Is it normal for one breast to produce more milk than the other?

Among the doubts that all mothers have about the arrival of babies, some of the biggest ones without a doubt are about breastfeeding . It is no wonder, after all, it is the way your child will feed, the way a unique and wonderful connection takes place between mother and child, a moment of affection and love that provides a unique experience in a woman’s life .

With so many things to take into account, it is clear that the doubts about breastfeeding are many. But one of the most pertinent and also most common is the question of whether it is normal for one breast to produce more milk than the other .

Many mothers who pass by may be worried, feel that they have some kind of problem or even that they are breastfeeding the wrong way. Is it really that?

Is it Normal or Not?

To start, we can answer right away that yes, it is normal for one breast to produce more milk than the other. This can happen for several reasons, among them is the type of production that each breast has.

No body is the same and each woman has a different production of breast milk and that does not mean being better or worse in any way. There is also the question of the woman’s own control when breastfeeding.

If she gives the baby a lot more right breast, for example, that breast will end up producing more milk naturally. So, know that it is normal for one breast to produce more milk than the other and this should not be a cause for concern for a mother in any way.

How Does Breast Milk Production Work?

The hormone responsible for the production of breast milk is prolactin, which is produced a lot by the woman’s body shortly after delivery, in a region of the brain called the hypophase. From the production of this hormone, the breast lobules produce and store milk.

There is still another hormone in this whole process, oxytocin, responsible for contracting the lobules and releasing this milk more naturally. The milk reaches the baby’s mouth through the lactiferous ducts, which form a kind of showerhead up to the nipple.

Oxytocin is normally produced during breastfeeding and it is for this reason that while children are breastfeeding , mothers continue to produce milk.

How to Increase Breast Milk?

Now that you have understood how breast milk production occurs, it will be easier to understand what are the best attitudes to increase breast milk and why they work. We can cite as the main ways to increase breast milk:

  • Drink water
  • Sleep well
  • Watch the Handle
  • Have a Good Diet
  • Wearing Light Clothes

Let’s talk in more detail about each of these ways to explain more precisely how each one helps to increase breast milk.

Drink water

Staying hydrated is one of the most effective ways to increase breast milk production naturally. The baby does not need water in its first 6 months of life because all the nutrients needed for it are in breast milk.

About 87% of this milk is made up of water, so you can imagine the importance of always being hydrated, right?

Sleep well

Being rested and sleepy makes your body work well and the lactation hormones work without any problems. In other words, having a good night’s sleep directly helps in the production of breast milk.

Watch the Handle

If the baby does not have the correct handle, in addition to the fact that you may have problems such as cracked nipples , this can also impair the production of breast milk. The baby’s mouth should be around the entire halo , making him fill his mouth and be able to suck the milk in the most correct way.

Have a Good Diet

It goes without saying why this item is so important. If you are the one who produces all the nutrients necessary for your baby to live during the first months of life, it is clear that your feeding should be done correctly, without very fatty foods and eating every 3 hours.

Wearing Light Clothes

Too tight bras and blouses can end up inhibiting milk production. In addition, wearing more comfortable clothes also makes it easier to breastfeed. That is, light clothes will make your life easier in several ways while you are breastfeeding.

When Do I Need to Change Breasts?

There are no general rules or recommendations for you to change breasts while breastfeeding. In fact, you must find the way that best suits you and your baby.

There are reports of mothers who offer only one breast during an entire feeding and only give the other the next. Others prefer to take turns to balance the size of the two, since how much the baby sucks influences it, and also so that one of them does not have the “overload” of milk, which can end up causing pain and discomfort.

As we said earlier, you must find the best way for you. A way that will not cause you pain, that will keep the baby calm and that will make the moment of breastfeeding as special as it should be between the mother and her baby.

Although there is a lot of concern, it is normal for one breast to produce more milk than the other. It is something that happens to many mothers and that can bother some more than others. The truth is that, despite everything, the issue will not directly interfere with breastfeeding or the baby’s health, which is the most important.

So don’t worry, if this happens to you, know that it is quite normal and there are simple and peaceful ways to make this problem solve itself, in case you are very uncomfortable. When the mother is calm about breastfeeding, her relationship with the baby in this very special moment is even better and more pleasurable.

See also: Lose Breastfeeding and Learn to Reeducate Feeding in Postpartum

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My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.

Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.

Dr. Alexis Hart

My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.

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