https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 11 Jul 2026 03:09:53 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-on-one-side-vs-nursing-on-both-sides#post-395522 Tue, 13 Nov 2012 15:38:09 +0000 KatieLynn 395522@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did one side per feeding due to oversupply and it has helped keep the supply manageable. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-on-one-side-vs-nursing-on-both-sides#post-395499 Tue, 13 Nov 2012 15:30:50 +0000 Sammyfab 395499@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We've always done both but sometimes he'll be done after one. For me, giving both sides is easier because then I don't have to figure out which side was nursed last since I've never really gotten engorged/full between feedings. </p> <p>When my LO was 8-9 weeks he was spitting up a ton...like a fountain. I had a bit of oversupply so I started just giving him one side so he would spit up less. He never cried for more but he started waking more at night. After that I always offered him both sides in the day and just one side at night, </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-on-one-side-vs-nursing-on-both-sides#post-395428 Tue, 13 Nov 2012 14:49:49 +0000 cvbee 395428@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I do one side per feeding and have since the start. LO is almost 7 months old. I gave the other way a try for a few days once but for some reason stopped; can't remember why. Most of my friends are 2-side nursers. I feel like with that way you have more to keep track of. I know which boob is next because it is more full. I don't need to think about when to switch. It just seems simpler. Soon LO won't nurse for as long and if you have a good deep latch it shouldn't hurt. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-on-one-side-vs-nursing-on-both-sides#post-395352 Tue, 13 Nov 2012 14:23:29 +0000 banana 395352@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I always do both sides. But if my LO only finishes one side, I always pump the other one to "even it out". </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-on-one-side-vs-nursing-on-both-sides#post-395278 Tue, 13 Nov 2012 14:02:03 +0000 KayKay 395278@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Starting from birth, I just nursed on one side at a time, and LO usually finished in under 10 minutes. Once she hit 6 months, LO started doing ~10 minutes on one side and then topping off with a couple minutes on the other side during her before-bedtime feeding...I think because my supply is lower in the evening, and she needs to hit both sides to get her fill.</p> <p>I think I had over-supply issues at first, which made it possible for LO to get enough from just one side. Now it's just what we do. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-on-one-side-vs-nursing-on-both-sides#post-395225 Tue, 13 Nov 2012 13:46:31 +0000 sarac 395225@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If you've been nursing on one side only, you're going to have a hard to switching to both. Your supply is calibrated to one side at a time. If you've had troubles with mastitis, I would hesitate to switch, personally. I've never had a problem doing either, but I've gotten really lucky with no mastitis. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-on-one-side-vs-nursing-on-both-sides#post-395117 Tue, 13 Nov 2012 13:12:55 +0000 pastemoo 395117@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO is 5.5 months and nurses one side at a time--and sometimes even block feeds the same side for a few times.<br /> Around 2 months I tried to offer both sides. That lasted maybe a couple weeks. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-on-one-side-vs-nursing-on-both-sides#post-395107 Tue, 13 Nov 2012 13:10:11 +0000 Pink Champagne 395107@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm similar to prettylizy, in that we do both sides every meal and are usually at 10 minutes per side. Lately, LO has wanted to spend a little more time eating, but in general I alternate which side I start on, let him nurse until he latches off, burp and offer him side #2. That way, I know that he at least drained one entire breast, and usually the 2nd as well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-on-one-side-vs-nursing-on-both-sides#post-395019 Tue, 13 Nov 2012 12:32:32 +0000 prettylizy 395019@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It was an evolution for us. At the beginning, it was 20mins per side at every feeding. Then after about 6ish weeks, we morphed into just one side per feeding, and she was finished in less than 20 mins. At 7ish months we've gone back to both sides every meal, but she's done each side in less than 10 minutes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-on-one-side-vs-nursing-on-both-sides#post-395005 Tue, 13 Nov 2012 12:28:33 +0000 purrpletulips 395005@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I nurse both sides but alternate which side I start on each time. I let DS nurse until he either starts comfort sucking (stops swallowing and my nipple starts to hurt) then switch him to the other side. He is usually on both breasts about two times a nursing session. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-on-one-side-vs-nursing-on-both-sides#post-394921 Tue, 13 Nov 2012 12:08:21 +0000 hellobeeboston 394921@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I actually alternate between one side per feeding and doing both. It depends how hungry he is... We are still eating every 2-3 hrs so it isn't too much time for me to get engorged. Sometimes he is just so sleeepy he only gets through one side. And sometimes I can tell he had emptied one side so I put him on the other - it depends! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-on-one-side-vs-nursing-on-both-sides#post-394890 Tue, 13 Nov 2012 11:58:05 +0000 hilsy85 394890@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Thehistoryofus: I do try to do this, especially if he only nur ses on one side.<br /> @mrskc: I almost always have to unlatch him off the first breast...most of the time he's 90% asleep, but of course starts sucking again once I move my finger near his mouth. It sounds like our LO is a very efficient nurser!<br /> @JessLC: okay that timing pattern sounds like my LO as well...except he rarely unlatches himself after 15 minutes on the first side. But if I unlatch him, he'll only take the 2nd side for 5 minutes or so, if at all. </p> <p>It sounds like most of your LOs will unlatch themselves when they're done. I feel like my LO won't do that until he's been on at least 30 minutes, or unless he falls asleep and my breast literally falls out of his mouth, lol. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-on-one-side-vs-nursing-on-both-sides#post-394778 Tue, 13 Nov 2012 11:23:30 +0000 sera_87 394778@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I alternate the breast I offer at each feeding depending on which feels fuller. We also bedshare/side-nurse at night so he always gets my right breast at his 3am &amp; 6am feedings. 99% of the time he's satisfied with one breast and very rarely nurses for more than 20 minutes (I think? I don't time it....but that seems about right), usually around the 10-12 minute mark.</p> <p>I would probably let your LO nurse for 20 minutes per side, if comfort sucking is an issue and not worry about offering both at one feeding. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-on-one-side-vs-nursing-on-both-sides#post-394723 Tue, 13 Nov 2012 10:59:54 +0000 SleepyMonkey 394723@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I take my cues from baby. I give her one side until she unlatches herself and then burp/change her and then offer the other side. Sometimes she takes it, other times she doesn't. She usually feeds between 9-15 mins first side and then shorter on the second...maybe 4-6 mins. If she is on for more than 12 mins on the first side, she often doesn't take the second. If she doesn't take the second side, it does get a little engorged but its not too bad. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-on-one-side-vs-nursing-on-both-sides#post-394655 Tue, 13 Nov 2012 10:29:43 +0000 mrsjazz 394655@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I started with nursing one side and now it depends on LO and whether or not I'm feeling a bit engorged. I offer both sides but she doesn't always want both sides. She's also easily distracted now. I do what @Thehistoryofus: said and alternate the sides I start on. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-on-one-side-vs-nursing-on-both-sides#post-394641 Tue, 13 Nov 2012 10:27:10 +0000 mrskc 394641@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it depends on the baby and how much milk each of your breasts hold. My LO almost always only takes one side and nurses about 8-10 minutes per side. Usually if he takes the other side he'll only nurse for a few minutes. But I make sure I alternate which side I start on. </p> <p>I think it's best to let him finish the first breast before offering the second. Do you have to unlatch him in order to offer the other breast? I can tell the difference when my LO is nursing compared to comfort sucking. I think it would be fine to unlatch if he's just comfort nursing and then offer the other breast. If he doesnt take it, then thats ok. He knows when hes had enough. I just my LO nurse until he pops himself off and he usually doesn't comfort suck for very long. Hope that makes sense. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-on-one-side-vs-nursing-on-both-sides#post-394606 Tue, 13 Nov 2012 10:13:46 +0000 T.H.O.U. 394606@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I started with nursing 1 side per session but eventually moved to nursing both sides. I think it helped her get more and my supply eventually evened out. </p> <p>One tip I heard was to alternate which sides you start on. So if Session 1 you nurse, Left then Right, on Session 2 nurse Right then Left </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-on-one-side-vs-nursing-on-both-sides#post-394562 Tue, 13 Nov 2012 09:54:21 +0000 hilsy85 394562@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So this is like my millionth post on breastfeeding, lol, Hopefully my last one (although I doubt that...)</p> <p>When LO was born, I was told that it was best to nurse on one side per feeding, and let him go as long as he wanted, usually with a max time of 45 minutes. I did this for about 3 weeks, and then due to developing mastitis, cracked/bleeding nipples, and having a lot of pain, our pedi told me that it would be better for me to nurse him on both sides for 10-15 minutes per feeding, as anything longer than that was really just comfort sucking.Doing it this way definitely helped my nipples heal.</p> <p>Now, however, I'm feeling like when I try to do both sides, he's not really fully emptying either breast. It's also sometimes hard to get him to latch onto the 2nd side, especially at night (I made another post about this yesterday). </p> <p>So what do you do--nurse both sides or one side? What are the pros/cons of each? I will add that with both methods, LO has had plenty of wet/dirty diapers and has been gaining weight, so he's obviously getting enough to eat. I also don't have a problem with low supply at all, and don't think I have an oversupply....LO will be 4 weeks on Thursday. </p>