Daddy Series: How to support your partner with Breastfeeding.
New dads have a vital role to play in supporting their partners during breastfeeding. You might think well I don’t have the breast and I can’t breastfeed so how am I supposed to help? So I am here to help you with that. Did you know that women are more likely to breastfeed longer when they have their partners support them? This leads to a greater sense of achievement for your partner, a lot of women always feel guilty when they do not breastfeed their babies as long as they want. So be a loving partner and help support mum while she breastfeeds. There are lots of benefits for both mum and baby and breastfeeding time is also a great time for the family to bond.
Practical ways to help support Mum during breastfeeding are:
- Give the support you can, both physical and emotional support; this period can be a really trying time for your partner especially the first few days when trying to establish her milk supply and trying to adjust back after birth. Be sensitive to her at this period, postpartum blues is quite common during this period. Encourage her regularly and tell her well done and you appreciate her for deciding to give the best nutrition for your baby. You might think it’s not something serious but it would go a long way.
- Try to make time for each other when you can and do little things to make each other cared for. Look at how to get the chores done so that you and your partner can have time to relax.
- Try to make life easier for your partner while breastfeeding e.g giving her a cup of tea or helping with some errands while she breastfeeds.
- Take time out to feed the baby and help her during the night feeds, feed the baby with the expressed milk and use this opportunity to bond with baby as you do this your partner can use this opportunity to get something else done or have a quick power nap.
- If you have children already, take the stress away by keeping the older kids entertained or busy while she breastfeeds.
- We know you also want some time with your new baby so give them a cuddle and get involved in their care. Try the skin-to-skin contact, look your baby in the eyes this would help in bonding with your baby and help mum in taking some time off baby.
Try these tips and your partner would appreciate your help and you would be able to provide some stress relief for her. If you have practical tips to support your partner during breastfeeding please share with me in the comments section I would love to hear from you.
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This is true! My partner is so supportive of my breastfeeding and he’s really helped me stick at it on the hard days! ❤️
I am happy you have a supportive partner to help you with breastfeeding even during the hard times.