Extended breastfeeding -- only feeding on one side

mythreeboysandadog

I nursed my first two DSs until they were 12 months old and then switched to WCM.  My third DS turned one a few weeks ago, and I am not ready to stop.  I still feed him morning and night, but no longer pump during the day. The only issue is that rightie has all but given up on me, but leftie is still going strong.  Leftie has always been a stronger producer, and actually the only side I could get to trigger let down.  I would always have to start on the left and then immediately switch to the right depending on which side needed to go first.  

Anyway, my question is has anyone successful nursed on only one side and let the other one dry up?  Up to this point, I still offer rightie, but I think he only gets drops.  It seems like more headache than it is worth.

Would love to know if anybody else has strange boobs like me, and if feeding on just one side worked.

MamaMD

My left is also the stronger producer though I don't have the same letdown issue as you (both of mine seem to letdown fine). My LO is 18 months (today) and nursing just morning and night. I have certainly noticed that since my supply started dropping, she is sometimes not interested in the right breast and will pull off there after 2-3 minutes or less. When that happens, I just put her on the left and then offer the right after she's done on the left. Sometimes she will take it, sometimes not. There have been days when she is only on the left and barely on the right and it still seems to be OK. I have no idea how much she's actually getting on either breast but she drinks WCM and eats pretty well so I din't worry too much about it.

Bunnyfer

Another one boob only person. My left has also been my "good" boob, and my right just kinda got by. I always had poor output from the right side. Now that we nurse so little, she either always gets the left or in the case of the morning nurse, will start on the left, then lay across my chest and hit the right up...then back to left, and then right...this goes on for about another 10m till she is done. She seems happy with it, so thats what I am going with

MRoxy0628

My daughter stopped nursing from my left boob a few months ago.  I'm not really sure why?  Sometimes she'll give it a try again, but pulls off very quickly and shakes her head.  She now specifies she wants to nurse from my right boob by saying "this one!".  She's 2 now though, so I'm not too worried about it.  I'm glad to see you posted this though, because I was wondering too.

mythreeboysandadog

Thank you so much for all of your replies.  It makes me feel better to see that it has worked for others.  The last few days, I have only offered one side, and it seems to be working.  It definitely makes breastfeeding more enjoyable, since he is not fighting the other side.