cradle hold, still does at 16 months old.

[prosecco]

Both my kids preferred my left side, I always got twice as much pumping that side too. I only ever nursed in cross cradle or side lying.

[prosecco]

Oops, forgot to say just keep offering both sides and nursing how you are most comfortable.

[loskadoodle]

Encourage the other side as much as possible. I wasn't good about it and my boobs were way lopsided for a while!