I have always been very proud of myself for breastfeeding my children. I will be the first to say it is not the easiest thing I have ever done. But I have been committed to it from the beginning. Ethan was for 9 months, Owen for 7 months and now Eliza for 4 months so far and still going. However, I am doing one thing different with Eliza than I did with the boys. She has started taking a bottle of formula at night for her last feeding. I have had to come to terms with the fact that I am one mom against 3 children daily and I need sleep. So about a week or so ago we started a bottle of formula for her last feeding to see if maybe I wasn't producing enough milk for that last feeding and she really was waking up hungry. It has turned out to be "the formula for success." She is going to bed around 8pm and sleeping until about 5, sometimes 6am. Beautiful! I struggled with this at first b/c the boys were exclusively breastfed, but at the end of the day, if I am not at least half way rested, I am no good to anyone around here.
One thing I have noticed at night when I am feeding her with the bottle is that she likes to hold my hand while I am holding the bottle. Ethan used to do this and it developed into his comforting mechanism of clicking my finger nails. Her little hands and fingers are so sweet and delicate. I just love it.
I am still pumping 4 times a day to leave bottles for Chris and freeze as much milk for day care as I can and I am still nursing her throughout the afternoon when I am with her, but the one bottle of formula is doing wonders for our sleep around here. We are even sleeping enough at night to where Owen is back in bed with us off and on. Which admittedly I have missed. How perfect is it to wake up with your little ones snuggling close to you? I love it! And although some pediatricians may argue, I tell myself, he won't be 18 and still sleeping with mommy. So enjoy it now. And that's what we are doing.
BTW - doesn't he looked bigger than 3 in this pic???? I can't believe my baby boy is growing up.
1 comment:
I love waking up to a little face in my face saying, "Hey Momma." and then sealed with the sweetest kiss in the world. I agree these moments are priceless.
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