> 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!
I lead monthly meetings with a group called Allaitement Québec.
Fathers are always welcome, though some arrive and say "is it ok if I
come to sit in?", so obviously they don't always know it. :-(
While my husband has been a great supporter of breastfeeding, it was
like pulling teeth getting him to come to any meetings (he's been to 3
so far). It just isn't *him* and I think the same could be said for
many men...group discussions, opening up one's feelings, etc. That
isn't to say that it wouldn't be something that *all* men would like,
just that some probably wouldn't like it much.
We have one father with Allaitement Québec who is a ressource person
like I am. He leads monthly meetings in his area, sometimes alone,
sometimes with another female ressource person. The first time he did
he was pretty nervous I think, more about the reception the moms would
give him, a *guy* leading this meeting, but I gather it went off
*great*. He talks about positions, demonstrates with a doll, talks
about nursing troubles with moms and is generally well-informed...but
he *always* gives some little spiels on things that guys can do: baby
wearing, giving a bath, helping with diaper changes, rocking the baby
or taking them for a walk, etc. Also, starting solid food feeding and
bringing the baby to mom at night depending on the couple's choices in
those domains.
I hope some of the moms who meet him go home and say to their husbands
"gee, guess who was leading our meeting tonight...a GUY!". ;-) He's
given talks before about dads and breastfeeding...and he's tried to
offer his nipple as a "pacifier" to both his children at early ages
when mom was in the shower and nursing was suddenly Very Necessary. ;-)
Interestingly enough, his wife, who does the breastfeeding, who is
nursing a 4.5-yo and an almost 2-yo, is not one of our ressource
persons...she just wasn't really interested in doing it.
Anytime we get a mom who is complaining about an unsupportive husband,
we offer to give her Luc's number so she can talk with him and maybe
convince her husband to do so...but I know it's not always done
unfortunately. :-(
Fio
ressource person with Allaitement Québec
Mama to Sandrine, 35 mos, and Nyssa, 3 mos, tandem nursers.
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