Two Small Complications...

Hi D., It isn't atypical for one breast to produce more milk than the other, it just so happens sometimes. 4oz though is fairly significant. I would give a lactation a call and talk to them about whether or not pumping on the low breast might increase the supply or other things you might be able to do.

In regards to the rash, we had GREAT success with Balmex. Also he might have a superinfection of fungus/yeast which is pretty common. So if you buy some over the counter antifungal such as nystatin or clotrimatzole you can put both (the balmex and antifungal) on the skin and that should help.
Good luck.

The diaper rash is very likely a yeast infection and will not heal with regular ointments. You'll need an antifungal cream and to keep the area as dry as possible before applying the cream. Fungus likes moist and dark places...
Happy Healing

I found the best diaper rash ointment was the old-fashioned funny smelling Desitin. Nothing else came close.

As for breast size - maybe one is storing more milk than the other. I would try feeding more out of the bigger one. It stands to reason that in some cases one breast has more output than another. Maybe you have a blocked milk duct.

Your breasts are completely normal. :-) Some women just produce more milk on one side or their mammary glands expand more (even up to a few cup sizes in difference). Sometimes it goes back to normal after your done breastfeeding and sometimes it doesn't. You could stop pumping from the larger breast, but it probably won't make much difference because just how your body is producing milk for this baby.

There are a couple great sites out there showing women exactly what women's bodies look like - especially after having a baby. Here's one of just breasts (please keep in mind that this site is for women and there are many photos of bare breasts - if this offends anyone or you don't want kids, co-workers, etc. seeing it, please be advised):
http://www.007b.com/breast_gallery.php
The other site is:
http://theshapeofamother.com/
It has amazing photos and stories of moms of all ages, sizes, and races from all over the country. It can be very empowering to see what regular women look like and it helps if you're struggling with your own postpartum body. Once again, it's full of nude photos, so please view only if you're comfortable with that.

As for the diaper rash, I agree that you should have his pediatrician look at it (it might be yeast). Also, I would recommend a much gentler product. Check out this site:
http://cosmeticsdatabase.com/special/whatnottobuy/index.p...
It rates tons of cosmetics and baby care products and let you know which ones are more harmful. We actually found that the "natural" product we used for diaper cream was pretty bad and we switched to good ol' fashioned petroleum jelly. It was cheap and even worked better than any other product we used. We couldn't use any Johnson & Johnson's products because they made our daughter get a rash right away. I hope this helps! :-)

I had a similar problem when I breastfed my daughter. One breast always seemed to put out more milk then the other whenever I pumped. But we didn't have any problems when she ate (seemed like she was getting more out of the less milk when pumped one). I ended up wearing baggy sweaters to cover my uneven-ness. :-( Sadly, one breast is still a cup size bigger then the other and I haven't breast fed for 6 months! Luckily, it's not all that noticable now. One breast is a B and the other is a C. When I was breastfeeding all I could wear were the supported spagettii sting tank tops in place of a bra because one was a C and the other was...(brain fart, sorry!) either way, the other one was bigger then a D cup. Not sure if it was a DD or E. If you're that concerned about it, talk to your doc or a lactation consultant. Congrats on your little one!

1) a) I'd check with your hosp to see if they have lactation consultants on hand.
b) the ever amazing Le Leche League for tips, tricks, and general overall good advice & support.

2) We had a diaper rash so bad we actually had to go to the ER. It was on his testicles and from the symptoms they couldn't tell at first whether he had a twisted testicle or if it was a rash. The had to do a quick return swab. Turned out: Rash. Specifically a yeast infection (apparently the raised bumps are a cue there, but aren't ummm...what's the word...definitive). So they had us use lotrimin & A&D.

I'd take your young one in to his ped and have them check it out.

If it's yeast: Keep the area dry, clean, & smeared with lotrimin & A&D (A&D is primarily a moisture barrier). ALSO try going without a diaper for awhile. Don't use baby powder ever. It's cornstarch these days (aka sugar), which just gives the yeast a HAVEN of a food source. Of course, all of this minus the lotrimin is good habit anyway.

Good Luck

Since your son is so young.. please take him to the doctor so they can check his rash out.. and tell you what to put on the rash.. also you will be able to ask them about your feeding issue.. When I was a first time mom the doctor was so helpful.
Lenc

Hi D.,
I didn't have a chance to read the other responses, so sorry if I'm repeating. I just wanted to let you know that I think the nursing/milk production thing is pretty normal. My daughter is 7.5 months old and I'm still nursing. My left side produces WAY more milk than my right side. It looks much bigger as well, unfortunately! I went to a lactation consultant in the beginning for latching issues and when she weighed my daughter it was obvious that my left side made way more and she said that it's completely normal and actually more common than not.

Regarding the diaper rash, the two that I found worked the best when I nannied were Desitin (the one in the purple tube, not the creamy kind) and Triple Paste. Also, just for soothing oatmeal baths feel good on their little bottoms! Poor baby... Good luck!

Normal is what's normal for each breast. No two breasts are exactly alike, even when they're on the same person. Did your little guy choke at both breasts, or just one? Did you use the nipple shield on both? The reason I asked is that he's not that old and your body is still adjusting to the demand. If you nurse him longer at the breast that appears to be engorged, that breast will continue to produce large amounts of milk. I would always start him off at the breast that's smaller and then finish off with the fuller breast. He will take the pressure off with the larger one, but when he's really hungry he will be demanding more from the smaller breast, increasing it's size/capacity while decreasing the demand on the larger one. He will even out. Some babies prefer one breast over the other by virtue of how they're held, they feel more comfortable nursing on the right over the left... it's preferance. You can always pump the excess milk and store it for when you're out shopping and he's home with Dad. Your body and his hunger are adjusting to one another. Give yourselves some time to learn this dance. It does work out, believe me.

With regards to his diaper rash, you might want to try a little A and D ointment or a cream that's intended for jock itch, an antifungal ointment... but only do that after you speak with your pediatrician. You should be having a well baby check up rather soon. Ask his dr to check it out and recommend an appropriate cream. Just make sure that you're washing his bottom at each diaper change. He could be sensitive to the brand of diapers you are using or if you're using cloth diapers, the soap you use. There is a residue left behind in all washings. Best thing you can do for baby laundry is to rinse twice after the wash cycle. In the first rinse cycle add 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the rinse water. This will cut the soap scum, keep the clothes bright and help reduce any dinginess on flame retardent clothing. Best of luck!!!

The diaper rash sounds like a yeast infection. You will need to call your ped. for an rx to get it to heal. Also stop using wipes and use water on his bum and pat it dry. Good luck.

a freind of mine has the same problem...got to where she couldn't nurse out of the smaller breast. so she can be quite lopsided..she wears alot of cardigans to help cover up...but it won't change till she weans her baby. good luck.. think of all the good you are doing for your baby. also I have loved Eucerine cream for any rash or dry spot.

I can only reply on the rash part.

It sounds very much like a yeast infection - I believe is more common with Breast fed babies. You can take her in and get a prescription lotion (it will last if it comes back again as well). Once I learned to identify it my self, a nurse recommended OTC product for yeast infections that are many days long, suck as Monistat. My son had quite a few of them and it worked every time in a very short time. Then back to the standard lotions (I used A&D or Desitin) for any mild rashes. If it keeps coming back you might add some thing to your diet to combat it. I am sure (since I was not a successful breastfeeding mom - I don't have a lot of advise) there are food changes you can make to minimize it's return until your little one gets bigger and their body can process thing better.

Can't help in the breastfeeding department! I had a reduction long, long before I had my daughter and had to supplement and pump and the most i ever got out of both breasts combined was about 2 ounces!

Diaper rash-- is there any way you can switch to cloth diapers for a little while? We used a diaper service with our daughter until I went back to work and she never, literally never, had a rash. When she had to switch to disposables for daycare, boom--rash right away.

Original formula Desitin works well, but if it's a yeast infection, you should probably get it looked at by the pediatrician. We discovered that our daughter's rashes were more in the area of the elastic leg bands that went on her bottom (not in the front so much), that just didn't breathe right or something--and developed into yeast infection rashes. Your son is so tiny, I'd be nervous about putting much on him right now (just something I get weird about) though. Talk to the pediatrician.

Good luck! As soon as you figure this one out, get ready for something new ;)

His diaper rash might be a yeast infection, which would require a special ointment, and I think that ointment requires a prescription. You should ask your doctor about it.

I highly recommend Weleda Calendula Diaper Care. You can get it at Whole Foods or online. It's kinda spendy but for us it worked great and is very creamy so it was easy to apply. i have four other brands i bought previously and don't use any of them now.

Hey D.,
For some reason one of my breasts made more milk than the other too, therefore all of my kids favored it. It was bigger than the other, and even now after about a year it's still a tiny bit bigger. My husband dosen't notice, but I do when trying on bras. I don't really know how to solve the problem, and it seems like a greater concern especially when it's your first, but I think it may just be part of life...try not to worry too much - embrace your new mama body, you are beautiful!

I'm a midwife and have quite a bit of experience in the breastfeeding field (both nursing my own son and educating other moms). As others have said, it is entirely normal for one breast to be larger and produce more milk than the other. That said, there are some things you can do try to help reduce the disparity. Babies normally suck much harder and more effectively at the beginning of a feeding than at the end, so even if you spend the same amount of time on each breast, the first side will be working significantly harder (and producing more milk) than the second. Therefore, it is normally recommended that you alternate which side you start on with each feeding. However, if you want to get one side larger and producing more, you can always nurse on that side first, for a while. Breasts work independently of eachother. So you should be able to "convince" the wimpy side that there is more demand and the over-achieving side so slow down, over the course of a few days or weeks. :) Once things start to even out, try alternating starting sides again. Hope this helps!

If you feel like you need to increase your supply on one side, start each feeding on that side for a couple days. That should help. For diaper rash, I prefer Bert's Bees diaper cream, but Balmex works well too. I don't care for any of the Johnson's products personally.

I don't know what to tell you about your breasts. But, for your son's diaper rash, I'd take him to the doctor. It may be a yeast infection. My son had that, and it was extremely painful for him. He had tiny red, rough bumps- but that was the beginning. It gets a lot worse if not treated. the treatment we used was just an over-the-counter yeast treatment purposed for women. After reading other responses... I remember that one very important thing for my boy, before he grew out of his sensitive skin, was to use vaseline on a regular basis as a barrier cream. It is usually completely nonreactive with the skin and will literally just be a barrier. Nothing gets through that stuff. It's cheap, too. :-) (It's also probably the best thing we ever used (and we tried everything) for his eczema.)

another time, he had a very bad rash that actually started peeling and turned dark purple within a couple days. It was terribly painful. We had received a gift of some baby wipes that were green tea scented (or something like that). He literally had a chemical burn from these wipes. It cleared completely 2 days after we discontinued the use.

Hi D.,
It's pretty common to have lopsided breasts (I do) and not really a problem. You can try nursing him more on the small side (if there are times when he wants to nurse but isn't super hungry) to try to stimulate more milk production. As long as he's getting enough to eat, it's not a problem, it's just annoying.
About the diaper rash, I agree with other posters that it could be a yeast rash, in which case other diaper rash ointments or creams won't work. If it is yeast, you can use lotrimin cream or some other baby-approved anti-fungal cream.

Frustrating but normal to have more milk on one side.

As for the diaper rash you already have a simple FREE cure. Squirt the little one's tush with breastmilk and let it air dry. Breastmilk works for diaper rash, pink eye, ear infections, disinfecting cuts, and so much more.

For the diaper rash, hazelwood zinc ointment works awesome. That's what we use. The hazelwood absorbs the acid that causes the rash. It's also fragrance and dye free which is best for sensitive skin. You an find it at www.hazelaid.com

As for the lopsided breasts, you probably want to avoid feeding extra from the one that bigger as that will only tell your body to create more from that breast. In fact, try to feed more often from the smaller one to encourage more milk production. The other one will probably feel full and engorged for a while but your body will eventually get the message and produce less from that breast and more from the other which should balance them out. If it feels very engorged, try icing it which should help. They sell these really cool breast shaped freezy things that are made from a cloth like material so it is not as cold as plastic right on the skin (Gerber or whatever brand, available at Target, etc.) If you can't get your breasts to even out though, don't worry, I also had lopsided breasts..it's a badge of motherhood :) Good luck!

Hi D.,
I had the same issue with nursing. I had to use nursing pads to "even them out" if you will and when I was done nursing they went back to being the same size.
For diaper rash, I really like Desitin. It's the only thing that really worked for us. The only thing though, is your son is so young I would call the advise nurse at the dr's office and ask just in case it is something else (yeast infection).
Enjoy your time with him...it goes by way too fast!! :)

Each baby's skin will react differently to the products you use on them. Two of my babies developed bad diaper rashes when I used wipes as newborns. Your little guy could be sensitive to wipes if you're using them, so try just a wet paper towel and you can make it even gentler on the skin if you apply a little olive oil to the paper towel before wiping him. My baby is also very sensitive to Burt's Bees rash cream. His skin flares up when I've tried it, so I've found other creams that he can handle. Try a layer of pure shae butter (I like Pure Organics brand found on Amazon), then Weleda diaper rash cream (my Target store is now carrying this brand). Change the diaper very soon after he poops and every two hours in between pooping.

P.S. Rough bumps does sound like it might be yeast as others have said, so have your dr. look at it...

My advice would be to start nursing with the smaller breast at the beginning of feeding since your baby will be hungry he will try to take more in the beginning of the feeding. If you start this for awhile it should make your milk produce more in that breast and even things out a little. Another problem could be clogged milk ducts but that ussually causes you some discomfort but you might try warming your breasts with a heat pad a little and then massage them a little before nursing - it helps the glands and can allow more milk to "release".

As far as the diaper rash, I know this will sound crazy but it really does work wonders and I used it on all 4 of my kids. If you can find "Bag Balm" in the green square can. I found it at Walmart in the prescription/medicine area. It says it is for moistening udders but if perfectly safe for humans. I put it on my children at night anytime they started to show signs of a diaper rash and even when they had really bad ones it only took a day or two and it would be gone. Like I said, it might sound crazy but it works. I've even used it for dry hands in the winter.

Hope this helps.

Soda soaks work well. Run a bath of warm water put in a good amount of soda and let him soak as long as you can. This can clear up a rash in a short period of time.

I know parents who have had good success with Bert's Bees products. I had good success with bag balm.

My son would get bleeding bumps when he had a BM after he ate something he was allergic to. Or I ate something he was allergic to. Oatmeal of all things gave him a horrid rash. He did not eat oatmeal until he was about 10.

Do look at your diet. Try to eliminate wheat, corn and milk for a short time and see if things improve. These are the most common allergens.

As far as your breast being different sizes and producing different amounts of milk, I'm not sure how to answer that one. Sorry. Have you talked with your doctor or lactation consultant?
As far as the diaper rash.....we ALWAYS used Bag Balm on our little girl when she was a baby and had terrible rashes. She has very sensitive skin so would get really bad ones some times. (She is now 11.) I even use it on the little kids I babysit. It is wonderful!!! I get it at Walmart but I'm sure lots of stores have it. It comes in a green squarish can and has a cow on the front of it. (At least the last one I got did. :) I pray this all clears up soon.

as far as the diaper rash goes:

my daughter gets diaper rashes/yeast infections like nobody's business. she will have a perfectly bare, no irritated bum and by the next diaper change it can be deep red with bumps, cracks etc. initially i took her to the doctor the first few times it happened and she was prescribed (the name is escaping me). anyway, it would take several weeks to make it go away. one time, i tried California Baby diaper cream and i was AMAZED with the results. it would only take like 1-3 days of applying at all diaper changes and baths. it is all natural, has the ingredients to take care of whatever the original cause of the rash (whether yeast infection, bacteria, wetness, whatever). it is a little on the expensive side ($12/bottle) but it was worth it. they sell it at haggens and target. i HIGHLY RECOMMEND it!

anyways, good luck!

Hi D.,

I don't know waht to do about your first issue, but I had the same thing with my kids (diaper rash). My daughter had it for 6 weeks and nothing I did helped! Then my step-mother-in-law bought me this Amonds powder - it's like baby powder, but way better. The rash was gone a few days after I started using it! My son also had bad rashes, but then I just gave him a Tums before or after I gave him fruit and that seemed to prevent the rashes from happening.

My kids are now 9 and 7, so I son't know if they still make that poweder. Hope this helps.

Blessings,
B. K.

you have tons of good advice already. i am interested to know if the breastmilk works for you. i never thought to use it for that altho we did use it for an eye infection and it cleared right up.

whatever cream/lotion you decide to use, please make sure to check it out at www.cosmeticsdatabase.com. there are a lot of chemicals in things that are supposedly 'natural' and safe for babies.

It sounds to me like your son might have a yeast infection. My daughter had the same problem at that age. Red and rough and won't go away with diaper rash cream. If that's the case, a little nystatin cream from the pediatrician will fix him right up. As far as the differing breast sizes, I would call your OB and just ask. I do know that pumping doesn't always give you the best idea of how much production there is, but the widely varied sizes I am not sure about.

My son had a pretty bad diaper rash and it turned out to have a yeast infection in it--so our ped. told us to use Lotramin for the yeast infection--once that was under control she had us putting bag balm (in the green tin with a cow on it) on him and sometimes we put hydrocortisone ointment on him when he's getting a bit of a rash per the doctor's orders (not creme, I don't know why)--anyway, I didn't even know babies could get yeast infection rashes, but apparently it's pretty common. I would take him to the ped. for an actual diagnosis.

D.,

This happened with me when I was nursing both of my kids (now 5 and 2). What seemed to work best to even out, as best as possible, is to switch which side he starts on. If at breakfast he starts on the left side, then the next feeding start on the right.

As for the diaper rash I recommend the Desitin Creamy. It's not as thick or stinky as regular Desitin and a lot easier to apply to sore bottoms. My daughter will get a baaaaad diaper rash that is more open sores than rash. The Creamy will go on, not always cover the sore, and she'll be better in a day or two.

Congrats on your little one and good luck,
Melissa

It looks like you have received tons of reponses so I'll be really brief. The breast thing is normal, while completly annoying. My left breast just produced a ton more milk than my right. This is completely normal.

For the diaper rash, try bag balm. You can find it at Fred Meyers. It works wonders and just about any type of rash!
Congratulations on your new little one!!

Take him to the doctor for the diaper rash, pronto. I thought my little one just had a little rash but it got infected and now she has scars on her rear. They are thankfully going away but its taking some time. I also had the lop side breast thing happen to me. It could be that he is a better nurser on one side. Maybe because he can hear your heart better or maybe because its just more comfortable. You could try pumping the small breast after he is done nursing. When I pumped I always had a couple of ounce difference. We don't nurse anymore and believe ti or not, my breast are the same size again. Funny how Mother Nature works!

Hi D., I see that you already have gotten tons of great advice about the diaper rash problem, but I wanted to mention the one that worked better for my son more than anything else in his early months for his frequent diaper rashes - plenty of "naked time". All the creams and products in the world didn't do as much good as simply laying him down on the floor on a big towel to play without his diaper on for a couple hours a day. Sure, we ended washing a big load of dirty towels at the end of the week, but it was worth it.

First of all, congratulations! I have an 11 month-old who is still cheerfully nursing on my two uneven breasts. I usually have one that is slightly larger than the other, and they definitely were early on. However, on the diaper rash deal, we have used two different diaper rash treatments for my son since day 1 that have really worked well for us. If one is not working, we try the other. Our favorite is Burt's Bees Diaper Cream in the yellow tube. We also really like Bourdeaux's (not sure on spelling) Butt Paste. Both are very natural. Good luck!

For the diaper rash I have a couple suggestions. 1 is if you are the type that will only use diaper rash cream then the one that worked best for my boy was Balmex and baby powder. I would cake on the Balmex and then sprinkle baby powder all over. If you don't mind using something not made for a baby then regular Eucerin lotion that comes in the big tub works really well. Just recently though I found an amazing product that not only works on diaper rashes but on just about anything it is also made by Eucerin. It's called Auqaphor healing ointment. My son had some how gotten something in the fold of skin that pulls back on his little wee wee. He is 15 months and is circumsized but it was swollen and red and raw so I asked my good friend that is the nurse or MA I should say at my Dr's office and she recommended that. It was 50% better the next day and almost gone completely in 4 days. He is also prone to diaper rashes since he poo's like 5 times a day so I started using that and i swear it clears it up over night. it's like nesporin. You can use it on cuts or on extremely dry skin or chapped lips. You name it. It's the best stuff I have ever found. Oh, you can find it usually in the baby section. the one my hubby bought says baby across the top but I think they also have it in with the other neosporin type medicines as well that doesn't say its for babies but you can use that one as well. they are exactly the same stuff. Hope you find something that works. PS if your baby ever has one so bad that its bleeding another friend of mine showed me this trick where you put the medicine on the area and then cut a small piece of a plastic grocery sack and cover the area then put the diaper on. just be sure not to cover or block any holes that shouldn't be :)

D.,

For the breastfeeding: It is VERY common that one breast be larger than the other and VERY common that one breast produce more than the other (and not always the larger breast doing higher production). Your body is likely still adjusting to its new job and though your breasts might not completely even out in size as you continue to breastfeed, they will likey get closer in size as your body, your hormones, and your baby's appetite and schedule even out. If you find that you're leaking a lot, I HIGHLY recommend Lansinoh breast pads--they are the only ones that were ever absorbant enough for me and never leaked through. My other recommendation would be to make sure that the bras you are wearing are very supportive; this will also help keep them looking a bit more "alike."

As for the diaper rash: Sounds like your little guy might also have a case of yeast. Again, VERY common. Get some Lotrimin, even though its labeled for athlete's foot, it is the best stuff out there. On my babes, I smear the rash with the Lotrimin and then with A&D. The yeast rash is usually gone within a couple days at most. If your baby has broken skin though, I'd take him in to the doc. You don't want him to end up with an infection on his bum. :(

Hope that helps at all. Keep up the good work, mama!

D. C

First of all the rash. Have you had his doctor look at it? Sometimes you just need a perscription ointment to clear it up. Have you changed brands of diapers? Babies will rash from a reaction from diapers too. There is an ointment out for diaper rashes that I swear by, its called "Butt Paste". I am dead serious that is the name,but it works absolutely wonderful!! I know you can find it at Target, KMart, ToysR Us, and maybe Walmart (never looked there). I found it over 8yrs ago and bought it out of desperation (and yea the name got my attention). I tried all the other brands and perscription (which she had a reaction to)and BUTT PASTE was the only one that worked!
When I breast fed my youngest I too had one larger than the other. The larger did produce more milk also. What I did was pump from that one and fed her off of both. I can't tell you why one produced more than the other, sorry.
Best of Luck!

Hi,

I can sat least tlak to the breast issue. I have the same problem. I just happen to have more milk ducts on my right side than my left. It is a physical difference and has nothing to do with how often or how long my babies have nursed on either side. It is a annoying from a vanity point of view but they still produce just the right amount.

Good luck to you!

For diaper rash, I've found that University of Washington Diaper Balm (it's a prescription, my pediatrician has written for us) works great!! If the over the counter stuff doesn't help, I'd suggest asking your pediatrician for it.

Not sure what you can do about the breast situation (I had the same thing), except try feeding your son on that side only for a few feedings. Unfortunately I ended up a bit lopsided even after weaning. You can always e-mail La Leche league for advice - they can be very helpful for things like that. A lot of women say this happened to them, too.

As for the diaper rash, try bathing him with colloidal oatmeal. This will really help his rash. You can get packets of Aveeno Bath stuff with colloidal oatmeal at any drug store.

Hi D.,

I don't know what to tell you about your first issue, it sounds to me that one of your breasts just holds more milk than the other.

As for the diaper rash, if it were me, I'd take my son in to see his pediatrician and get the rash looked at. They will for sure be able to tell you if it's just regular diaper rash or something more. And probably give you something to treat it.

Good Luck!

~R.