At the hospital where I teach we have a 3 session Newborn Parenting class. The first two classes cover such topics as diapering, newborn characteristics, child passenger safety seats, crying, sleeping etc. The entire third class is devoted to breastfeeding. By the time we get to the third class I have "won over" the fathers and the couples have gotten a little more comfortable with each other. I insist that the fathers come to the third class and explain how they will be the major source of information and support to the new mothers. I have had many fathers question how I can possibly spend 2 1/2 hours on breastfeeding and they are all pleasantly surprised at #1 how interesting it is and #2 how I could spend that much time and still feel like there was more to offer. I have the Moms and Dads pass the "baby" back and forth in class each trying the different positions and correcting each other. If the fathers balk at this,which they rarely do, I remind them of how we are all aware that adult learners learn best by doing. The nurses on the floor tell me that they always know which couples have gone to my class because if they remember nothing else, they remember how to position the baby. I firmly believe in empowering these parents and the best way to do that is by providing them with information and confidence. I have been giving my home number out at these classes for 15 years and I have to tell you that I have more fathers call me than mothers. I believe that sometimes the mother is too overwhelmed to even make that phone call. I often wonder what would have happened if the father had not attended the class and thus not felt comfortable calling me. Regarding the "giving one bottle" issue I talk about how different the father's and the mother's roles are with the baby and how much the baby enjoys those differences. I talk about how the baby NEEDS the father as much as he/she NEEDS the mother but in different ways. I believe Wm. Sears addresses this in one of his books but I can't remember which one. I show 7-8 slides of fathers interacting with their babies in a variety of ways such as bathing, massaging, comforting, burping, playing. I too have found that the fathers really appreciate humor in the class. They really can be our biggest advocates. They have so much to offer the mother. They just don't know what it is yet and need our help in figuring it out. Laura Alexander