I am a student at the University of North Dakota, College of Nursing.
Last week, as a course requirement, I attended a breastfeeding class for
expectant mothers and their significant others. To my surprise, out of the
8 women who attended, only one was accompanied by her partner! This was
somewhat discouraging considering that the role of the father has been
identified as one of the strongest influences on the success of
breastfeeding among mothers in the United States (Cohen, Lange, & Slusser,
2002, p.61). Women's attitudes toward specific infant feeding methods
arise, in part, from interactions with various informal (partner, family,
friends, peers) and formal (lactation consultants, nurses, physicians)
sources of support (Dennis, 2002, p.9). Most influential of those
mentioned, is the father.
Furthermore, in a substantiating study done by Schmidt and Sigman-
Grant, one major issue that was identified between fathers and
breastfeeding included the perceived inabiltiy to form a close attachment
with the breastfed infant. While researching on this particular topic, I
came across "The Fathering Program". These group education classes are
specifically designed to address the concerns, issues, and joys that a
father might have in relation to breastfeeding. One of the major
objectives of these sesssions is to help the father recognize and accept
his vital role in the success of breastfeeding (Cohen, Lange, & Slusser,
2002, p.62).
In regards to this, has anyone come across similar programs
elsewhere? After all, fathers who receive breastfeeding information from
such programs are more likely to promote breastfeeding with their
partners - something every woman would enjoy!
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