and continues...

Well, folks, I took the plunge and supplemented Ella's feedings with formula today. She gulped it down. I was down on myself for a while, feeling like I was doing a bad thing, but ultimately, the goal is a healthy baby and babies who go hungry are not particularly healthy. It was interesting that by the end of the day, I was feeling myself sliding down that slippery slope of no more breastfeeding. I was realizing that I could have Scott feed Ella without stressing about how much more milk was in the freezer and that I could take a nap when Ella does without worrying about pumping or, my favorite, I could go to bed with Scott at a decent hour without pumping first! Woo-hoo! But Scott reminded me that my goal is just to be supplementing as my supply (hopefully) increases so that I can continue nursing. Thank goodness he stepped in, because that little yellow can is quite seductive. Let me add a note here that I have no problem with formula feeding in general. It has just always been a personal thing that I would nurse my kids. Not for any particular reason, really, other than that was how I grew up thinking it was done and it stuck with me (unlike the idea that one must use cloth diapers). It never occurred to me that there was another option. And I hate quitting things and this would feel like quitting -- big time. But by no means am I fanatical about all women breastfeeding until the kid hits junior high, etc, etc.

Anyway...

Ella started holding her own bottle tonight. Good thing I was over my "If I Give Her Formula She Doesn't Need Me" neurosis by that time, or I may have gone over the edge. It was actually quite comical. She was in only a diaper, streched out across my lap, righth arm behind her head, holding the end of the bottle with her left hand. First try and she used one hand. The kid has flair. In the last week, she has been introduced to apple-prune juice (poor thing has been VERY constipated) and formula and loves both. Let's hope she continues to love new foods and has a palate more similar to Scott's than mine.

And the battle rages on...