Safety Net

22

Jo sat with Hazel in her arms, looking at Alex as he tossed out his empty cup that once held coffee. "What do we want to do?" She paused, taking in his confused gaze "for her feeding plan. Bottle or...?"

"Oh yeah. It would be kind of hard to breast feed her when you go back to work, but we can for her first few weeks?" He suggested, taking a seat on the sofa.

"Yeah. Lets do that." She unbuttoned her hospital gown, furrowing her eyebrows as she looked at Hazel. She tried getting her to latch a few times, failing miserably. "Alex?"

He walked to her side. It really kicked butt to have a peds surgeon as a boyfriend (or whatever he was). He frowned "Oh, so you're gonna be one of those babies?" He joked, taking Hazels hand. "We gotta get something in that tiny body of yours soon, pumpkin."

"I'll try again," Jo said. If she kept this up, Jo would be getting only a few hours a night. "Can you go get a lactation nurse?" She asked, stroking Hazels hair. "Even though you're being a pain, I still love you and your adorable attitude." She grinned down at her.

After the nurse came in, they got her to latch for a measly fifteen minutes. "At least she ate something.." Alex said, trying to keep her hopes up. They had spent more time trying to figure this out than actually feeding her.

"Yeah..." She clipped her gown up again, laying Hazel on her chest. She yawned, pushing the stray hairs from her bun out of her face "Can you take her? I'm really tired."

"Of course. She needs some daddy time anyway." He smirked, sitting on the couch with her in his arms.

He started whispering to her as Jo fell asleep. "You've got the best mama ever, did you know that? You, Hazel Irene, are one lucky gal." He chuckled as she groaned, probably pooping. "I'll deal with that later, because right now I just want to spend time with you... even the stinky you."

He sat there for an hour, talking to his daughter. "And we can make a treehouse together. Just for you. Your brothers aren't allowed in it."

"When did she get brothers?" Jo grinned, stretching her arms out. She sat up, wincing. She brushed off Alex's half concerned look as she took a sip of water "Have you been talking to her this whole time?"

He nodded "I couldn't stop myself. She's such a good listener." he mused.

"That's because it's the only thing she can do."

"Nuh uh. She can poop, sleep. But, i'm not sure about the eating yet." He chuckled as Jo rolled her eyes "Do you want to try again?"

She nodded as Alex stood up and laid Hazel in her arms. Jo's face lit up as she latched on almost immediately. "You did it, berry." She grinned proudly.

Alex smiled wide "I'm so proud of you." He said, watching his sleepy daughter eat. To who the message was aimed at, i'm not sure. He was very proud of both his girls.