Madeline was so disappointed and confused when her baby brother came home and we didn't give him a bottle. I told her then that tiny babies drink "mommy milk" and that when he was a little bit bigger we would give him a bottle.
In preparation for Tucker's arrival we started reading her a book with her favorite character "Ashley." In the book Ashley's baby brother arrives and she talks all about the things she can do to help because she is the big sister. One of those things is give the baby a bottle. Madeline goes through the book agreeing with all of the things that big sisters can do for the baby and telling me how she does this or that for Tucker just like Ashley does for her baby- except the bottle thing.
Well, Monday I started to leave to go for a walk and Madeline was sitting with her Daddy. I told Tyler that Tucker shouldn't get hungry but that if he woke up inconsolable while I was gone that there were a couple of bags of milk in the freezer that he could put in a bottle. I had a great walk and when I got home Tucker was still asleep but soon woke up and started to cry. I was in the kitchen and Madeline walked in very matter of fact and went to the freezer grunting and pulling as hard as she could on the door. I asked her what she was doing and she said that she was, "going to get some milk for Tucker to put in a bottle because he was a 'little bit bigger' now and needed to have a bottle." And that SHE wanted to give him a bottle. Scary how well kids pay attention when you think they aren't!
Pumping milk and nursing is like rocket science to me. Haven't quite gotten the hang of it but I will try a little harder to make that happen so that Madeline and others who would like to feed Tucker can have that opportunity. I remember when my friend Amber had her little boy Noah she took on the feeding responsibility solely. I thought how restricting that must be and asked her why she had chosen not to give Noah a bottle from time to time. She told me that he was probably their last child and that she enjoyed that special time with him when just the two of them could slow down and bond. Now I understand. With as hectic as life is right now feeding time is time when (as much as I feel I might need to be doing other things) I have to stop, slow down, and just connect with Tucker.
Now that I have a three year old I know how fast this time goes by and how briefly our babies are babies. Soon they turn in to three year olds that are so smart and funny it's scary!
In preparation for Tucker's arrival we started reading her a book with her favorite character "Ashley." In the book Ashley's baby brother arrives and she talks all about the things she can do to help because she is the big sister. One of those things is give the baby a bottle. Madeline goes through the book agreeing with all of the things that big sisters can do for the baby and telling me how she does this or that for Tucker just like Ashley does for her baby- except the bottle thing.
Well, Monday I started to leave to go for a walk and Madeline was sitting with her Daddy. I told Tyler that Tucker shouldn't get hungry but that if he woke up inconsolable while I was gone that there were a couple of bags of milk in the freezer that he could put in a bottle. I had a great walk and when I got home Tucker was still asleep but soon woke up and started to cry. I was in the kitchen and Madeline walked in very matter of fact and went to the freezer grunting and pulling as hard as she could on the door. I asked her what she was doing and she said that she was, "going to get some milk for Tucker to put in a bottle because he was a 'little bit bigger' now and needed to have a bottle." And that SHE wanted to give him a bottle. Scary how well kids pay attention when you think they aren't!
Pumping milk and nursing is like rocket science to me. Haven't quite gotten the hang of it but I will try a little harder to make that happen so that Madeline and others who would like to feed Tucker can have that opportunity. I remember when my friend Amber had her little boy Noah she took on the feeding responsibility solely. I thought how restricting that must be and asked her why she had chosen not to give Noah a bottle from time to time. She told me that he was probably their last child and that she enjoyed that special time with him when just the two of them could slow down and bond. Now I understand. With as hectic as life is right now feeding time is time when (as much as I feel I might need to be doing other things) I have to stop, slow down, and just connect with Tucker.
Now that I have a three year old I know how fast this time goes by and how briefly our babies are babies. Soon they turn in to three year olds that are so smart and funny it's scary!
Hi Allison,
ReplyDeleteI saw your blog off of Tanna's site and I ran across your post here. I just wanted to give you props for sticking with breastfeeding. It is so hard. A friend of mine asked me how it was going for us when my daughter was born - she asked if it was difficult. I told her that it was much more mentally exhausting than physically exhausting. It is rocket science.
So, even though we've never met - I just thought I'd pass on a pat on the back to you. Hang in there. And enjoy that baby boy!