How Dads Can Play An Active Role In Breastfeeding
How Dads Can Play An Active Role In Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is one of the most beautiful moments that happen between Mommy and baby. Aside from providing babies with nourishment, breastfeeding strengthens their bond and forms a lifetime connection that nothing in this world can break.
How Dads Can Play An Active Role In Breastfeeding
Dads and breastfeeding
But did you know that dads can take an active role in breastfeeding as well? Of course, that doesn’t mean that Dad can just take the role of Mom to breastfeed the baby. What I mean is for dads to take an active role in helping mom cope with the demands of breastfeeding.
While breastfeeding is wonderful, it can be physically taxing for mothers. The sleepless nights because the baby needs milk almost every hour, the late meals because she can’t just tell the baby to stop feeding, and the general physical stress because of the other things that Mommy needs to do at home.
All of these can take a toll on moms and affect them both physically and mentally. Thus, this is the time Mommy needs Daddy’s help more than ever.
5 valuable ways dads can help out in breastfeeding
When Khris and I were new parents, we were struggling for the first month because we were still trying to get the hang of things. Our son wouldn’t latch and we can’t find a good opportunity to establish a routine.
It was really challenging and tiring, but more so for Khris who had to wake up several times at night to breastfeed Miguel when he cried. Eventually, when we were able to find our rhythm, things became a little manageable for us.
Throughout those initial days of grappling with parenting, however, I did my best to support Khris in whatever way I can. In fact, whenever I was around, I wouldn’t let her do anything except to breastfeed Miguel.
While she was still tired, it wasn’t as taxing as compared to her having to do everything by herself.
Anyway, here are some of the things I did to support her in breastfeeding:
1. Let Mommy rest
This is probably the most practical advice that I can give to new dads. You should give your wife time to recover her energy, which for sure is very little to begin with considering that she had just given birth.
What you can do is you can take your little one from Mommy and put him to sleep yourself when they’d just finished feeding. After all, babies are almost weightless so it’s easy to carry them in the next hour or two as they sleep.
Meanwhile, those two precious hours of sleep can do so much to help recharge mom for the next round of breastfeeding sessions. When our second son was born, I would take him from his Mom and burp him.
At night, when he’s already full, I’d burp him, and then put him to sleep. I’d sleep sitting on our bed while holding him on my arms or put him on my tummy while he also slept.
Aside from helping out in taking care of the baby, dads can also take charge of cleaning bottles, cleaning poop and changing diapers, and giving the baby a bath. There are so many things that dads can do to make sure that moms get a bit of rest.
2. Ensure that Mommy gets to eat on time
Mommy needs nourishment to replenish her milk supply, so it’s wise to also ensure that she gets to eat on time. That means making sure that healthy food is prepared on time and waiting for Mommy at the dining table.
Cook food that can increase her milk supply. There are many easy and popular soup-based recipes out there that anybody can just whip up.
If you can afford to hire house help, then that’s good, because an additional hand to assist you can significantly lighten your load.
3. Buy her food supplements
We believe in the advantages of taking food supplements. We’ve observed how beneficial these were to us when Khris and I were new parents. We were both sleepless because we’d easily wake up even with a slight twitch from Miguel. Throughout those times, we relied on multivitamins to strengthen our resistance to diseases.
There’s one particular multivitamins brand that I bought for Khris because I read somewhere that it was good for those recovering from an operation. I also bought her malunggay (moringa leaf) tea and supplements, and even lactation pastries to help increase her milk supply.
4. Feed the baby yourself
Since Mommy Khris and I were both working, she would pump milk so that she can leave a supply at home. She did this for both of our kids. When it was time to feed the baby, I would do it myself. It wasn’t really even close to breastfeeding but I believe this further strengthened my bond with our two children.
5. Give Mommy a compliment
Mommy is tired and she doesn’t even have time to take care of herself. As such, don’t forget to give her a compliment or sweet words. By doing so, you are uplifting her mood which, in a way, is also a form of stress reliever.
What’s more, don’t let the fact that you have children prevent you from maintaining your bond and sweetness as a couple. After all, you had each other first, before you had your children.
Epilogue
Dads might think that breastfeeding is exclusive only to moms. Well, it’s true because dads couldn’t breastfeed. However, that fact shouldn’t stop you from taking an active role in breastfeeding.
Yes, dads can actively participate in breastfeeding by helping out mom throughout the journey. That’s invaluable support that your wife will appreciate, plus, it will also form a unique bond between you and your baby.
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