Perhaps you are wondering if you should breastfeed from one breast or both breasts at the same time? There’s really no right or wrong, but in this article we’ll go into a bit more detail so you can get a better understanding.

The first milk that comes out of the breast when a baby starts sucking is thirst-quenching. It is therefore more diluted breast milk which will quench the baby’s thirst. The milk that comes next is more concentrated and aims to make the baby full. If you set up two glasses of milk from the first and second half of the breastfeeding session, you will see the difference. For that reason, it can be good to offer the same breast until your baby lets go or falls asleep.

If you feel that you have to sit and breastfeed all the time, it may be good to try to wake your baby up so that they eat properly and you get a break between breastfeeding sessions (if that is what you want).

Before your breasts have had time to adjust, it can feel like you’re walking around with one empty and one bursting breast. This will sort itself out over time, even if your baby develops a favorite breast (which is very common).

If you feel tension and pain in the breast you are not nursing on, you can gently express milk by hand to relieve the worst of the pressure, but do not sit down and pump that breast, because then you will produce even more milk (unless that is what you want) and your breasts will not adjust.

Finally, don’t forget to take care of yourself when you’re breastfeeding – make sure you’re sitting comfortably, feel relaxed and are eating and drinking, because breastfeeding requires a little extra energy.