This weekend, we went back to our home-state, Illinois, for a friend’s wedding. It was great to see high school friends again and compare pictures of our children. (I’m winning; I had the most (children and pictures)).
The whole family was invited to the wedding, but we made arrangements for Olivia to
stay with Josh’s grandma. We’ve seen her at weddings before, and it’s just not pretty. Well, that’s not true. She’s gorgeous. Let’s just say she takes too much attention away from the bride and groom. We planned on Benjamin coming to the wedding, but the not the “Adult Reception” that followed. This was the first “Adult Reception” we had ever been invited to and we were a bit confused. Why would anyone not want to see my beautiful children? Don’t they amuse you when they run crazy through adult legs? And spit up on your wedding dress? And break all your dainty table settings? And cry because the party extends hours past bedtime? And smear cake frosting on every surface their sweet little hands can reach? And refuse to eat the $15/plate meal you paid for?
Oh.
So, to prepare Benjamin for his first-ever babysitting experience, we gave him his first 
bottle last week. He didn’t quite know what to do with it at first. He wouldn’t drink it when Josh tried, but consented when I took over a little later. And that was his only bottle experience. Perhaps we should have done more, but as any nursing mother knows, pumped milk is white gold. I was saving every drop for the babysitter.
And so, a couple hours into the reception, I got the phone call. He wouldn’t take the bottle. And after discussing transportation options, I found I couldn’t take the car to go home to him without also taking Josh. And Josh was a groomsman. And the party had really just begun.
So he was driven forty minutes to be reunited with his mommy. He crashed the “Adult Reception.”
Has anyone else had this experience of bottle-refusal? Is there hope to break it? Do I have to wait until he’s eating solids before we can be separated again? Olivia would eat anything you stuck in her mouth, so this is new to us.
Well I have no experience in this area, but I do love that picture of Olivia. 🙂 What wonderful person had her as a flower girl at their wedding? 😉
Ashley beat me to it… I love that picture of Olivia.
No personal experience of bottle-refusal, sorry 😉 I have heard of the opposite happening- babies getting used to bottles and refuse to breastfeed.
So, you have a breast pump? Are they expensive/hard to use? Just considering my options, way ahead of time…
Joanna,
1) Didn’t you take that picture? I couldn’t remember.
2) I’ve heard the same, as far as getting used to bottles, which is why I hadn’t introduced one to Benjamin sooner. Plus, why bother with cleaning bottles and pumps if you don’t have to? 🙂
3) I have an Avent Isis pump and it was relatively inexpensive considering its quality ($50). It’s also easy to use (as long as you can remember how to take it apart and put it back together again!). I wouldn’t recommend it for daily use, as it is a hand-held pump. I’d go with a Medela Pump-In-Style for full-time working mommies as it is electric (read: less time and work involved). But it’s also pricier ($300!).
I was blessed with a Medela Pump in style, it is awesome. Like Olivia, Lexi had no problem eating anything you put in her mouth. Actually, she had a harder time nursing than she did drinking from the bottle. But like anything new, I would just continue to give Benjamin bottles every now and then, eventually he’ll get the hang of it.
Nope, didn’t take it. I DID get a lot of good pictures that day, though- especially of the flower girl.
Hmmm…
I don’t know how to answer your bottle delimma. This is an area I know little about. I guess you can wait until he is really hungry and have him take it then.
I am thinking about breast feeding in the future. (We’re not pregnant yet, possibly sometime in the near future.) I was thinking about breast feeding and also pumping. I don’t know how that will work out. I want to let Kyle bottle feed abot 1/3 of the time, so he gets the chance to feed and bond.
Does that work?
Exclusively breastfeeding for the first 6 months is recommended (and my preferred method). That doesn’t exclude bottle-feeding, and it’s not saying formula is bad, it’s just saying breastmilk is best. So if you’re willing to pump 1/3 of the time, then there’d be no problem with that. But formula feeding 1/3 of the time might mess with your milk supply. (It’s very much a supply and demand thing). I used to feel the same way about wanting Josh to take some of the feeding responsibilities, so he could bond, but also so I could take a break! But I grew to love the fact that only I could satisfy them in that way. It’s weird, but I love it.
There are lots of other ways Kyle can bond with the baby. Josh’s favorite was wearing Olivia in the Maya Wrap (baby sling). It was how he put her to sleep when I wasn’t there. And bare-chested snuggling with a diaper-clad baby is wonderful bonding time for baby and daddy.
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