The support of a baby's father can often greatly help the breastfeeding relationship succeed--the father can head off discouragement, deflect negative comments from friends and relatives, help calm a fussy baby, bring a new mother food and drink while she is nursing, and, most importantly, remind the new mother that breastfeeding is one of the most important things she can do to get her baby off to a good start in life.

Especially in the first few weeks, when lack of sleep and hormonal changes can sometimes make new mothers waver in their determination to breastfeed, a father who suggests, "let's try that latch on one more time," or who reminds his partner that, "they say babies space out their feedings after the three week growth spurt," can be invaluable. A father who brings pillows for help in positioning a newborn or who brings a telephone so that the mother can call her La Leche League Leader is truly helping to feed his child!

Sometimes a father can become discouraged if he feels that no one else he knows is breastfeeding or going through his family's current parenting dilemma. If the local La Leche League Group offers couples meetings, they are a great way to get to know other fathers with similar parenting styles, and to find out how others deal with
parental challenges.

If there is no couples meeting, it might be possible to have a cook-out or picnic for families of your local LLL Group--and to see how wonderfully those breastfed babies turn out when they get older! Have the mother call her LLL Leader now to find out how to meet fellow breastfeeding fathers!

Feeding is just one small part of the care a baby requires.
The father can do a number of things, including bathing the baby, changing diapers, burping, soothing the baby during fussy times and of course, playing with the baby.
The father's turn at feeding can come when baby is ready for solid foods. In fact, baby may accept solid foods from dad better than from his mother, whom baby associates with nursing.

The father's role, especially in the early months, is primarily one of supporting and taking care of the mother so that she can implement nature's design, to nurture baby at the breast almost continually. The father's relationship with any older children becomes even more important. It can be very helpful to the mother to have the father take the older child/ren to the park or give them baths, etc. The father can also fix meals and help around the house.

The important thing to remember is that the mother and baby need to be close--bonding continually. This can be somewhat hard for the father in the early months. It is really a case of delayed gratification. Before long, the wait is more than worth it when the proud father reaps the benefits of being father to a robust, responsive baby.