Chennai: World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year in first week of August to spread awareness among public to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of mother and baby.
This year’s World Breastfeeding Week slogan is to ‘Empower Parents, Enable Breastfeeding’.
Dr Priyalathakrishnan, Paediatrician, Care & Cure Clinic, at 20th Main Road, Anna Nagar West, explains about the role of father and other supporters.
Speaking with News Today, Dr Priya, said, “Father and supporting people like grandparents, relatives do play an important role in helping mothers for successful breastfeeding. Even though, breastfeeding is exclusive relationship between the mother and baby, father can do lots of things. Adjusting to parenthood can be difficult for some men. Father may experience significant challenges with decreased sleep and increased stress of caring for a newborn. Human touch is soothing for the infant. During the sleepless nights, fathers can cuddle the baby and rock the little one.”
She said, “As mother go through hormonal changes in the body, fathers can give emotional support, help her get adjusted to her new schedule and encourage her to stay strong during the sleepless nights. Relaxed mother will also produce more milk in turn, help the baby to gain weight. Father can help in activities like changing diapers, burping after breastfeeding and cuddling.”
Fathers need to provide emotional and practical support to breastfeeding by encouragement, affection and anticipating her needs that makes breastfeeding a team effort. This helps the fathers to bond with the baby and also support the mother.
She also provided some tips that fathers can do to help: Carry the baby in a sling or rock the baby to sleep, make sure mother drinks plenty of fluids to stay hydrated and takes nutritious healthy food, being a source of positive encouragement and support the mother may help her to handle the baby more efficiently.
A recent Australian study had showed that by engaging fathers during breastfeeding can significantly increase breastfeeding at six weeks compared to fathers who were not involved in breastfeeding.
“Breastfeeding for first six months is crucial for baby. Breast milk contains natural antibiotics which protects the infants form infection. In long term, it’s been found that breastfed infants have increased IQ. Breast milk is best milk for the growing infant and is crucial for development. Breastfed babies are happier and healthier babies. We as a community should protect, promote and support breastfeeding,” said Priya.