Is it a problem if a child suckles only at one breast?
Q: I have two kids. For my first kid, most of the times, I did not breast feed and for my second kid I have been breast feeding since 20 months. The kid suckles only one side of the breast but not the other. In this regard, I would like to know, if there is any problem in not feeding through one of the breast and let me know in detail, what are the preventive measures to be taken to avoid any problem. Do you advise me to stop breast feeding since the baby is 20 months or I can continue for another 2 or 3 months?
A:If the child is feeding only through one breast there may be a problem with the nipple on that side, or the child does not feel comfortable feeding from that side. Any way there is no problem if the baby is feeding from one side. You may continue to feed for another 2-3 months, there is no problem with prolonged feeding till 2-3 years, but you must supplement the child's diet with semisolids and regular food.