<(BTW, I've never had
a dad that needed a lot of instruction on breast massage and
compression.)>

Wow, Patricia! What a terrific suggestion! A "baby-friendly" way to
satisfy the desire for a vicarious feeding experience! Could benefit
baby's intake, mom's comfort, and provide a 3-way skin-to-skin family
bonding experience!

I've often said, jokingly, that it sometimes seems to require 3 hands
when a mother and baby are learning! But I've seldom taken that
observation to it's logical conclusion. And I suspect I'm not the only
one!

You have cut to the chase with your solution.

Some fathers feel miffed that the baby has taken over "his territory",
which he has here-to-fore considered solely (or at least, primarily)
sexual.

With mom's consent, we can empower him to connect through that
territorial link, thus "killing several birds with one stone".

Much more personal than holding a plastic or glass container, his help
could "fix" both the baby's hunger and the mom's fullness!

As you have explained it, he would be watching for and being guided by
baby's cues, a good parenting skill in itself. Perhaps his more stable
hormonal state might even contribute objectivity.

Plus, (respecting the mother's comfort), gentle massage can be sensually
pleasing to both mom and dad, and encourage MER.

It also provides a way to reach parts of the breast that a mother might
not be able to compress herself!

And hey! It's quite possible that by sensing the changes in fullness, he
might "catch the drift" about the breast's main purpose.

(I can also see this has potential for willing grandmothers who never had
a good breastfeeding experience themselves.)

I remember the days when dads anxiously paced the floor in a separate
waiting room, "bonding" with the other excluded dads waiting "impotently"
for progress reports.

What a terrific emotional change came over the dads themselves when they
were not only "allowed" in the labor room, but valued for their
partnership and emotional support.

When they were taught and praised for the comfort measures they could
provide, their own emotional investment seemed to blossom.

You are definitely on to something that, with willing participants, could
help prevent or solve some common early breastfeeding problems. Won't you
please consider writing it up for a larger audience?

Jean
**************
K. Jean Cotterman RNC, IBCLC
Dayton, Ohio USA

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