Well Taylor is a good feeder if I put him on the left side, but when I attempt to put him on my right boob he absolutely fights it the whole way, eventually I do get him attached. But it takes alot of time and effort. It isn't like I have always fed on 1 side, is this normal??
I had this happen with all 3 of my daughters and from reading the replies it seems like a fairly common thing to happen. All of my daughters grew up healthy so I don't think it damaged them at all. They all favored my left side, and it did cause my left boob to be a bit larger than the right. Not enough that others noticed. I think I'm the only one that did notice. I always got "milk fever" is what my grandmother called it. I would make so much milk, I practically drowned my babies because the milk came down so fast and it would even start spraying. So the poor baby was gasping trying to keep up and end up getting milk all in their face. By my 3rd child I found it easier to let some of the milk out first - I had so much extra in the freezer that I started giving it to my sister. She had her baby a month after me and she didn't breast feed. (She told me her son didn't want formula after having my breast milk). There was no pumping necessary. all I had to do was hold a clean canning jar to catch the milk. (That's what I used) Once I stopped spraying my daughter could nurse without getting a shower.
I don't know for certain but my personal opinion is that maybe it was more comfortable being snuggled on the left side. I'm right handed and when I hugged her or rocked her (and my other babies and grandchildren) my left arm is used. I feel a bit awkward when I hold them with my right arm. Holding them with my left arm left my dominant arm free to do things (picking up things or adjusting a blanket, when I shopped I held my babies in my left arm and shopped with the right. I never used baby seats like women use them now). I really think it was just a matter of preference on both our parts.
Other than lop sided boobs it caused no harm that I could see. I sure hope you are having lots of fun with your little one. They make life such a pleasure.
When my babe was just a few weeks old I developed a painful abscess in my left boob - she refused to drink from that side and as the abscess was there undetected for about three weeks, it got worse and then finally I had to have a few visits to the hospital to get it drained - eek! Seven weeks later (and four course of antibiotics - and finally me changing my diet to cut out all sugar, wheat and dairy) it cleared up and by that time my daughter was used to feeding on the right side. She is still only feeding on the right side and she is now two - we had to supplement with formula for a while but as soon as she started to eat solids, we gradually took her off the formula and just gave her my milk whenever she wanted it. According to what I have read on the subject, our breasts are amazing when it comes to feeding out babes - and it is actually quite common for a baby to favour one side. You could contact La Leche League or start reading 'The Green Parent' magazine which always has a really good article about breasfeeding. In fact, if you wrote to the editor they might even write an article abut baby drinking from one side - there must be more people like us out there! All the best x
My daughter only even fed on the left. I have differen sized nipples, so she just struggled to latch on the right. I fed her with no problems until 10 months when she started biting. That became an issue only because I couldn't switch her to the other side. After 2 weeks of bleeding after every feed, I weaned her off.
By the time my lad came along 10 months later, I was so used to feeding just on the left that I struggled to adjust to both sides. I decided fairly early on that I was too uncomfortable, so again only fed him on the left. He was a really big feeder and was more than happy on the one side - so much so that he fed to about 28 months before I decided I wanted my boobs back! I did get a little lop-sided but by the end it was minimal and now there is no obvious difference in size. In my experience, feeding him in a way that worked for me and him made the experience better for boht of us. I wasn't forever trying to get him to feed in a way that seemed odd to me and it was all fine. Perfectly easy to do, so stick with whatever works.
Hi Queenie. i am in the same boat with my daughter. - she only feed off the left side. I had found through expressing that i only have a most 10ml of milk from the right side and although one on she feeds for a bit, it takes a lot of effort for her to suck and get anything substantial. I've tried to keep feeding to see if that increased supply and i've even taken some herbal supplements but no increase in supply. I guess i am just a one boobie feeder!!
my son did this for a while. I used to hold him in a different position to feed him on his less preferred side and it worked. It tricked him into thinking he was feeding on his favourite side.
If it doesn't improve, maybe even consider a visit to a chiropracter or osteopath... could be something really simple, and often one tiny adjustment is all that's required. (There is probably even more reason to see an osteo if it was a very quick or very long labour - mine was very quick and my little one needed just two adjustments)
Favouring one side is quite common, and professionals such as osteopaths know exactly what to do. Anyway, just another option to consider if you're still worried.
Oh dear this brings back memories both my girls when they got to a certain age preferred the left side my left stored more milk and was a lot quicker and the nipple was a different shape I still put then on the other side but it eventually just produced even less milk so yes that was normal for me it happened with both girls 2 years ten months apart.
LJ always preferred the right side- the nipple is alot bigger (sorry TMI) and I think it had a better let down. He fed reluctantly from both sides until he got to about 8 months and then refused the left boob altogether- so that one dried up and the other produced double the milk, until he weaned himself at 12 months. Makes one a bit lopsided but women who have had a singe mascetomy can still breastfeed so I wouldn't worry about it. Keep offering it but if he fights it let him have the other.
My MIL had a similar prob with both her kids, she had open heart surgery in her 20's back in the day when they used to crack you right open and stitch you up like Frankenstein- she swears the babies hated the scarred side as the letdown was less good. So I gather it is pretty normal.
I had a problem with Krystana like this once (she preferred my right side, and would fuss on my left), and when I went to the doc's next (for another unrelated issue) I found out she had a slight ear infection in her left ear. This was why she was preferring to feed on the right side - it allowed her ear to drain a little (as it was facing the floor), whereas on my left side her sore ear would face upwards and thus any fluid would pool in the ear and cause more pain.
Not saying this is your issue, but is worth looking into.
My left boob has had more milk for both my children. My older son preferred the left side, which I tend to call the crazy boob (my boob, not my son). While my little guy prefers the right boob. The crazy boob nearly drowns him. They both ate from both sides, but grudgingly. If the boob he likes is crazy then 2 feedings on that side then 1 from the other, so its fuller, is awesome advice. If its the other way around, maybe try pumping a little first to minimize the whole drowning effect. I think its totally normal for a babe to have a preference, finding the reason may help with balancing the boobs.
My boy is completely opposite he will take the preferred side then has no fuss on the non-preferred side, it will take me 10 - 15 mins to attach him if I offer the non-preferred side 1st but if I offer it 2nd it takes less than a minute.
It may just be that your milk flows better on one side then the other, i would not push it to much. You are extremely lucky to have a child that will take the breast and will still feed off one side. If your extremely worried i would go to your local nurse or doc.
Just got bak from the nurse and I found out the side of his head that lies on my arm when feeding on his preferred side is a bit flat so that might have somethin to do with it.
My kids always preferred my left to my right for some reason, and I feel more comfotable feeding this way also. Not sure why! My bub feeds better off the right if I lie down on the bed with her.
I had a similar experinece with both of my children. They both preferred one side and I had to fight with them to feed on the other. I started to do 2 feeding in a row on the preferred side and then one on the other. It worked for me. I do not know why they did that. It may have been a issue with milk in that breast or simply a comfort thing.
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They all favored my left side, and it did cause my left boob to be a bit larger than the right. Not enough that others noticed. I think I'm the only one that did notice. I always got "milk fever" is what my grandmother called it. I would make so much milk, I practically drowned my babies because the milk came down so fast and it would even start spraying. So the poor baby was gasping trying to keep up and end up getting milk all in their face. By my 3rd child I found it easier to let some of the milk out first - I had so much extra in the freezer that I started giving it to my sister. She had her baby a month after me and she didn't breast feed. (She told me her son didn't want formula after having my breast milk). 
There was no pumping necessary. all I had to do was hold a clean canning jar to catch the milk. (That's what I used) Once I stopped spraying my daughter could nurse without getting a shower. 
