Breastfeeding Mum Asks, 'Is This Normal?!'

Breastfeeding mum Abbie Herbert is in a pickle. Her baby prefers to feed on one breast. Bub is all about the right side. But it’s left Abbie with a rather tricky issue, and she’s asking other mums if it’s normal.

File this one under ‘things nobody tells you about breastfeeding’. Sometimes babies have a favourite boob. And when you’re just trying to get them to feed, you really don’t care if they’re obsessed with one side over the other. Until you realise that THIS can happen.

Abbie revealed on TikTok that it’s left her with a rather lopsided pair of breasts. And’s she’s kinda freaking out.

“Poot loves to breastfeed, but she’s very particular on what side she likes. She’s right side. So I said, ‘Girl, the right side’s yours. You stay on the right, you love it, it is yours!'”

“Well, someone forgot to remind me what would happen if you let your baby only feed on one boob.” Abbie then moves her hair to reveal a large left breast, and a smaller right one.

“This is hard as a rock. It’s not an implant, it’s just my boob and this one seems to be missing. Is this like normal? Will this ever go back? Can someone help?”

@abbieherbert_Is this normal? Mom friends help me out ##mom ##momlife ##relatable ##momsoftiktok ##momtok ##help ##baby ##babiesoftiktok ##surprise ##OneSliceChallenge ##comedy ##parents ##fyp ##4u ##viral ##thisisnotajoke ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys – Kevin MacLeod

The now viral clip has attracted supportive comments from other mums who have babies with a side preference.

“I’ve made it 16 months with only using my right for main course and left for snacks,” writes Alexandria Althoff. “I look crazy but it gets the job done. Welcome to the club!”

While TikToBeautyDoc offered the following advice: “Make sure you pump the side that she’s not nursing on, with similar regularity to her nursing.”

Does your baby prefer one side over the other when feeding?

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35 Comments

- - AmyRoseSainsbury said
  - 25 Jul 2022
    10:38 pm
I’m dealing with this exact same problem. One is always bigger than the other ????

- - mom101628 said
  - 16 Apr 2022
    2:42 pm
I would be persevering with bub on the other side too. Mine eventually were happy to take both.

- - smart_ass said
  - 31 Jan 2022
    5:20 pm
Oh, somehow the bubs needs to take to the other breast, else trying pumping.

- - mom400215 said
  - 07 Dec 2021
    8:49 pm
My bub was the same but i ensured that i pumped milk out of the other one

- - sars_angelchik said
  - 02 Dec 2021
    1:27 pm
It’s very normal that babies can tend to feed better on one side. I tended to get more milk out of one side than the other when expressing. However, it is important not to encourage feeding on one side and to try to note which breast you start with each time so the next time you start on the other. And always encourage the baby to feed from both breasts at each feed.

- - rovermum said
  - 02 Dec 2021
    9:42 am
Had not heard of this. I was unable to stick with breastfeeding, so unable to help this mama.

- - mom71495 said
  - 01 Dec 2021
    9:58 pm
Definitely not. Get your bub to start feeding on each breast equally. You don’t want to get mastitis, it’s painful, believe me.

- - Mumof3boyos said
  - 01 Dec 2021
    9:26 pm
I definitely had a proffered breast too, the other one was lazy lol.

- - KellyB said
  - 31 Oct 2021
    9:42 pm
Oh…I did not produce enough milk for this to be a problem. I do remember being told to make sure you feed from both sides but I would never have imagined this would have been the result.

- - ~Loui~ said
  - 24 Oct 2021
    11:17 pm
I had never heard of this. I hope she can keep offering the other side and the baby ends up taking to it too.

- - mom466425 said
  - 23 Oct 2021
    3:00 pm
My little one prefers one side but definitely not to this extent. I can only imagine the pressure that side feels

- - shanika said
  - 22 Oct 2021
    11:31 am
I had the same problem.It was hard.

- - mummabear said
  - 18 Oct 2021
    9:36 pm
Oh my gosh I feel you!!!! This has happened with both my babies but opposite sides. I really tried to make sure I was staying even with my second child but it just seems to be impossible. My son loved the left and my daughter loved the right!!

- - mom109199 said
  - 18 Oct 2021
    12:18 pm
I did not have that problem as my daughter took both sides but if I were her I would pump the other side while baby feeds.

- - Forgetful Mumma said
  - 18 Oct 2021
    12:12 am
I’ve had three babies and all three could only latch on the left side, and after a while with no pain for me. None of the professionals could understand it as there doesn’t appear to be a difference. Anyway a nipple shield made feeding on the right hand side a possibility. This mum can always pump the side her baby won’t feed from