The Bottle

Well, we finally had no choice but to introduce the bottle to our little man, since I had to start work yesterday. Thankfully, however, I only have to work 3 days this week, as a way to slowly wean back into the work routine. We are also fortunate in that I am able to come home to nurse during lunch, so he will only have one bottle feeding in the afternoon. In any event, all books advise someone other than the mother to give the bottle. I have been pumping for about two months and storing it in the freezer, just in case I get sick and have to "pump and dump". On April 28th, Zack gave Logan his very first bottle, and we were able to capture it on video as well. I was afraid this process was going to take a very long time, since he has breastfed exclusively for 4 1/2 months. He actually took it pretty well! Call me overemotional, but I teared up a little as I watched him take the bottle. It might be difficult to explain to those who have never experienced the emotional bond formed over nursing your baby, and of course I wanted him to take the bottle, so he will be ok when I'm not there, but there was definitely a small, selfish part of me that wished he would refuse it. I absolutely love all those countless, precious moments spent with him, skin to skin, so close to each other, and I beyond doubt will miss them in the not so distant future when he becomes too big to nurse. I guess I got both my wishes. After about two minutes of sucking from the bottle, he did get a little fussy and decided he was done. Since that first time, either my mom or Zack has given him the bottle about four more times. I can't help but smile just a little when he gets visibly angry that he has to take "second best". His pattern so far is to take the bottle for a few seconds, swallow, then scream with his little beat red face, making sure to let us know that he's not very happy about the new arrangement, then he'll drink for a few more seconds, get angry some more, drink again and so on. I do appreciate the fact that he is also missing his bonding time with Mommy, and I also find it humorous that even when he's mad, Logan still manages to drink it all. He's not our chubby little dude for no reason! :) When I came home from work last night, he didn't even want to play with me. The second I held him he grabbed for my breast like his life depended on it, and he wanted to latch on for most of the remaining night. It made me feel good to know I was missed, although he made it very clear what part of me he missed the most. :)