first bottle, but not her last

Check out this proud big sister who was given the honor of providing Hazel with her first bottle at six weeks.   Tatum can be an awesome helper when it comes to her little sister.  When she's in the helping mood she'll help gather pacifiers, watch and help with diaper changes and carefully love on Hazel.  And when she's not in the mood, well, she's not. 

Experts say to introduce a babe's first bottle at six weeks after the baby's latch is good and a mother's milk supply is flowing.  So, following the advice, we did this with Hazel just as we did with Tatum.  But then due to my disdain for the breast pump, I packed it up and left it for a long while.  Then, about two weeks before my return to work I realized that I had to make up with my pump and get her going again.  After speaking to a lactation consultant at Bellies, I decided to pump a bottle and give it to Hazel myself.  Although this is NOT what the consultant recommended, I figured I would give it a go and see if Hazel would still take the bottle.  And she did.

"A good baby is a good baby at everything."  These are the words of my own mother who realized this with her first born, my older sister Jen.  Jen was the perfect baby.  Mom had heard the same advice, introduce the bottle early so that the babes become used to it and can feed when you return to work.  In an effort to avoid work for as long as possible, Mom waited to give Jen her bottle until just days before she was due back to work with the secret hope that Jen would reject the bottle and Mom could delay work.  Jen took the bottle like a champ and mom's thought was "you little twit!" 

Like so many moms, we return to work armed with our breast pump and a box of tissues.  Suffering is easier to bear when we know we are not the only ones suffering.  So to all those mothers who have had to leave their little ones and return to work I honor you; and for all those mothers who will have to do this in the future, may you have strength through this transition period and know that work does not change your role as a mother.