Rob asks why it's recommended that both breasts be offered during a feed,
and  'If milk is made continuously during a fed shouldnt a baby stay on
the first breast until completely satified? Why should the baby
want the second side? Does the milk flow slow down as the
feed continues?'

Yep, see my previous post, a baby stays on side number one until h/she
doesn't want to stay on any more, or gives signs that h/she's 'finished'.
Then a typical pattern would be that there's a little break for a breather
or a burp, and the second side is offered if the baby looks as if it might
be accepted. But it's no big deal, is it? The baby might take it, or be too
zonked and full to even want to show the slightest bit of interest. If he
wants it, he may want the  extra sucking, the change of scene (!), the slug
of foremilk he will get with the first few sucks - who knows?  I don't
think it's especially helful to recommend both breasts at each feed - we're
better off recommending  following what the baby seems to want, as long as
the baby is healthy.  That way we're more likely to get it right!

The flow does tend to change as the feed progresses, and probably overall
tends to slow - at least that's what we would typically  observe during a
feed when looking at the baby's suck/swallow. But flow is affected by the
mother's let-down(s) and by the baby's suck - n'est-ce pas?  Think there's
been some good academic work done on this, somewhere.

Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc UK