Lopsided breasts

Many mums notice that their breasts are a bit uneven, work differently or produce different amounts of milk. This is especially noticeable if you’re pumping.

It’s common and normal and with a little help, you may be able to even them out.  

You may start out breastfeeding with breasts that look and work the same. Uneven breasts often become more noticeable over time because your baby starts to prefer one breast to the other.  

Milk supply in each breast responds separately to your baby’s sucking. If you feed more on one side, that breast will make more milk. If less milk is taken from the other side, it will make less.  

Your baby may have a preference: 

• for a faster or slower let-down 

• for a differently shaped nipple 

• to hold their head in a particular way. 

You may have: 

• more milk available on one side 

• one breast with a faster/slower let-down 

• differently shaped nipples on each side 

• a preference for holding baby on a particular side.  

You can encourage your baby to feed from the side which makes less: 

• Offer the least preferred side first at each feed. 

• Put baby back to that side or feed on that side more often. 

• Try to position baby in a way that is similar to their preferred side.  

• Try gentle strategies for breast refusal. 

You may find that, even with a lot of help and persuasion, your baby ends up refusing one breast and only feeds off the 'good' side. This can be very disheartening especially if you've put in so much effort.   

It’s still possible for your baby to be fully breastfed using one breast. This is a normal situation for some mums. You will have kept feeding off your ‘good’ side and this will have built up so that your baby is getting all they need from that breast. You can check that your baby is getting enough milk. 

You may have noticed that you get more milk from one breast when you pump. This is common. You can get the most amount of milk from both your breasts by helping your milk to flow while you pump. You may also find using breast compressions while pumping helps you to get more milk. 

In the same way as it’s possible to feed your baby on one side only, it’s possible to pump for your baby using only one breast. You may have to pump for shorter sessions more often, but your breast can do it. 

Probably, but it is unlikely that anyone else will notice. Any difference in size is temporary and your breasts will go back to a more equal size when your baby weans. If you're feeling self-conscious, you might consider a bra filler. 

© Australian Breastfeeding Association May 2022