Slow Love 2-It Ain't Over

Chapter 9

Sophia comes into the suite apologizing all over the place for being late. "It's alright Sophia. The twins are fine, not fussing to be fed. Perhaps that will make it easier for us to try the supplemental system on them when they aren't frantic to be fed?" 

"Well, there is a pro and con to it. If they are not hungry, they may not want to nurse. If they are hungry they may get frustrated they are not feeding as quickly as they would with a bottle. We'll have to try and see how it goes. Are you ready?" 

I nod while looking at my husband for approval. "It's alright, go ahead. I'm sure you'll do just fine. Don't worry, I'm good." 

Sophia has a cart with supplies on it. She pulls out a small tank from a warming container, filled with formula and a very fine tube attached to it; kinda like an ultra mini siphon hose. "Okay, Mrs. Nelson. Let's get this hooked up on you so you'll be ready to give it a trial run." 

I unbutton the top of my nightgown to expose my breasts, the tank has a cord to go around my neck for it to hang between my breasts. She tapes the very fine, silky smooth tube to my breast, just alongside the nipple. The whole idea is the baby nurses and gets the milk from the tube but thinks it's coming from my breast. Of course, he's watching with great interest and totally engrossed how this whole thing is going to work. 

"Alright, you're ready, let's give it a whirl and see if we have success." I pick up Violet and position her on a pillow, head level with my breast, her body up under my arm like a football. I can easily cradle her with my hand under her head to lean her into my breast. She is very aggressive and latches on immediately with her chubby little cheeks sucking hard and fast. 

"Mrs. Nelson, she's sucking too fast, it's not good for her to guzzle it like that. You need to slow her down a bit. Run your finger along her lower lip. We don't want her to aspirate." I can hear her gulping quickly filling her mouth again. When I run my finger on her lower lip, she throws her head back, screaming like a banshee. 

I cup the back of her head in my hand, "Shhh, shhh baby girl. Mama's right here." She stops immediately and latches back on. This time sucking at a slower, more even pace. 

"Mrs. Nelson, try to relax and enjoy it, your baby's bonding with you. This method is working perfectly. Keep in mind, it'll take longer for her to feed this way than it does with the bottle." Ethan is happily laying between us just gurgling and cooing. 

"Mr. Nelson, how about you get Ethan ready for his turn, we'll try him as soon as Violet is finished." 

He looks at me in a bit of confusion, "I don't understand, what do you want me to do?" Sophia smiles with a twinkle in her eye, "Cyndi will show you what to do, take him out to the bassinet." He kisses me softly, picks up Ethan and heads out to the other room. 

As soon as he clears the bedroom with Ethan, I whisper, "What does he need to do, Sophia? We didn't do anything special for Violet." 

She says real low, "Nothing special Mrs. Nelson. Just change his diaper and get him outta here for a few minutes so he feels helpful. Men sometimes feel so helpless and left out of this process, you need to come up with busy work that keeps them occupied, then they feel happy and needed. Cyndi knows the drill, she'll keep him out there long enough. Lay back Mrs. Nelson and relax, Violet is almost finished, I'm going to check her for you." 

I lay my head back on my pillow and close my eyes. This is so much better holding and caressing my baby than juggling a bottle. "Mrs. Nelson, you are doing great, this is going really well, better than most. I think we've had fantastic success with Violet." 

I open my eyes, "Please, Sophia, call me Gigi." She scoots Violet up a little bit and she releases my breast, sound asleep on the pillow." 

"Sophia, thank you for helping me do this and most of all, thanks for involving my husband. He was feeling left out." We slide Violet on the pillow beside me and position another pillow for Ethan. Here he comes bouncing in, beaming from ear to ear with Ethan.