Teddy Needs Milk Too!

by Marrisa Brown

I sat down in the rocker-recliner to nurse our then 4 month old daughter. My 2 1/2 year old daughter sat down in a child sized rocker next to me and began to breastfeed her teddy bear. Then all of a sudden she jumped up and ran to my bedroom.

I run a home daycare and had a baby sleeping in a playpen in my bedroom at the time so I called to Hannah to come back. When she came back into the living room I asked her what she was doing in my bedroom. She said that she needed to pump her milk out because her teddy bear was crying and he had no milk (I keep my breast pump in my bedroom). I couldn't stop laughing. I thought it was so cute! I had to tell Hannah the truth, that the pump was in the dishwasher at the moment (and it really was) and that she could use it when it was done.

It is interesting to see the different reactions from my family members as I tell this story. When I told it to my aunt, who has never had any children, she seemed mortified. When I told the story to my Mom, who breastfed three of us, she told Hannah that she was being a good mommy for taking care of her teddy bear. I hope seeing me breastfeed her little sister will help Hannah decide to do the same when it comes to her own children.