Hi! I was off lacnet for a while due to a chaotic summer and I had weeks of lacnet to read, so if this is behind on the topics, I apologize.  
I know the research says that Embarrassment and the sexual connection our culture gives the breasts is a big barrier to successful breastfeeding, but I think the separation of Mom and baby is another biggee. Our culture seems to make getting away from your baby the goal and in some cases the ideal.---Bottle feed so someone else can feed...get your baby to sleep all night so you won't have to feed at night....have someone else feed so you can get out of the house...get someone else to feed so you can go back to work....have the father feed so he can bond.

Why is bottle feeding thought to be the only way father's can bond? According the Klaus and Kennell theories of parent-infant bonding, it is touch, (reciprical interactions) eye-to eye interaction, and high pitched voice(talking to the infant) that influences bonding.  There is no talk in their theories about bottle feeding...only breastfeeding.  Can't we teach fathers this theory based bonding? That is, when a father says, I want to help with feeding so I can bond present him with these principles of how we think this bonding occurs...Then suggest having the baby skin to skin as much as possible and spend time talking to the baby(high pitched tones).  Bathing is great activity because there is a lot of touching and talking going on! Fathers can get very creative and loving if we give them this information. My favorite picture is of my son on the couch with our 1 week-old grandson lying skin to skin, sleeping on his chest, and my son reading to him. (Baby gained 5lbs in first 8 weeks of breastfeeding!) 
Your thoughts?
Carol L'Esperance RN, MSN, IBCLC

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