Abstract
F
Father's Day is an event celebrated throughout the world that recognizes the important role fathers play in support of their children. A unique and powerful role that fathers or father figures can play in their child's life is to support and encourage breastfeeding. Many studies have shown that a mother's decision to initiate and continue breastfeeding is directly influenced by the father's support and attitude toward breastfeeding.1,2
When I provided maternity care in my practice, I always invited and accommodated the baby's father to come to prenatal visits. It was a great opportunity to have them discuss and ask questions about breastfeeding. Unless they had a breastfeeding role model, I found that many fathers had little knowledge about the importance of breastfeeding, especially those who did not attend prenatal breastfeeding classes. For many fathers, their first exposure to breastfeeding and breastfeeding education may be at the time of delivery—that is too late.
With fathers, I discussed how breastfeeding protected their baby from infections, provided optimal nutrition for long-term development, and how their support was so powerful and important. For mothers to be successful and confident in their decision to breastfeed, fathers must also understand their commitment to support breastfeeding—breastfeeding is temporary, but provides lifelong benefits to their infant. Fathers need to be cheerleaders, coaches, and assistants prenatally, at delivery and postpartum. Breastfeeding-supportive fathers should understand that they also become role models for their infant sons and daughters when they have their grandchildren. Many fathers who came to prenatal visits were supportive, some were skeptical, but with discussion and education, I saw many of them change their mind and became true breastfeeding advocates for their baby. For many fathers, prenatal visits with their physician may be the only time they engage in a conversation with the mother about breastfeeding. This is an opportunity to provide information for the couple to continue the discussion about breastfeeding on their own.
Fathers can be empowered to be part of the breastfeeding experience. Tasks that help the mother, such as diaper changes, bathing, feeding pumped breast milk when mom is away, making meals, fetching plenty of water, massages, watching the baby while mother rests, and regulating visitors, may sound simple, but are important to breastfeeding support. Fathers need to be educated about the multitude of ways they can support breastfeeding without introducing a bottle if they perceive a problem. We discussed a father's need to understand changes in the baby and breastfeeding such as skin color, weight gain, stool and urination patterns, and feeding cues. It is rewarding to see a father come for a well-infant visit and be able to describe what is happening with such things as stool and urination frequency, swallowing, and proper latch. For the still skeptical father, discussing the financial advantages and savings with breastfeeding may entice some to take notice.
We all know the importance of skin-to-skin contact with the mother. We need to educate fathers, prenatally, about the important and powerful tool of skin-to-skin contact that fathers can provide. Yes, skin-to-skin with dad provides many of the same benefits of temperature regulation, immune system enhancement, sleep, and psychological bonding. Educate fathers that skin-to-skin may also help them get more sleep, calm the baby, and understand baby's feeding cues, and they will be empowered to be part of the triad.
I offer the following recommendations for physicians to advocate for and integrate into breastfeeding education and discussions with fathers and their families. If you have more, I would be interested in hearing them:
1. The role of males and fathers must be acknowledged and integrated into breastfeeding promotional campaigns, preconception health promotion, and prenatal breastfeeding education. 2. Fathers must be encouraged, invited, and accommodated to participate in prenatal maternity visits. 3. Fathers must be provided with information on the economic advantages of breastfeeding. 4. Fathers must be provided with information about the health benefits of breastfeeding for baby and mother. 5. Fathers must be provided with prepregnancy and prenatal counseling to identify attitudes and misconceptions that they and supporting family members may have about breastfeeding in a culturally appropriate manner. 6. Couples should be encouraged to communicate their concerns about breastfeeding with each other preconception and prenatally. 7. Fathers must be provided with information on their important role supporting breastfeeding postdelivery. 8. Encourage governments and employers to provide paternal leave to support breastfeeding families. 9. Develop and support community-based (school, employer, and community) breastfeeding education and support programs that actively involve males.
Happy Father's Day—be a hero!