Many mums get confused about how many sides they should offer their baby at each breastfeed. They may see their friend giving just one breast every 4 or 5 hours, while another friend is offering both breasts every couple of hours, or even more. Is one of them doing something wrong? What pattern should you try for?

Each mum and baby pair is a unique partnership, and their feeding pattern will be equally unique. However, there are some general guidelines that can help you figure out what’s right for you and your baby.

What is your storage capacity?

Every breast has a maximum amount of milk that can be stored within it. This amount will not only vary between women; some women find that they have a significant variance between their own breasts.

Imagine that inside your breasts is a cup. Some women will have a cup large enough to hold 600 ml (or more!) of milk, while others may have a smaller cup that can hold, say, 50 ml of milk (the size of this cup has nothing to do with the size of your breasts!).

Imagine pouring milk into these cups; once they’re full, you can’t pour any more milk into them. This is the same in your breasts: once the cup in your breasts is "full,” your body will stop making any more milk until it has been emptied. Of course, the opposite is true too: the emptier your cup, the faster your body will produce milk to fill it. This response to being “full” and “empty” is a vital part of your body’s self-regulation.

It is not important to know the exact storage capacity of your breasts, but rather to understand that different storage capacities will require different feeding patterns.

So how exactly do feeding patterns vary?

Let’s say we are dealing with a 3-month-old baby who requires a total of 950 mL of milk every 24 hours.

Large storage capacity (“Mum 1”)

It is easy to see how a woman with a large storage capacity will have a lot of flexibility in how she feeds her baby. She can choose to encourage her baby to take 6-7 large feeds over the 24 hours, and if each breast has the same large capacity, then she will likely only ever need to offer one breast at a feeding.

However, capacity isn’t the only driver of feed frequency. She could equally have a baby who prefers taking 8–9 smaller feeds, despite the larger volumes being available. Remember, breastfeeding is a relationship that takes into account both mum and baby’s needs and desires.

Small storage capacity (“Mum 2”)

On the other hand, a mother with a smaller capacity will likely experience a different breastfeeding pattern. Her baby will probably need to access both breasts at each feed in order to get the desired amount of milk, and she will probably find herself feeding more frequently during the day (and night!). Since her body will make milk at a faster rate when her breast is empty, she will have another portion of milk ready to feed the baby when they come back for the next feed, even if it’s not been a very long time.

Do either of these mothers have a supply issue?

The simple and positive answer here is “no”. Both of these mothers have enough milk to feed their babies.

For example:

Mum 1 gives 6 feeds a day of approximately 160 ml per feed, for a total intake of 960 ml per day.
Mum 2 gives 10 feeds a day of approximately 95 ml per feed, for a total intake of 950 ml per day.

Both of these mothers are able to fully meet their baby’s needs.

Can I choose my feeding pattern?

This is where the mum with a large storage capacity has a slight advantage over the mum with a smaller storage capacity. Assuming we are dealing with a placid baby who is happy with either large, infrequent meals or small, frequent meals, then mum 1 can comfortably feed in whichever pattern she prefers.

However, what happens if mum 2 tries to put her baby on a 4-hour schedule? In this case, the baby can still only take 95 ml per feed (as that is the mother’s capacity), but now has only taken in 570 ml over the course of the day (95 ml x 6 = 570 ml). This baby won’t gain weight appropriately, and the mother will often be advised to supplement due to “low supply”.

This isn’t low supply, but a mismatch between feeding pattern and storage capacity. True (biological) low supply comes when storage capacity is so small that a baby can’t get all the milk they need, no matter how frequently they feed.

I don’t know my storage capacity, so how should I feed my baby?

Don’t worry if you don’t know what your storage capacity is—most of us don’t! The general starting point is to feed your baby on one breast until they pop off a little milk. Change their nappies (or rouse them another way), and then offer them dessert. If the first breast still feels full, go back to that breast; otherwise, offer the second breast. Allow the baby to feed again whenever they show a feeding cue. With time, you will get a feel for the unique pattern that works for you and your baby.

How do I know my baby is getting enough milk?

In the first couple of months of life, a baby’s nappy output is the best daily tool available to parents to know that they are getting enough milk.

5 to 6 good wet nappies.
2 or 3 dirty nappies

This is a ‘food in, food out’ situation, so if you are getting these good numbers of nappies, then your baby is eating plenty of milk. In addition, getting them weighed occasionally will provide additional reassurance that they are growing well. For the first couple of months, we like babies to gain 20–30 g per day.

Seeking professional help

A lack of awareness of how breastfeeding and storage capacity interact can lead many mothers to mistakenly believe that they have supply issues. While there are unfortunately cases where a mother will not be able to make a full milk supply for her baby, the vast majority of supply issues can be resolved with professional support.

Seeking out your local lactation specialist if you feel that breastfeeding isn’t progressing as you’d like is key to helping you achieve your breastfeeding goals.

Should I offer both breasts at each feed?

For our Baby Feeding Journey, Unii Expert Wendy Lever shares which side you offer at feeding time.