Increasing Milk Supply - Tempe,AZ

Yes, nurse him first on the side with the low supply. I would do a 2-3:1 ratio... Nurse him on the low side first 2-3 times, then switch to the other first. (You don't want to switch completely, or you risk overcompensating and becoming lopsided the other way. Lol.)

I also like to recommend pumping and storing the milk after each nursing session. It will only be a little bit, but it will help you build a good supply for the freezer. When I went back to work, my supply dropped BAD. If I hadn't built up several week's worth of milk, I would have been forced to supplement with formula while I tried to rebuild my supply. (It did level back out after just over a month...)

ETA: I wanted to add that you are *supposed* to nurse from both breasts for each session... But my DD rarely would. She would fill up on on one side and be done. I didn't want to switch her early, because I wanted to be sure she was getting the good hind milk. (You produce different types of milk... The first that comes out is fore milk, which is thinner and meant to quench baby's hunger. Then comes the hind milk, which is thicker and has more fats.) it sounds like you got lucky with your overall supply, like I did... So I just wanted to throw out there that it is OK if your son doesn't get both breasts every time he nurses. Just make sure to pump the other one dry too to keep the girls even. (Which will keep your supply awesome. The only issue I ever had with supply was that time when I went back to work.) :) This was per my DD's pediatrician and my lactation consultant... As long as your son is gaining weight, it's not a big deal.

Do you alternate which breast you start with each time you nurse?

That sounds like a great amount to me. I think it's normal to have a low / high producing side.

Why don't you want to try supplements? Fenugreek made all the difference for me.

Have him nurse on that side first. He is MUCH more powerful than your pump. Also, if you don't have a lactation, find one to help you with your production and planning. Your OB or hospital should be able to refer you.

When you nurse.... are you using only 1 breast per session, or using BOTH breasts per session????
When I was nursing, and per what the Nurses and Pediatrician told me... nurse from both breasts, per session.
So I did that.
And my kids as babies, would nurse from both breasts eagerly and drank me dry each time.
And to nurse on demand. So that, your body/breasts, adjusts to your baby's intake needs and growth-spurts.
Babies also do "cluster feeding" and that means they need to, nurse even every hour. Due to development and growth-spurts. Hence, the need for nursing on-demand. So your supply mirrors, your baby's needs for intake, 24/7 day and night.

Another thing: before you go to work and use pumped milk... I would highly recommend, seeing IF your baby, will indeed drink from a bottle.
And if not, then you need to buy and try, many different bottles/nipples/brands. But, some babies will not drink, from a bottle. That happened with my daughter. But my son, would drink from a bottle.
Each baby is different.

Also I would drop a nursing session now and have someone give him a bottle of pumped milk. Otherwise he may not take a bottle at all by they time you go back to work. While he is taking that bottle pump. Start on the low producing side.

6 oz is a lot for pumped milk I think that side is over producing a bit. I would get more like 3 oz of pumped (per side) when I was at work.

Maria C is spot on. It is common to have 1 side produce more than the other. To try to keep them even, start nursing on the left side more often than the right. But always pump the other side dry if she doesn't nurse much on the 2nd side in a session, so you keep your supply up on both sides.

Glad to hear things are going well with nursing. When you go back to work, remember to try to schedule a pumping break every 3 hours to keep that supply up!