Guest Blogger Leigh: Career Woman to Stay at Home Mom

A friend of mine at Mommy & Me decided to quit her job and become a stay at home Mom — something a lot of us think about or thought about doing at some point. I asked her to share her story so that all of us who still work can get a first hand account of what’s it’s like transitioning from a career woman to a stay at home mom. It has its joys and its challenges. Here’s her story:

“When I got pregnant last year I would only allow myself to be consumed with the actual pregnancy…not what happens after the baby was here. I was going on four years working for a great company with fantastic benefits, however in the few months prior I had gone from loving my position to just tolerating it. As my due date approached, I could no longer ignore the fact that I needed a plan for when my maternity leave was up. In my mind, I thought I wanted to be a stay-at-home Mom, but I didn’t think it was realistic for my family. I looked around at daycares and explored the nanny option as well – maybe I was just naive but I could not believe how expensive they were. Many of the daycares cost just about as much as I was making – and the hours didn’t match my job at all. I work(ed) in the entertainment industry and I know there was no way I could sneak out of the office at 5pm everyday in time to pick up my child. Nannies were just as much money, if not more. I wanted to make sure I was being ‘financially responsible’, so I really did my homework and weighed all my options before coming to terms that it didn’t make sense for me to give my entire paycheck over to someone to watch my baby while I was at a job where I wasn’t happy.

The Best Baby Swimwear for Summer!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day! We spent the first half of the day at the beach, under our awesome Shade Shack (see previous post, it’s a must buy for parents!) and Archer enjoyed a little dip with Daddy in his new swimwear.

If you’ve taken your little one swimming you’ve most likely used a disposable swim diaper. We did that too the first few times. They soak up with water and practically act like a floatation device, not to mention they’re not too attractive. They do their job though. I wasn’t looking for any alternative until I stumbled upon these adorable reusable swim diapers from iPlay. I decided to give one a try, mostly because they were cute, reusable and  less bulky. I am happy to report they worked great! Archer is 6 months old and on the thin side and the 9-12 month size fit fine, even when wet, and will still fit as he grows. I highly recommend buying a few of these if you’re a water family like we are.

These diapers also won a 2012 Cribsie Award — I am not surprised. I definitely would have voted them the best swimwear as well.

They also sell rash guards and we did get a matching protective sun hat as well. Both worked great for our pool and beach outings.

Mix ‘n Match Ultimate Swim Diaper – Swimwear – Swim & Sun – i play.

The Must Have Baby Item…

Washcloths! I am sure you would never guess that one items you’ll need the most for your newborn are soft small washcloths. Yes, you heard me washcloths. You want them extra soft for baby’s sensative skin, small so you can easily wipe down baby without getting their clothes all wet and a lot of them! We go through 4-5 a day. Basically after each feeding, before bed, in the morning and during baths we use a washcloth to clean up Archer.

My mom was the one who said we’d need a bunch of them and gifted us about 20. I never thought I’d need as many as she said I would, but boy am I glad we have them. I use them several times a day and even stick one in my purse or pocket when heading out the door. Much less bulky than a burp cloth and just as effective while on the go.

We have some similar washcloths as those pictured below. These are from Babies R Us, but be sure to feel them beforehand to make sure they’re extra soft!

Babies R Us 8 Pack Washcloths – Boy – Koala Baby – Babies “R” Us.

Products: Itzy Ritzy Infant Car Seat Cover

A woman at my baptism class had this adorable car seat… I had never seen one so cute. When I asked about it she said it was just an adorable car seat cover! I hadn’t seen ones for infant car seats before. This brand Itzy Ritzy makes all sorts of reusable products, including sandwich and snack bags, breast pads for nursing moms and burp cloths.

This car seat cover is not only adorable (they have several patterns and styles) but it’ll keep your car seat looking like new! Don’t worry about that occasional blowout, drool or spit up getting in all those impossible to clean folks and seams. Now your car seat will stay clean for many kids to come! This cover isn’t cheap, about $100, but I’d say it’s worth it if you have it from the start.

 

Amazon.com: Itzy Ritzy Infant Car Seat Cover, Social Circle Blue: Baby.

Play: 6-9 months

Today in my Mommy & Me class there were a few of us that said we were running out of tricks! Our babies who were 6-8 months old were getting bored of our usual games and their usual toys. We joked that we better buy more toys and our instructor gave us many ideas that are pretty much free! Now that got our attention. Here were some of her ideas for babies that around 6-9 months old:

Hide & Seek is a really great game during this age because it helps babies understand that even if they can’t see you, you’re there which is important to understand when they start getting separation anxiety. Here are a few iterations:

• Put your baby in their car seat and step out of the room saying “Where’s Mommy, Where’s Mommy [insert your baby’s name]?” Then jump back in “There she is!”
• Get a cloth napkin and drape it over you head saying “Where’s Mommy?” and revealing “There she is!” Once your baby is getting it then put the napkin over your baby’s head and say “Where’s [insert your baby’s name]?” and them removing it “There she is!”
• Hide and seek with food! Get 3 dixi cups and place a piece of rice cereal or a piece of fruit under one of them. Ask Baby where it is and reveal it. Later you can move the cups around to see if they can track which one has the food.

Sleep: What Should Baby Wear

I am not sure why, but this topic has been a concern of mine from the beginning! How do you keep baby warm when you can’t place blankets over them when they sleep? I know the optimal room temperature is supposed to be kept at an optimal 70-72 degrees for SIDS prevention, but just a cotton onesie during the dead of winter doesn’t seem like enough. Especially as the room cools throughout the night. If babies are supposed to be dressed in one layer more than you are and I sleep under a down blanket what is the equivalent for them?

We found two types of products that worked well for us, both at different stages of his growth.

As a tiny newborn we’d dress him in a onesie and then swaddle him. The swaddle blanket was thick enough to provide enough warmth. We also had him wear a little hat for the first few weeks when he slept. (he was born in December, so use your own judgement for your child based on the weather/temperature where you live).

Then during the next few months (1-3) we preferred to use a footed fleece sleeper. This you can put over a onesie or just by itself. If it was a colder I’d put over a onesie, if not then just by itself. This was great until Archer was a few weeks shy of 3 months old. You can also swaddle in a fleece sleeper, but I’d use a light swaddle as the sleeper is already warm. (As a reminder, you should only swaddle until 2 months old).

Carter’s Micro Fleece Jungle Animal Footed Sleeper

Once he began to move around more the 0-3 footed sleeper was getting tighter and because it’s micro fleece it doesn’t stretch. He simply outgrew this so we moved to the next item… the sleep sack! We loved the sleep sack. We would dress Archer in a cotton footed onesie and then put the sleep sack of that. It was warm and gave him freedom to move about. At this point he wasn’t being swaddled so he needed movement. Size small fits babies 10-18 lbs. It was also great in that if he diaper leaked, we had two layers of protection before it hit the mattress sheet. The issue with sleep sacks is they should only be used until the baby is 6 months old — according to physical therapists it’s not good to inhibit their leg movement even slightly, which the sleep sack might do. After 6 months it’s best to transition back to a footed fleece sleeper or just use a cotton onesie if it’s warm enough in your home.

Amazon.com: HALO SleepSack Micro-Fleece Wearable Blanket, Baby Blue, Small: Baby.

Now that it’s summer Archer just wears a traditional cotton footed PJ. When it gets cold again, we’ll have to get some bigger footed fleece sleepers… sad to say goodbye to the sleep sack… just one more thing he’s grown out of!

Infant Care

For first time parents it can be nerve racking to think about taking care of a newborn during those first few weeks when you are sure exactly what you’re doing. This is especially true for those of us that are the youngest in our families or who were only children, we were always the babies!

So what are all the dos and don’ts? We took an infant class at our local hospital and here are the not so obvious things we learned:

• Do not use baby wipes for the first month, use soft cloth or paper towel and warm water only as wipes can irritate the babies skin. Wait until they’re at least 1 month old to use baby wipes. We still use Sensitive Baby Wipes and have never had an issue.
• Do not use baby powder. The powder gets in the air when used and if inhaled is bad for the baby’s lungs. I don’t know why they even sell the stuff anymore!
• Diaper rash is from the production of ammonia which comes from pee and poo mixing. This is why it’s so important to change the baby’s diaper often and really make sure to get everything wiped clean.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Happy Mother’s Day to all those soon-to-be moms and new moms!

“The moment a child is born, the mother is also born.  She never existed before.  She didn’t know what kind of mother she would be and now she knows the only kind of mother one can be — full of love, support, admiration and forgiveness for her child.”

Within us all things are possible. We birth the doctors, the teachers, the leaders, the inventors. This world would be nothing without the fruits of our wombs. Enjoy today and revel in how important you are in your kid’s life and in the ecosystem of the world.

xoxo

Attachment Parenting

Today in the news there was controversy over a Time cover photo of a young woman breastfeeding her 4 year old son who was standing on a chair just to reach her breast. That is extreme, but the article was using it as a reference to the philosophy of attachment parenting. I myself believe in attachment parenting and like a lot of what Dr. Sears has recommended (he one of the biggest advocates of attachment parenting). He has come under scrutiny for his extreme beliefes. One example being that co-sleeping with your children isn’t bad and is actually prefered.

I wanted to take the controversy over Dr. Sears out of the equation to really explain what attachment parenting is. There was an article today on Yahoo that listed the 8 basic priciples of attachment parenting from Dr. Mayim Bialik. It’s a quick and accurate summary of attachment parenting:

“So what is attachment parenting really about? Attachment Parenting International (API) identifies AP as guided by eight principles. The practical application varies greatly but it often looks something like this:

1. Birth: Prepare for birth and become educated about natural birth options and their benefits for baby and mother.

2. Breastfeeding/breast milk: A human mother’s milk is the optimal food for human babies, and bottle feeding should mimic as many aspects of breastfeeding as possible.

Guest Blogger Marylouise: Becoming a Grandmother

As new moms we know how exited our mothers got when they knew we were expecting, but have we checked in since our babies have been born to ask them what’s it’s like?  I asked my mom and here’s what she had to say about becoming a Grandmother:

 

“Everyone always says it is the greatest thing in the world–becoming a grandmother, but it’s one of those things that you hear but don’t understand until it happens to you.  It is still hard to describe but there’s an understanding among other grandparents about how you feel and what you are going through.

 

I am in the early stages of being a grandmother; grandsons are 9 months and 5 months old, but I already think my grandsons are the cutest and smartest children ever born!  I see the way other grandparents look and feel about their grandchildren and they feel and think the same way.  How can we each have the smartest and most beautiful babies?

 

Something I enjoy already is the acceptance (by one grandson) that I am fine and interesting the way I am.  He is old enough to be observant and curious and he loves finding the brown spots on my skin, feeling out the wrinkles, and he doesn’t care that I have rolls or flabbiness around my mid section.  For him, grandma is a place to explore, climb on, and relax on.

 

Finally, the best thing for me is to see a child grow and develop, almost like a plant growing or a flower blooming.  As a grandmother I can afford to sit back and relax and observe.  I am not caught up in the daily worries of getting to work, making sure there is food and clean clothes for everyone, and I don’t have to always wonder whether I am doing the right thing in raising my child.  As a grandmother I realize that each child is born with a set of dispositions and tendencies and it is a marvel to see how these unfold.  The challenge is always how to cope with certain personalities and how to enhance or encourage the child to develop into a happy, well rounded, secure child.

 

I am so excited about this adventure!”

 

With Mother’s Day coming up, it might be fun to ask your mom what it feels like to be a grandparent. Great Mother’s Day brunch conversation topic!

 

 

Marylouise with her grandchildren, Archer 3 weeks old and Christopher 5 months old.

Working Moms: Pumping at Work

When you head back to work on your first day, you’ll likely have one extra bag with you — a bag with your breastpump! You arrive thinking all you need is your equipment, ice pack and storage bags or bottles. Think again! Here is a list of what to pack in your breast pump bag from someone who more than once was caught without something I needed:

1. Breastpump and accessories: this seems obvious but make sure to double check that you have everything before you leave for work
2. Paper towels: there will be all sorts of drips and drops that you’ll want to catch so they don’t mess up your clothes
3. Cleaning wipes: medela sells some breastpump “quick clean” wipes for your equipment. A must if you don’t have a sink where you pump
4. A sharpie! Important if you are pumping into bags or containers that you will store, make sure to date each one.
5. Frozen ice pack: don’t forget to put in the freezer the night before! No one wants to put their breastmilk in the work refrigerator.
6. Nursing cover or shall: on a normal day you won’t need this, but those few times you have to pump on the go (yes, I have pumped while driving in the car on the way to a meeting) you’ll wish you had it
7. Extra breast milk storage bags: just incase you have to stay longer than you thought, you want extra storage containers on hand
8. Hands free nursing bra: you’ll be upset if you forget this! The nursing bra is essential for a productive or at least entertaining pumping session (you can use your hands to check email, read, make calls, etc…)

Here are other tips in terms of making time for pumping at work:

1. Schedule time on your calendar to pump. That way no one will book meetings back to back and not allow you a 30 minute break to pump.
2. In a long meeting, don’t be shy to speak up and say you need a 15 minute break. People who know you ‘re pumping will respect it and for those who don’t, everyone appreciates a break in a several hour meeting.
3. Plan ahead. This is the single biggest bit of advice. Look at your calendar to know when you will pump based on your schedule. Sometimes you’ll need to pump 45 minutes earlier than you would have because of meetings.

I am quite busy at work and usually have several meetings a day, sometimes all day meetings. I have always found time to pump you just have to plan ahead and make it a priority. One more thing to manage I know, but totally worth it.

Happy pumping!

Working Moms: Traveling With Breastmilk

For many working moms, our jobs include travel. That can be quite difficult when you’re nursing and need to pump every 4 hours. That plane flight cross country that’s 5 and half hours long, plus 30 minutes to pre board and 30 minutes to deplane, that’s almost 7 hours. When to pump? Where to pump? Where to store the milk?

These are all questions I had to figure out on my first business trip to Denver when Archer was just 4 months old. I was nursing and was going to be gone for 2 days and 1 night. The good news is the flight is only 2.5 hours long so I didn’t have to get too crazy with pumping on the plane… or so I thought. (stay tuned)

The way there was quite simple. I pumped right before I left and had my breast pump with me as a carry on. Included in my breast pump bag was the frozen ice pack that came with my Medela pump. Security was fine with it because it was frozen solid. Once I landed I headed to the airport bathroom, washed my hands, found a stall and pumped for 10-15 minutes. The ice pack was still pretty cold so I easily stored the milk in my little portable cooler. Pumping in an airport bathroom is less than glamorous — they actually had shut of my side of the restroom for cleaning while I was in it and all you could hear was the cleaning person mopping and my pump going “urr urr urrr urr”. Hilarious. Oh well, assume she figured out what I was doing in a stall for that long with that humming sound.

Once I arrived at my hotel I asked for a freezer/refridge. They had one available for $10 a day and had it delivered to my room. Most hotels have fridges or freezers you can have brought to your room. I was able to store all my milk in it over the next few days.

While at the conference there were no private rooms, so during lunch and the afternoon break I would head to the ladies restroom, pick a stall and pump! More bathroom pumping, not idea, but you got to do what you got to do. Stored it in my portable cooler until I could get to the hotel.

Next morning was full of the same, but then when it was time to leave I had to pack up all 30oz I had packed, keep it cool during the last few hours of the conference AND have it cool and safe through airport security.

This is where things got funny. I had brought 2 ziplock freezer bags with me. I filled them with the bags of breast milk, then went to the ice machine to fill up each bag with ice. The breatmillk was surrounded in ice so I figured I could at least keep it cool until I went through security at the airport.

Almost made it… security pulled me over for a few reasons:

1. My ice pack had partially defrosted . Since it wasn’t frozen solid they weren’t going to let me take it through.
2. My breastmilk had to be inspected, but both machines to check the breastmilk were broken.
3. The ice I had around the breastmilk had partially melted so there was liquid in the bags.

Long story short, they poured out any water from the melting ice and they made me open every single breatsmilk bag so they could test it with a vapor strip (two breastmilk bags had burst and were now wasted) —  all of this was in front of the entire security line! It was quite embarassing, but I made it home with 20-25oz of breastmilk so it was worth it.

Lessons from this experience:

1. make sure your ice pack is frozen solid when you go through security and pour out any liquid from melted ice. Ice though is ok.
2. make sure to tightly seal any milk bags so they don’t leak, seems obvious, but check each one to be sure.
3. make sure to head to the airport early! I was held up in security so long that I didn’t have time to pump before my flight, so I ended up having to pump on the plane. Just imagine standing in a small, windowless plane bathroom for 15 minutes while everyone outside wonders what you’re doing in there for so long. I was so over it all by that time I just didn’t care.
4. bring a few large size ziplock bags. You’ll need this to hold any ice for the trip back

What we mother’s do to protect the liquid gold we produce. Of course now I have no future plans to travel without a baby, but if you have to travel it can be done.

Happy Travels!

Toys: Bright Starts Rattle

We were gifted this rattle and just gave it to Archer to play with a few weeks ago (around 4 months old) and he just loves it! It definitely is his favorite rattle at this age. He loves to shake it and chew on it.  At only $4.99 it’s a cheap and entertaining toy!

Amazon.com: Bright Starts Start Your Senses Rattle A Round: Baby.

Gear: Shade Shack Sun Shelter

Donavan and I live just 1 mile from the beach and can’t wait to take Archer this summer. That said, we all know how strong the sun can be on the beach and it makes me nervous to not have shelter or a place for him to take a nap when needed. A friend at mommy & me just bought the Shade Shack Beach Tent and Sun Shelter. It’s very portable, twists up to the size of a car sun shade, and is big enough for the whole family to fit under. I just order this from Amazon and am looking forward to giving it a try some sunny weekend soon!

Amazon.com: Shade Shack Instant Pop Up Family Beach Tent and Sun Shelter: Sports & Outdoors.

Products: Medela Calma Breastmilk Feeding Nipple

Another mom in my mommy & me class recommended this new feeding nipple from Medela. Her son wouldn’t take a bottle and she only had 2 days before she had to return to work — in desperation she tried this nipple and it worked upon first try! I haven’t personally tried this nipple yet, but it sure looks more like a real breast shape and her rave review would make me try it if Archer ever has issues taking a bottle.

 

Amazon.com: Medela Calma Breastmilk Feeding Nipple: Baby.

Gear: Cloud B Sleep Sheep

We use our Cloud B sleep sheep every night! It’s been a lifesaver when putting Archer to sleep. We attached it to his bassinet and now have it attached to the crib. When we put him down we turn it on to one of the four nature sounds, we usually choose the ocean waves, and it helps him sleep. I think this was more important during the first few months when he still was used to being in the womb and therefore needed white noise, but now it’s a habit and he seems to like it. We actually bought the travel version, the Cloud B Giraffe, for his carseat.

Amazon.com: Cloud b Sleep Sheep Four Soothing Sounds From Nature: Baby.

When Two Become Three: Marriage After Baby

I know every relationship is different and all couples react differently to changes in their life, but one thing that seems to be common for new parents is arrival of new arguments and disagreements with the arrival of a baby.

Donavan and I never argued more than the first 2 months of Archer’s life. We were both so protective of him and both thought we were right, even though I did all the research, Donavan had his own ideas of how things should be done. We also were both operating on little sleep and since we both were home all day we were around each other 24 hours a day, 6 days a week, couped up in our condo. That is enough to drive any couple nuts. On top of that there is little to no intimacy during the first 6 weeks, doctors orders, so connecting as a couple sexually is also not an option to help regain that spark.

After weeks of almost daily arguing, we just looked at each other and said this has got to stop. We must start working together and being supportive. We both wanted what was right for little Archer and neither of us really knew if we were right. I am not sure how we turned it around in a matter of one conversation, but I think we both just realized arguing wasn’t going to help anything and we were just tired of it. We missed our lovey dovey snugglefest relationship.

We just communicated how we felt. I felt like he was questioning my mothering. Did he think I was a good mom? And he felt like I was over reacting and not listening to him. After discussing we both realized that we were overly sensitive — he thought I was an amazing mother and I thought he was right more than he was wrong (not easy for me to admit).

Later once Archer got a bit older, the disagreements were a lot fewer but they were different. More about one of us feeling like we were doing more than the other. Like washing bottles vs. washing cloths vs. picking up toys etc… Our solution was to delegate tasks so each of us had things we were responsible for — this method has worked well for us. I also happen to have a super helpful and supportive husband so I didn’t have to deal with feeling like I do everything and he does nothing. Many of the moms in my mommy and me group discussed how their husbands wouldn’t do anything unless they asked, they didn’t want to have to ask, they just wanted their husbands to see what needed to be done and do it. The solution was to devise a chore list so each person has their chores every day and that way things get taken care of without one person always directing the other. Seems like an easy solution if you have a partner willing to do half the work.

In general, don’t worry if you argue a ton in the first few months. You will get passed it and all will return to normal once you figure out your rhythm with this new person as part of your life. Make sure to find time as a couple, say thank you and flirt with each other. We still send silly flirtatious text message, pinch each other’s butts and tell each other how much we appreciate the family we have created. [getting your sex life back also helps :)]

Here is a great article with more structured and differentiated advice: The Marriage Factor

Maternity Leave: What It’s Really Like

For most of us, maternity leave is the first time in a long time where we wouldn’t be working for an extended period of time. For me there wasn’t a time I didn’t work — since college I had a job and I never took more than 1 week between jobs. Vacations here and there sure, but not 3 months of no work. Of course I had all sorts of plans for maternity leave… finish scrap books from vacations past, clean out my closet, try those brunch spots I never seem to make it to. Ya right. As you know or will soon find out, if you have any time you’re bathing, eating or getting some much needed rest. And then If you have a few extra minutes outside of taking care of your basic needs, you are so freaking tired and worn out that all you want to do is lay on the couch and veg out.

You will live in PJs. You will not wear makeup. You will live in flip flops and tennis shoes. You will look in the mirror and think, “Wow I look 10 years younger than I feel”.

Then as your baby grows and starts sleeping longer and longer stretches (maybe 4 hours) giving you some well deserved reprieve you finally find some energy to start the baby book, or write thank you cards or maybe even get your nails/toes done and put something on other than sweats. You start really enjoying your new life hanging out with your baby, going to the grocery store mid-day during the week when no one else is there and never sitting in traffic because you can make your own schedule. You become very busy taking care of the little one while doing whatever side or house projects you have lined up.

This is the time to get out and start exercising, taking mini trips with your baby to meet family or just to getaway. Trust me, once work starts up again there will be no time to work out (without sacrificing time with your baby or sacrificing sleep) and weekend travel you want to spend with your baby not in a car or plane.

If you have high hopes for a productive maternity leave don’t beat yourself up if you don’t get anything done but take care of your baby, that is all you need to do. Cherish every moment because before you know it you’ll only be seeing your baby mornings and evenings during the week and you’ll wish you had days full of staring at each other just watching them grow.

Transition from Breast to Bottle

For those of us who plan to return to work and who are breastfeeding, we will need to make sure our babies can feed heartily from a bottle before we return back to work. That means getting our little bundles of joy to not only accept a silicone nipple over our luscious nipples, but we also have to get them to accept being fed by someone other than us. This isn’t always easy, depends on the baby really. Some have no problem while others protest. Archer was somewhere in the middle.

Experts say that breastfed babies shouldn’t be introduced to a bottle before 4 or 6 weeks or until baby has established a proper latch. Once you introduce the bottle to the baby, you should give the baby a bottle (of breastmilk) once every few days to help baby practice and learn. I delayed giving a bottle until around 8 weeks. Mainly because I was too lazy to start the whole process and I also was emotionally adjusting to the first man-made object being put in my babies mouth. Dramatic maybe, but you just wait and see how you feel.

Here are tips that I read about and what ended up working for us:

• Don’t try to introduce the bottle when your baby is really hungry. This might be contrary to what you might think, but hungry babies has less patience to figure out a new way to get their food. Try to introduce the bottle at the tail end of a feeding session or an hour earlier than the baby would normally eat. We did this and found a lot of success by offering the bottle after I breastfed Archer on one breast, giving the bottle for the second half of his feeding.
• The books say have someone other than you needs to give the baby the bottle. Father, grandmother, caregiver, etc… We tried that several times, but Archer wouldn’t take the bottle from Donavan. So I ended up feeding him his first bottle after breastfeeding him a bit and he took it from me. After just a few minutes of him taking the bottle from me, I had Donavan come over and take over the rest of the feeding. It worked! Archer from then on took a bottle from Donavan.
• The position baby is held in matters. Some must be in same position and place in the house where you breastfeed, others need opposite. Archer always is placed in his boppy lounger to eat.
• Use nipples that resemble the real thing. choose a nipple that has a wide base and have low flow (small hole). We used Dr. Browns wide neck bottles and loved them. Some people find that they leak, but we didn’t have that issue.
• To get baby to latch on to rubber nipple use the same techniques of rubbing their lips and letting a few drops of milk drip onto their mouth. Your baby should open wide and try to latch just like on the breast.
• Make sure milk in the bottle is room temperature or warm and warm nipple under faucet. This really helped us at first with Archer, much easier to get him to feed when the milk wasn’t cold and the nipple warm.

Once Archer started taking the bottle from Donavan we were set and I was relieved. For every caregiver that now needs to give Archer a bottle, we always make sure Donavan or I are there to help with the transition. Once Archer takes a bottle from someone one time he has no issue doing it again, just at first it might be a little difficult.

Hope you found this helpful! Share your stories on what worked for you or what challenges you had.