https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 01 May 2026 10:14:53 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-offer-both-sides#post-1842653 Fri, 29 Aug 2014 23:53:58 +0000 QBbride 1842653@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I always offer both sides. For some reason I could never feel whether the one side was drained but I would just switch when it had been awhile or if he seemed less interested. Then next feed I'd start with the boob I left off with, so I'd try to make sure he got the hind milk too. My son is 14 months and still nursing, so I feel like it must have worked. I allllllways questioned what I was doing though!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-offer-both-sides#post-1842629 Fri, 29 Aug 2014 22:20:36 +0000 fairy 1842629@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I always did one side at a time. If she was restless or still hungry after that, I would offer the other but that rarely happens. She's 14 months and still just one side at a time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-offer-both-sides#post-1842569 Fri, 29 Aug 2014 20:53:12 +0000 BabyBoecksMom 1842569@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I always fed from only one side at a time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-offer-both-sides#post-1842566 Fri, 29 Aug 2014 20:52:33 +0000 Mrs. Oatmeal 1842566@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>She was always a one side at a time eater. There were a few times, where she was going through growth spurts, where she would have both sides at once, but that was rare.<br /> Now that she's a year, she'll have both sides at one feeding, because she only nurses a few times a day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-offer-both-sides#post-1842543 Fri, 29 Aug 2014 20:33:39 +0000 catomd00 1842543@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I let DD empty one side first. I would them offer the second but it wasn't until 3-4 months when she started taking both sides in one feeding. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-offer-both-sides#post-1842533 Fri, 29 Aug 2014 20:23:33 +0000 Adira 1842533@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Xander always took both sides. In the beginning, he was pretty sleepy, so after about 15 minutes on one side, I would switch him to the other. As he got older, it became easier because he'd pop off on his own after draining one side and then I knew to switch him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-offer-both-sides#post-1842530 Fri, 29 Aug 2014 20:18:53 +0000 Kemma 1842530@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@thismustbetheplace: my lo was a major comfort sucker and she would "accidentally" over feed herself if I let her hang out on the boob after she'd finished actively eating. For us the spitting up was a combo of fast flow, a gulpy windy latch and her love of boobs :-) and I feel you on the pain but it will get better! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-offer-both-sides#post-1842506 Fri, 29 Aug 2014 19:55:51 +0000 Lindsay05 1842506@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Aww hugs mama. Don't feel bad! I had so many questions the second time around as well! I did always offer both sides. It doesn't hurt to at least try and baby should decide if he wants more. You are doing GREAT! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-offer-both-sides#post-1842488 Fri, 29 Aug 2014 19:30:01 +0000 thismustbetheplace 1842488@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@stargal: Thank you for asking this! As a FTM i'm having the same issue...<br /> LO always feeds off of both sides. My supply has never been that great so I assumed he needed all he could get. He doesn't detach himself ever- he falls into semi-consciousness and just chews away (ouch), so I pull him off when I can feel that he's not actively sucking. Then I burp, switch to the other side and repeat. He does spit up after almost every feeding, but for some reason I was under the impression that BF was self limiting/baby led? In other words you can't "overfeed" a BF baby? I mean he takes the second boob every time.. Maybe I've been doing it wrong... :bummed:</p> <p>As someone who still has a ton of pain during BFing, the idea of giving one side a rest every other feed sounds incredible... *jealous* </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-offer-both-sides#post-1842414 Fri, 29 Aug 2014 17:46:34 +0000 Dandelion 1842414@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have an over supply, so I only use one side per feeding. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-offer-both-sides#post-1842403 Fri, 29 Aug 2014 17:21:13 +0000 Kemma 1842403@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In the early days I would feed one side then burp and change LO before offering her the other side. Once my supply was established I usually only offered one side because she was a happy chucker and two sides usually resulted in a power chuck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-offer-both-sides#post-1842395 Fri, 29 Aug 2014 17:07:46 +0000 daniellemybelle 1842395@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had low supply so when she was a newborn she was never "done." So I would switch sides after 20-30 minutes. As she got older I would switch sides frequently in a session because she would get frustrated when the flow of milk slowed after a letdown.</p> <p>Now that she is 10 months we nurse for comfort &amp; "snacks," so I still offer the second side but she usually just takes a sip &amp; is over it. I guess I could probably not offer both but I feel like it's good for my supply to have stimulation on both breasts every time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-offer-both-sides#post-1841746 Fri, 29 Aug 2014 08:22:05 +0000 lamariniere 1841746@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've BF both of my babies and I almost always only offer one side. The exception was during a growth spurt in the first 3 months, then I would offer whatever they would take! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-offer-both-sides#post-1841741 Fri, 29 Aug 2014 08:19:29 +0000 Rockies11 1841741@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't because she was hard to unlatch and I still don't 14 months later. I did panic about it a lot, though, alternating between panicking that she wasn't getting enough hindmilk and panicking that you're supposed to switch (though I don't even remember now why you're supposed to). I think either way is totally fine - your supply adjusts accordingly. So my vote is do what makes sense for you and baby! I also read lots of ways to remember which side you did last, but I found the easiest way is to just give your boobs a squeeze and then offer the fullest one, which is apparent when you squeeze them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-offer-both-sides#post-1841740 Fri, 29 Aug 2014 08:17:28 +0000 Foodnerd81 1841740@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I always have, with the exception of motn feedings after she was a few months old, then I would just do the one side to get her back to sleep. </p> <p>She is 13 months now so it's easy enough to tell when she is ready for the other side, but when he was little I just waited until she Unlatched, or it had been a long time on that side and I could feel that it was empty. She's never really been satisfied with just one side. </p> <p>I used the similac app to keep track of when she nursed and which side we started with for almost her entire first year! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-offer-both-sides#post-1841733 Fri, 29 Aug 2014 08:09:50 +0000 Mrs. Bee 1841733@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i usually did because olive could nurse for hours if i let her. it is important to empty one side though so they get that rich hindmilk and not just the foremilk. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-offer-both-sides#post-1841731 Fri, 29 Aug 2014 08:08:48 +0000 Beebug 1841731@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did in early days/weeks, but now just one side at a time. I'm awful at remembering what side I fed last though!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-offer-both-sides#post-1841728 Fri, 29 Aug 2014 08:07:38 +0000 illumina 1841728@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Most of the time, LO didn't take the 2nd breast until she was a few months old. The only exception was the fussy/cluster feeding period in the early evening when I would keep swapping sides because she was fussing on the 1st side so I assumed she couldn't get anything else out of it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-offer-both-sides#post-1841727 Fri, 29 Aug 2014 08:06:29 +0000 Ms.SK 1841727@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is what we are here for! Don't feel bad for asking, it is a good thing to get help. Since I fed twins, I always was "feeding on both sides" :grin: But it is suggested to feed a singleton until they unlatch (you could burp if you choose but it isn't necessary with a breastfed baby) and then offer the other side. If baby falls asleep on the first side let them sleep and offer the other side first at your next feeding. </p> <p>Some Mom's wear a bracelet on the wrist they offer first so that they know which side is which. You would swich the wrist on the next feeding.</p> <p>I am still going strong EBF twins at 26 months so feel free to wall me with any tips you may need. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-offer-both-sides#post-1841724 Fri, 29 Aug 2014 08:04:52 +0000 T.H.O.U. 1841724@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@stargal: it depends. You should try to pretty much empty a breast before moving on. In the newborn days that can be hard in one sitting so one breast may be enough. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-offer-both-sides#post-1841718 Fri, 29 Aug 2014 08:00:41 +0000 mrsjyw 1841718@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS used to almost always take both sides! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-offer-both-sides#post-1841710 Fri, 29 Aug 2014 07:57:07 +0000 LBee 1841710@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I let him finish one side and then offer the other. I don't aggressively push the second side though - sometimes he's just full! I alternate which side I start with, as I started to notice that I was getting engorged on just one side when I wasn't </p> <p>Full disclaimer: I've only been at this for a little over 2 weeks, but I know he's gaining weight and seems happy, so I think I'm doing something right? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-offer-both-sides#post-1841706 Fri, 29 Aug 2014 07:50:56 +0000 stargal 1841706@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In one sitting? How long til you offer the other boob if you do?</p> <p>I know in probably driving everyone nuts with all my questions in bfing, just feeling a little overwhelmed and have no idea what I'm doing. </p>