Uneven supply--one breast has more!

[@llli*andie613]

I recently started pumping since I'll be returning to work pt (baby is 10 weeks old, bf exclusively since birth), and I've noticed that one breast produces significantly more than the other. My left has always been a bit bigger than the right, plus I had a biopsy on the right when my dr discovered a lump after mastitis (results are all clear, but still have some knots that feel like clogged ducts and dr thought main lump was a galactasil). When I started pumping, I noticed that for a 10 minute pump, using Medela's double electric, that I get about 1 oz from the right and 3-4 from the left! I don't know how much the baby gets when he nurses (he nurses usually about equal time on each side, more from whichever side I start with first), as pumping is the only way I can quantify production. I have noticed that when my breasts feel "full" he often gulps and even chokes from the spray from the left, but never has this experience from the right, further confirming my suspicion that the left produces a lot more.

Should I be worried about this? Should I do something to try to increase production on the right? Or should I not be worried--the baby is gaining great, is at the 75 percentile for growth at 2 months and is satisfied after every feeding (feeds on both sides, 15-20 each, during a nursing session, 7 times per 24 hrs).

[@llli*sidnlilly]

My left has even more disparity. I pump about six ounces on the left and only 2.5 to 3 on the right. My daughter on the other hand despises nursing on the right. I have not figured out how to increase supply on that side but I know that the other side seems to compensate by producing more and more.

[@llli*auderey]

normal. almost everyone has uneven supply. most of the time it's just an aesthetic concern, if one boob is bigger than the other. me, my left has always been significantly bigger, but my right is the better milk producer.

just keep nursing on demand, pumping to replace while at work, and don't worry about it too much! lots of mamas feed a baby on just one breast (moms of twins, moms with only one breast) and it works out fine. so an imbalance is nothing to worry about.

if you want to try to even things out, try to always/more frequently start baby on the low-producing side.

[@llli*aprilsmagic]

I was, at my EPing peak, pumping 8-12 oz from my left but never more than 2 oz at a sitting from my right. I had two lumpectomies on it in my 20's, and it made a difference. However, I never knew just how much of a difference until I had to EP instead of nurse, and I successfully breastfed three other children for 2 years each. Don't sweat it.

[@llli*zackndelaneysmama]

My right has more than my left. I try to get baby to nurse more on my left breast throughout the day, and I will pump my right breast when it starts to get too full. It's slowly helping, I can now pump at least 3 to 4 oz out of my left whereas before I was pumping maybe 2 oz if I was lucky. :/ Breastfeeding is so complicated with this one LOL my son was so easy, I never had any problems.