
09/24/2025
Many parents we work with really focus on how long their baby feeds at each side. If baby doesn’t feed for the same amount of time on each breast, the parent sometimes worries about their supply or baby’s intake. We’re here to tell you that every breast or chest feeding session can be a little different.
Giving baby access to both sides is the best way to go, but remember that they may not feed the same duration on both sides. Some babies may even seem satisfied after feeding on one side!
Think of the first side as “dinner.” Just like us when we eat dinner, we will clean our plate. This translates to baby taking most of the milk from this breast. Once your baby shows signs of finishing their “dinner,” you can switch them to the second side.
Consider it the “dessert” side: just as we (are supposed to) eat a little bit of dessert, it’s likely your baby will have a shorter feed on this side. They may only spend a few minutes here and do not take a lot of milk from this side. At the next feeding, start baby on the “dessert” side to help give breasts equal stimulation.
Please note that this is general advice. It may not apply to every nursing dyad; please reach out to a lactation support person or IBCLC for care specific to your situation.