When I first started teaching Brf classes at the hospital I vividly
remembered a few things:

 One that there are La Leche League meetings that mothers can attend before
or after birth that do not have the men folks around.  "Any mom" can feel
comfortable nursing or WATCHING other moms nurse...that is the place for
mother to mother support (women and children only). Lot's of fun and free
discussion often without restraint.

Secondly, When I took my first baby home with me we were 30 miles from
civilization, (Champaign-Urbana Il.)  WHO WAS IT who was there for
"clueless me" and my little precious baby girl....DADDY !!!!! He grew up in
a large formula feeding family and he knew NOTHING about
breastfeeding....he and I juggled and struggled with our own insecurities
and NOT EVEN once did he suggest running out to buy formula when the Tear
Fairy visited me upon every latch-on.....HE listened diligently to our
childbirth educator when we took childbirth classes that included 1 hour on
breastfeeding. He remembered things I forgot......

WHAT really stood out to me was that men are there for 6 -12 weeks of
childbirthing classes that teach us new parents to handle 24 hours of labor
and parents get 1 hour of breastfeeding education for a dynamic
relationship that hopefully lasts a year...MOMS NEED the investment of
their partners the knowledge and the support they receive is critical to
success in a culture where mothers can't go to their moms for support "I
tried but I didn't get any support" (while dads waited in the waiting room
smoking cigars.....)

Lastly MAKE THE CLASS FUN! play games, get men to demonstrate latch-on and
if some mothers come without their partner the ladies pair up really
nicely...it works and I get some of the best evaluations from the
DADs!..have fun, be a little irreverent use cute names and analogies
"baby's mouth opens like a wide mouth bass" teach the dad's breast massage
"to give the baby a milk mustache"
"colostrum is baby nectar from the flower"  "Babe Ruth used cabbage leaves
under his cap at games when he had a hangover", etc etc let your creativity
run wild use NERF balls cut in half for demo breasts, call breast models
"MUPPET breasts"

get them involved and they won't be so hot to start bottles so soon...they
have every right to want to bottle feed sometimes and I teach them to use
shotglasses or medicine cups to feed with I get the dads massaging the
breasts in recovery right before first attachment some guys have been
restricted from intimacy for many weeks and they relish the chance to get
hands on again....

The breastfeeding class is the first PARENTING class they often attend,
take advantage of their enthusiasm..Go For IT Girl !

I personally get on the phone to reassure moms to bring dads and I tell
them if they don't want to stay they can sneak out during break...Since
1989 I've Never had ONE DAD leave ! I enjoy Brf class better than the
childbirth classes I taught for years (and I loved those until epidurals
became the main agenda)

good luck....keep those daddies coming !!!!!!  ruthy wilson rn bsn ibclc (icea)