Should I nurse on both sides every feed?
- jaimiezaki
- Oct 14
- 6 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
Should I Nurse on Both Sides Every Feed?
In this episode of the Breastfeeding With Confidence Podcast, host Jaimie Zaki, IBCLC and mom of five, dives into one of the most common breastfeeding questions: Do I need to nurse on both sides every time my baby feeds?
Many new moms worry about whether their baby is getting enough milk, how long to nurse on each side, and if skipping a breast could affect milk supply. Jaimie explains how breast milk works, what foremilk and hindmilk really mean, and why there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer.
You’ll learn:
The difference between feeding from one side vs. both sides
How to recognize when your baby is satisfied after one breast
When offering both sides is helpful for milk supply and baby’s intake
Red flags to watch for if your baby always prefers just one breast
Breastfeeding is about finding the rhythm that works for you and your baby, not following strict rules. By understanding how milk production works, you can confidently decide what’s best for each feed.
If you’ve ever asked yourself “Should I nurse on both sides every feed?”—this episode gives you the clear, evidence-based answers you need.
Confident Mama Breastfeeding Academy
Avoid Mistakes that Sabotage Breastfeeding
Transcript:
Today we are answering a question I get all the time, and it is, do I have to nurse on both sides at every feeding? There's so much conflicting advice out there and we're gonna get some clarity on that today.
Hey Mama Bear. Welcome to the Breastfeeding With Confidence podcast. Do you dream of bonding with your baby through exclusive breastfeeding, but worry about breastfeeding pain or low milk supply? Maybe you're struggling with breastfeeding and no one seems to have any answers. I'm Jamie Doula, international Board certified lactation consultant, and Mom of five, and I have been where you are after working through painful latches, milk supply worries, and postpartum depression, and.
Supporting countless mothers through their breastfeeding journeys for over eight years. I'm here to tell you breastfeeding doesn't have to be perfect to be positive. Each week I'll share breastfeeding tips to help you prevent and overcome unexpected breastfeeding challenges so you can actually enjoy bonding with your baby.
If you are ready to shut out the toxic whispers of the world, embrace your God-given intuition and release your inner fierce Mama bear. Grab some coffee or your favorite herbal tea and let's dive in.
A lot of moms feel pressure to offer both breasts, every single feed, and while nursing on both sides can be very helpful and has its place and is important, it is not always required.
Some babies get enough milk from one side. , Some babies will prefer one side for comfort reasons or. Flow. You know, some people have a slacker boob and then they have the workhorse boob. So some babies prefer the workhorse boob, the milk comes easier. , Sometimes when they are dealing with, physical tension with the baby, and the baby has a side preference because their body is just more comfortable on that side, it's really hard to get them to latch on the other side.
And moms are like, oh, well, should I be forcing it? , And so. It is not a black and white yes or no, and we're gonna talk more about the benefits of, you know, nursing on one side or both sides. Today, I want to encourage you that I have breastfed five babies, and the last two were 100% fed on my right breast.
, After the first couple weeks of breastfeeding, they did not latch on the left side at all. Yes, it made very lopsided but yes, they also got 100% of their needs satisfied from one breast. So that is proof that it is not always necessary to swap sides. And we're gonna talk a little more about when it is and isn't important.
All right. So what are the benefits of nursing on both sides? Well, first of all, stimulating your milk supply evenly. Yeah, I talked about that. Lopsidedness. Hello? Um, preventing engorgement and clogged ducts. You know, if you are not emptying one side, eventually that side is going to stop producing as much milk because milk is made on a supply demand cycle.
If you are feeling. Engorged and we're not removing that milk. And you have swelling, it can cause clogged ducts and, and then that can lead to mastitis. So we need to be very careful that we're not setting ourselves up for that. All right. Thing that we're going to focus on is, is your baby effectively feeding and gaining weight? All right? We're not gonna get focused on sides and everything like, is your baby getting enough milk? Are they gaining weight? And are your breasts comfortable? Are you not dealing with mastitis and clogged ducks?
What are some signs that you should switch sides? Well, first of all, if the baby finishes the first side and still seems hungry, you know, I always say, , we're gonna finish the first side first, Burt baby, and then we'll offer the at the other side.
And if they're not interested, but we know they have fed well, it might be okay. If you are really, really full or engorged and you have discomfort, you're going to wanna remove milk. So sometimes that looks like, you know, catching the let down with a, um, a milk collector, not a haka. We'll talk about that another day.
I might actually have an episode on that. If we go back. .
You can hand express the other side, or just getting baby to nurse on the other side after feeding. If the baby really, you know, falls asleep after one side and seems satisfied, then just start the next feed on the side that you didn't feed on.
How can you make sure that you are supporting your milk supply, but also just listening to your body and your baby? One? We're gonna finish the first side completely before switching two. We're going to make sure that we are feeding on the breast that was last used, right? So like we're not used last.
So if you started on the right side and you went to go feed the left side and they didn't really want the left side, then you start on the left side next. . And you don't need to do any special trackers or wristbands or , any hacks to remember what side you fell on last you'll remember. You'll feel it.
You'll feel it.
Don't force the second side if baby is full or asleep. , Because then you know we're fighting baby. If you know baby's not getting enough milk though and they're still sleepy, then again that's a sign of a deeper problem that we need to be creating a plan for.
As long as you are switching sides strategically over the course of the day and you're providing enough stimulation to both sides,
you absolutely can support your milk supply and do not have to worry about. Your milk disappearing or drying up. But if you are solely feeding on one side, then you do need to be cautious with the, that side. You're not feeding on the, the one side should respond to your baby's demands and produce enough milk and be able to sustain your baby, but that side that you're not feeding on at all, you do wanna make sure that you are slowly reducing the demand on that side while still removing milk so that you're not having engorgement clogged eggs.
Mastitis, like we talked about before. If you need more guidance on breastfeeding techniques, managing supply and understanding baby's cues, my breastfeeding resource library is a must have. And when you join right now, you don't just get access to the library, you get a free month inside the Confident Mama Bear Society, which is an online support group, , with other moms who value breastfeeding as much as you do.
And where we have weekly live group support calls that you can ask your questions and get answers in real time. So check out the breastfeeding resource library@littlebearlactation.com slash library and use code podcast 50 to save today. Thanks for listening, mama, and I will see you in the next episode.
Alright, mama bear. That is a wrap for today. If this episode helps you feel a little more confident or a little more prepared for breastfeeding, can I ask you a quick favor? Go ahead and leave me a review. It helps other moms find this podcast and join us in this amazing community of fierce and confident Mama bears.
And hey, if you know a friend who could use some encouragement or real talk about pregnancy, breastfeeding, and all things motherhood, share this episode with her. You've got this Mama Bear Trust your instincts, stay fierce, and I'll catch you in the next episode.
Jaimie Zaki is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and mom of 5! Jaimie has volunteered as a La Leche League Leader, worked as a nurse, doula, and birth photographer, and is the host of the Breastfeeding With Confidence Podcast and founder of the Confident MamaBear Society. Jaimie provides holistic breastfeeding advice for pregnant & new moms, helping them overcome unexpected latching trouble and milk supply issues. She empowers mothers to make informed decisions from a place of confidence and intuition.
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