What a wonderful addition to a breastfeeding class!  Kudos to you!  And
please convey my admiration to your wife!

I give the dads in my classes "homework" :-).  In addition to what you
have said, I encourage them to

--check latch and positioning in the early days--not only baby is
correctly lined up but   that mom is comfortable, has foot and back
support, pillows arranged and to check     that the mom looks and acts
relaxed (gently pushing down on shoulders to see if     she is tensing
them, etc)

--with his partner, find a "secret" signal (gesture, word, etc) that mom
has had enough company so he can get up, escort wife and baby to private
area while telling guests something like, "Mary looks like she needs a
rest.  Let me get her and the baby settled and I'll come back to visit
with y'all"

--provide mom with a drink and snack while she is nursing (fill
lunch-type coolers  and put them by their "nursing nook" for when dad is
gone)

--use nursing times as times to sit down by their partner, rub her upper
back and just *communicate* with each other or share a quiet, loving time
and their wonder at this amazing little person they created **at least**
once a day

--at night, collect and change the baby and bring him to mom in bed for
nursing.  Use his body as back support for the mom in the side-lying
position.  Return baby to his sleeping spot if the couple hasn't yet
grown into the family bed

--take over some of the out-of-home errands:  grocery shopping, dry
cleaning runs,        drug/discount store items, etc during post-partum
period (or longer!)

--check at night that all have appropriate clothing and bedding for the
next day *clean* and available

--TALK to his partner and let her know what a wonderful job she has done
and is      doing for and with their baby--not to assume the moms "know"
this!  TELL the BABY how much he is loved, too

--discuss NOW, before the issues come up, some of the ways they wish to
raise     their child.  Go into home-of-origin expectations and what they
wish for their child   and then how to achieve it.  Nothing written in
stone, just a general consensus   between the parents--some goals and
brainstorming how to reach them--and the importance of flexibility

--try to set up a time every weekend to discuss what is working well for
each of them and what needs some change--and how to get to what would
work

--ASK his partner if there is anything he can do he already isn't--mom
also encouraged to ask her partner this.  ("If there was just one thing I
had time to do in addition to mothering our baby, what would mean the
most to you?")

If nothing else these dads have heard some suggestions for their
involvement!

Karen Zeretzke, MEd, IBCLC
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
[log in to unmask]
http://www.prairienet.org/laleche/bfcost.html