Trish queried:
 
I'm wondering what everyone thinks about this advice - offer  both breasts 
at each feeding? I think this may be outdated information knowing  what we 
know about hindmilk now. 

But I frequently encounter women given  this advice. Am I wrong? I just 
tell them to put the baby on their breast and  let it nurse as long as it wants 
to. When he comes off on his own, burp him and  if he's done it's fine. If 
the baby seems to want more, put him on the other  side. Opinions?
 
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Good question, Trish.  The number of babies that have  come into my office 
with low weight gain and mom's low supply is legion -- and  the advice many 
have been given (starting with The Baby Whisperer) is to nurse  on one side 
only per feeding.  And, by the way, this is the advice that my  mother was 
given in 1946 -- one side only, preferably on a 4 hour  schedule. 
 
A couple of things to think about:  Breast stimulation --  breasts NEED 
that stimulation -- in Chicago we vote early and vote often.   We need to be 
telling moms to breastfeed early and breastfeed often -- both for  stimulation 
for adequate milk production as well as baby getting  enough.
 
I was able to explain to my own mom why she didn't have  enough milk.  It 
was the schedule AND the advice to nurse only on one  side.  Not enough 
breast stimulation.  
 
The hind milk issue will take care of itself.  Let babies  do what they 
normally do.  Breastfeed using breast compressions to  stimulate him to 
continue nutritive sucking.  When he is done breastFEEDING  on that side, not 
responding to compressions, take him off and offer the second  side.  If he 
doesn't want it -- then don't worry about it.  A lot of  babies stop FEEDING and 
close their eyes, but will continue "nursing" but not  transferring any 
milk.  Always offer the second side.  Teach the  mothers the difference between 
FEEDING (or drinking, as Jack N refers to it) and  just hanging out.  
 
If a mom has oversupply, one breast per feeding is good.   If she has 
undersupply, then do switch nursing -- right, left, right,  left.  Sometimes 
babies will do right, left, right -- and then are  satiated.  That's how we get 
one breast, two breasts, three breasts,  four....
 
Jan Barger, RN, MA, IBCLC, FILCA
_www.lactationeducationconsultants.com_ 
(http://www.lactationeducationconsultants.com)  
Wheaton IL







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