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Any LCs or BFing experts? 1 breast or 2?

minirayminiray member
in Breastfeeding

I have a forceful let down and LO chokes and gulps while feeding and ends up with a lot of gas.  I have been block feeding/offering only one breast per feeding and also changed the position I use to nurse him (starting side lying and laid back nursing).  It doesn't seem to be helping much.  I met with a LC who advised me against feeding on one breast only.  She said doing that can cause a higher incidence of mastitis and blocked ducts.  Is this true?

As I posted below, she suggest I fed 3-4minutes on 1st breast, 3-4minutes on second then back to first to finish.  She said I should never feed from one breast only. 

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Re: Any LCs or BFing experts? 1 breast or 2?

  • tokenhosertokenhoser member

    Tons of moms feed from one breast per feeding. I did for a long time. Sometimes now he wants one, sometimes two. I've never had mastitis or a blocked duct.

    If you have a forceful let down, you could let him suck until he starts to choke, then take him off and spray into a towel for a bit, then relatch.

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  • minirayminiray member
    imagetokenhoser:

    Tons of moms feed from one breast per feeding. I did for a long time. Sometimes now he wants one, sometimes two. I've never had mastitis or a blocked duct.

    If you have a forceful let down, you could let him suck until he starts to choke, then take him off and spray into a towel for a bit, then relatch.

    Thanks for your reply.  I was hesitant to do what she suggested because it basically contradicted everything I've been told about block feeding and oversupply on kellymom and LLL.  But I didn't want to risk mastitis/block ducts.  So I wasn't sure what to do!  I think I will just continue doing 1 side/block feeding and see if my supply corrects in a few weeks.

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  • judahsmommy1judahsmommy1
    imagetokenhoser:

    Tons of moms feed from one breast per feeding. I did for a long time. Sometimes now he wants one, sometimes two. I've never had mastitis or a blocked duct.

    If you have a forceful let down, you could let him suck until he starts to choke, then take him off and spray into a towel for a bit, then relatch.

    This, exactly. I BFed on only one side until my son was 6-7 mo old at least. Then my supply adjusted. I never had a clogged duct or mastitis. With the forceful let down, I brought a wide rimmed mug with me and used it to collect the milk from let down. It was a convenient way to start a small freezer stash. 

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  • busterbeaglebusterbeagle member

    That is very strange advice.  Feeding on a timed schedule is generally never recommended.  You want LO to finish one breast before offering the other and it is fine to only feed from one if LO is satisfied.  Otherwise LO might be getting too much fore milk and not enough hind milk, which will only make gas worse.  I would find a new LC.  

     I should add that I have been feeding my DD from one side per feeding from very early on and I have only gotten a plugged duct once, and that was when I went back to work.  

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  • saymimsaymim

    I had this exact issue.  Forceful let-down and an oversupply.  Baby was miserable eating from both breasts and choking and had terrible gas all the time with greenish poop sometime.  Block-feeding from one breast for 2 hours at a time really helped.  Here is what fixed us until my supply could adjust:

     1) Let baby begin to nurse.  When you feel letdown begin, pull baby off (he'll probably pull off on his own) and let the extra flow into a towel.  As messy as this can be, you get used to doing it realllly well neatly.

    2) Once the flow lightens up, put baby back on.

    3) Use the same breast for the full two hours.  He won't get stomach issues this way.

     I used to get the occasional plugged duct, but I started taking 1200 mg of lecithin in pill form every 4-6 hours (usually 4 per day) and they have stopped since (knock on wood).  Plus, I don't know about you, but I'd rather hurt for one day every few weeks than have my baby in pain and fussy 24 hours a day, every day.  Hands down.  That LC doesn't really know what she's talking about here.  I don't know if you also have an oversupply, but if so, when you're feeding at home, try to feed topless a few times a day til your supply regulates...that will take care of the foremilk/hindmilk imbalance.

     I never feed from 2 breasts in one feeding because it causes baby tummy troubles for us and almost always results in him throwing up.  So what's the point?  It's great for people with typical flow, but not for people in our situation.

    The side-lying and laid back nursing didn't help me at first, but ended up being perfect for this issue around week 4.

    My supply regulated by week 8, which was great.  Good luck!

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  • BnchaNumsBnchaNums member
    I got the same advice from my lc and ended up with an oversupply.  During the transition to a single side, I did develop mastitis, but it went away quickly with antibiotics.  
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