Breastfeeding Q&A

Question:

I’m struggling to get more milk on my right side. I pump about 5 oz on the left side and my baby latches on well on that side. On my left side I get 3 oz or nothing at all. Is this normal? And if it is how can I increase the right side supply? And what would be the cause for this! Thank you!

How can I increase milk supply on one side?

Answer:

It’s actually super common to have one side that produces much less milk than the other side. This can be caused by having less milk-making tissue in one breast or because of a side preference in your baby, where they nurse more on one side and then that side produces more milk. You say that sometimes you can get 3 oz from that side during pumping, which is great. Remember that pumps aren’t always a reliable way to tell how much milk you have and that babies are generally better at emptying the breast than a pump. It’s also normal for output to vary considerably during the day (you can usually pump more in the morning, for example). The bottom line is that if your baby is gaining weight well on your milk, and is generally happy and content, it’s okay if one breast seems to produce more than the other. If you have further questions about your supply or your baby’s weight gain, please reach out to your pediatrician.