both sides or just one side?

[browneyedgirl9]

When you nurse do you nurse on both sides or just one side?

I have just been feeding on one side at each feeding, but he still is hungry after 20+ minutes of nursing. I will often have to give him a bottle of pumped milk after or if I'm out i supplement with an ounce or two of formula. But should i be offering him the other side instead?

My LC said to feed from one side per session, but I'm thinking he is draining the boob and still hungry.

What do you ladies do???

[Deleted]

Yes. Offer the second side. That was bizarre advice for an LC to give you. You can even offer the first side again after the second side!

[sporklemotion]

I offer both sides. I was told to offer the second side as "dessert," but my LO usually drains both sides. I think the idea is that you should do one side fully first, to insure that they get the fattier hind milk. It seems unnecessary to me to offer pumped milk instead of the other side-- so much more work!

As my supply has regulated, I've noticed my daughter getting fuller from one side than she used to, so things may change for you, too.

[curbsideprophet]

I would offer the second side if he is still hungry. We had latch issues in the early days so I let DD nurse as long as she wanted on one side. She could nurse for 45 minutes. She typically only took one side.

[Cricket0619]

I do both sides for about 15 min. Sometimes less if it's just a snack feeding. A nurse told me that you don't need to nurse longer then 15 min. and if the baby is still sucking it's most likely pacifying. I try to do 15 because they also said the fattier milk is at the end.

[AlpineSlide]

i just do one side and he's done in 15 minutes or less. but i think he is more of a snack eater during the day.

[Deleted]

Feb 15, 2014 10:29:45 GMT -5 mekiakoo said:

Oh! Thanks for asking this question, I'm also unsure.

My LC said aim for 15 mins per side and I find this kind of annoying because he doesn't seem to be done on one side before I switch him over to the other side.

But if I just feed him from one side then would it kind of reduce my supply? I read that if you have an oversupply, you should just feed from one side.

I'm confused. I would rather to let him finish one side first however how long it takes him to. But he could eat for an hour. So I just switch him after 15-20 mins. He's usually done after 30 mins though.

Am I doing this wrong?

You don't HAVE to switch before he unlatches, but there is probably a lot of comfort sucking going on in an hour. If you're in a hurry, do 15 min/side and call it done. If you're not in a hurry, let him hang out as long as you want. As long as you feed the baby, your supply will regulate to feed the baby. When you add in other food, your supply will decrease accordingly.

You're not doing it wrong. There are lots of ways to do it right, not just one.

[curbsideprophet]

I never had supply issues from feeding on one side.

[auberge]

95% of the time just one side.

[AHappierHour]

Just one side. I have tried both sides and he ends up spitting it all up.

[kangaroo11]

Feb 15, 2014 11:13:59 GMT -5 @starry said:

My child would've hung out on a boob forever no matter what. When she was wee, I cut her off at about 20 minutes on the first side, and then moved to 15 minutes around 2-3 months. Towards the end, she managed to cut herself down to 10 minutes per side... she loved to nurse!

This is what I did. She would eat both sides until about 6 months when she got really efficient. Then she would go an hour between sides plus eating solids. 

[countthestars]

During a growth spurt Dd takes both sides, but she usually only takes one.

[sookie]

If she's full after one side, which she normally is, we do one. If she wants more we switch once she's done on the first size.

I wouldn't feed and then pump instead of offering a second side, even 20 minutes later.

[browneyedgirl9]

Thanks! I have tried offering both sides for his feedings today and he nursed on both sides for 20min and seemed much more satisfied.

[212]

I block fed due to a hind/foremilk imbalance and so I just got in the habit of one boob per feeding.

[Ashley&Scott]

M usually only fed from one side when he was little. But I would switch to the second side as needed, usually after 20 min or so.

[teatimefor2]

I've always nursed from both sides. DS has always been a both side baby.

[vmars]

Both sides. He will fall asleep after one side if he's done. He fusses if he wants the other boob. I cut off after 30 mins per side or if I can tell he's just comfort nursing for a while.

[redpenmama]

It depends. If it's been a while since he last nursed and I feel full on both sides, I switch him. If I'm not super full and he's having a snack or comfort nursing, I usually just keep him on one side. I try to do both sides in the MOTN just in case he goes a long stretch (wishful thinking) -- I don't want to wake up super engorged.

[drink227]

I usually only nurse one side. I put her back on the same side after she burps. If she's still hungry after that I'll put her on the second

[yoteach]

Mostly just one side, except first nurse in the morning (or after a long stretch of sleep) and first feeding when she gets home from daycare, when I'll offer the other side but she doesn't always take it.

Eta: both my girls have been extremely efficient nursers usually never taking much more than 10 minutes to fully empty a side.

[MadamePresident]

Sometimes I did just one. Other times I did both. Now Nods really likes to switch and will go back and forth like 3 of 4 times. I don't think there is any "correct" way and you should just follow your baby's cues.