When I've seen a situation where supply is low on one side or for some other
reason baby isn't doing well on one side, I often sense that she feels if
she doesn't get both sides "equal" that breastfeeding won't work.  I like to
assure her early on that even in the worst case scenario if we don't find
and solve the cause, she can breastfeed successfully on only one side.
After all, moms with multiples can provide enough milk for two with two, so
she can provide enough for one with one.  She might want a couple extra bra
pads on the unused side for symmetry if she is wearing a tight garment, but
otherwise it isn't a big deal.  Then I tell her that I don't see that
happening in her case (unless there is a specific reason I suspect it might
be).  There are a number of things we can try to get baby nursing
effectively on both.

Some might say that this "sets her up" for failure at bilateral nursing, but
in most cases I see the mom relax and approach working on the problem
without the panic she exhibited at first.  One thing we need to be doing in
any assessment of nursing is to ask ourselves, "What is this mom really
worried most about?"  It isn't always what we think it would be!  If we
don't address her primary worry, all the good, logical, practical,
evidence-based suggestions we can offer will fall on deaf ears.

 

Winnie


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