If you've been reading my blog for some time, you may recall that the early weeks after my fourth daughter was born were trying, at best. Not being able to nurse her was upsetting to me on a number of different levels, but one of the main reasons was that I felt guilty for not being capable of providing for her what my three other daughters had enjoyed: a full year of breastfeeding. As a parent, I try hard to make things as fair as possible, and it made me sad that, from the get-go, Eve was starting out on unequal footing with her three older sisters.
Anyway, I decided that, even though breastfeeding was not going to work for us, I would try to mimic the experience as best I could. I was the one who woke up in the middle of the night to feed her. Until she was about 6 months old, I fed her 95% of the time. And I never, ever propped her up with a bottle (okay, maybe once, but I was desperate). I even tried to bring her places when I didn't absolutely have to, because, had she been nursing, I would have had to. I just felt like, if she couldn't nurse, at least she could enjoy some of the benefits of it (mommy bonding, that is).
So here we are, at 9 months of age, and my baby has no desire to hold her own bottle! She's capable, I think, though I wouldn't know because she's never really tried. So I'm not forcing the issue. If she wants to be held, I'm perfectly willing. Until she's a year old, and then we're pulling the plug, just like we did with the other three.
2 comments:
Such a sweet picture. I can't believe how fast she is growing up.
I love that picture! Before you know it she will be running around playing and won't want to hold still for mommy snuggles/bottle anymore. I'm with you...what's the rush. :)
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