The logistics of feeding
“Where’s baby Tadhg?” munchkin asked.
“Oh, he’s eating,” I explained.
In typical 3-year-old insistence on being involved, she volunteers,
“I can help feed him!”
Eyeing the big armchair where mommy was busy breastfeeding, Daddy thought fast. “Hey! Isn’t your baby hungry too?”
To help ease his acceptance into the family unit, our ever-thoughtful Baby Tadhg had brought a baby doll as a gift for his big sister the day he came home from the hospital.
“Oh yeah!” Munchkin bolts back to her room to retrieve her baby doll. I hear her climbing into bed and rusting around for her doll. Then, “Daddy! Daddy! I can’t feed my baby!”
“You can’t feed your baby?”
“Nooooo! I can’t feed him!”
“Why not?”
“I don’t have the boob!”
This was not the answer Daddy was expecting. Daddy stifles a laugh.
“You don’t?”
“No, I don’t! I can’t feed him!”
Daddy thinks fast.
“Why don’t we find a bottle to feed your baby with?”
There is a brief pause.
“I don’t have a bottle, Daddy!”
Daddy rummages in the cupboard and retrieves a bottle.
“It’s okay, honey, I have a bottle here for your baby.”
“You do???!!” Munchkin runs into the room, her baby’s head bumping along the carpet where she is dangling him by an arm. Daddy extends the bottle. “Ohhhh!” Delighted, she accepts it and, both hands full now, clambers awkwardly next to mommy in the armchair where Tadhg, oblivious to the goings-on, is continuing his repast. Once situated, she positions herself and her baby (checking mommy and Tadhg’s position to match) and starts her own feeding.
Daddy admires the girls in his life for a minute, in that single armchair, feeding their babies.
Filed under: Anecdotes, Parenting
3 Responses to “The logistics of feeding”
April 16th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
“I don’t have the boob!”
Mwahahahaha!
April 17th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
Great post man!
April 27th, 2009 at 11:31 am
So sweet!!