I want to suggest another way of looking at  confidentiality when dads
call for info about breastfeeding.  Med law, med ethics and the
description of the LC's job as part of the team caring for the
mother-infant dyad all connect here.  Confidentiality is a cardinal rule
in medicine, but also is the fact that where a minor is concerned
parents need to make decisions for their welfare.  The baby is a minor.
The father has equal right to be included in health decisions concerning
the baby's welfare as the mother.  Research has shown that the fatehr is
the primary support person for a breastfeeding mother.  I would think
all of this together allows for giving the father information about
breastfeeding within the professional framework.  Actually if one thinks
about it, its amazing that medical ethics doesn't deal with
breastfeeding and infant feeding of ABMs.   The orientation for not
breastfeeding is the mother and for not promoting breastfeeding more
ardently is the need to avoid arosing guilt in the mother.  I have heard
breastfeeding mothers say that they didn't really want to bf but are
doing it for the benefit of their child.  This is an interesting ethical
issue since no one can ask the baby directly which way he would
preferred to be fed.
Donna Ron, M.H.A., IBCLC, LLL