I was talking to my husband last night and we realized that I've probably breastfed the kiddo more than 700 times at this point. A mere 10 weeks ago, I don't think I could imagine it not being a dreadful and painful process. Now, breastfeeding is a part of who I am. But, I'm going back to work soon and it's time to introduce the bottle...
I finally broke out the pump about a week ago, but I'd been putting off and putting off giving him a bottle. I was afraid that my temperamental little guy would like it more than he'd like me and that it would negatively impact our breastfeeding relationship. It was also sort of an admission that I really was going to have to go back to work eventually...and that eventually was quickly going to become a now. Then I started to worry about whether or not he'd take a bottle since I waited too long. "They" say you should ideally introduce one by about 4-6 weeks and somehow 10 weeks had flown by already. Sigh.
Yesterday, I finally relented. It was bottle day. My patient husband listened carefully as I rambled on and on about how to do it just so and things to remember and tips and tricks and a bunch of other probably unnecessary information and then I left the house. Feeding time came and just over 5 minutes later it went. That was it. All those weeks of agonizing if he'd take the bottle, if he wouldn't take the bottle and that was it. Then the next feeding came and went just like the approximately 700 before it.
Today, we skipped the bottle. It didn't really fit in to the day and I didn't really mind that. Not breastfeeding makes me feel like a little bit of me is missing. And today, I wanted to hold onto that piece. We'll try it again tomorrow.
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