New mothers often wonder whether their baby should feed from one or both breasts, and whether it’s okay for them to switch between sides a few times at a feed. “Babies take different volumes at each breastfeed, so our advice is to feed until the baby is happily full. That means the baby may feed from one or two breasts and even go back to the first breast for a top up” says The University of Western Australia’s Professor of Human Lactation Donna Geddes.
Indeed, the group’s publication “Volume and Frequency of Breastfeeding and Fat Content of Breast Milk Throughout the Day” shows that for many babies, 44% of breastfeeds happen from one breast and 53% from both breasts. It is not unusual for babies to mix it up during the day and night. “When babies go back to the first breast for more milk, we call it cluster feeding.”
Professor Geddes, director of the Geddes Hartmann Human Lactation Research Group based at UWA, urges mothers to feed their babies when they show signs of wanting a feed without worrying how long it has been since the last feed. “We have found that the time between feeds ranges from as little as 4 to 40 minutes with an average of 2 to 3 hours. In essence babies do not feed to a schedule but feed when they are hungry or thirsty.”
“Babies can take as little as 27 mL to as much as 147 mL milk from one breast. Restricting the timing of feeds or limiting all feeds to one side only will potentially decrease the amount of milk taken by the baby, and this will slow weight gain which is not ideal” said Professor Geddes. “Restricting feeds can also set up a vicious cycle; feeding less slows milk secretion and can reduce milk supply, which may lead to giving complementary feeds and eventually to stopping breastfeeding sooner than the mum had planned.”
“The first few months after birth are a hectic time, making mums question whether they should be setting a routine for their baby. In all honesty a pattern begins to emerge naturally as babies establish their circadian or daily rhythms. Breast milk contains components that help this process, but it takes some time.”