Ask the expert: 3 easy ways dads can help with breastfeeding

Want to breastfeed, but worried your partner will feel left out when the baby comes?

"Don't," says Denise Mc Guinness, Lecturer in Midwifery and Assistant Professor at School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems at UCD to Herfamily.ie. "Fathers play a tremendously important role when it comes to breastfeeding too – and studies have shown that fathers actually have a tremendous potential to facilitate the success of breastfeeding, and it is so vital that they are made aware of just how important their role in this is." Mc Guinness explains that some men might worry about breastfeeding being strictly confined to women and babies, and hence will leave them not being able to develop a bond with their new babies. But, she explains, this is absolutely not the case. "There are so many ways new dads can interact and bond with their babies – and support and help mum with breastfeeding, which is this incredibly important job she is doing," she explains. "The most important thing for dads to remember is that they are mum's best support system, and that their involvement and help can go a long way in determining how successful mum's efforts when it comes to breastfeeding are." Here are Mc Guinness best tips for three easy ways dads can help with breastfeeding: 1. Care for your partner when she is feeding the baby Dads can help mum out with some many practical things when she is feeding the baby – and this will also help with his feeling of involvement in those early days. "Offer to bring her some water – breastfeeding makes you very thirsty, make her a snack, preferably one she can eat with one hand. Give her another pillow if she needs one, get her the remote control for the TV, or help remove distractions like older siblings, visitors or the family pet." When mum is sitting down and getting ready to nurse the baby, help her out by holding the baby until she is ready (because figuring out how to open your nursing bra and support baby's flimsy, floppy neck at the same time can be a little stressful, fyi). Ask what side she'd like the baby on, and make sure she is sitting comfortably before handing the baby to her. 2. Be on nappy and burping duty Burping the baby after a feed is a great way for dad to take part in feeding time – and giving mum a little moment to put her clothes back on and rest after a feed. "As well as the burping, dads can help, especially in those early days, by being the chief nappy changer," says Mc Guinness. "And this goes for the night time nappy changes too. Mum is the one who is awake several times during the night to feed the baby, and having someone else take charge when it comes to the nappy changes is so helpful, and lets mum have a little rest before she has to be awake again before the next feed." As asll as helping mum, nappy changes are an amazing bonding time with your baby, and most dads will no doubt appreciate this one-on-one time with their little ones. 3. Know where to get help As a dad, you are your partners closest confidant and no doubt the first person she will turn to with questions, worries or concerns. And when it comes to those early days of having a newborn in your house, there are just so many firsts and everything is so new that questions and worries can be many. "Help her look things up, find out where she can turn for help, explains Mc Guinness. "On the HSE website, Mychild.ie, we have an entire section dedicated to breastfeeding, where you can find answers to so many questions, and even chat to a lactation consultant, or find directions to your nearest breastfeeding support group." National Breastfeeding Week takes place from 1^st – 7^th October. Over 100 events will take place from coffee mornings to support group activities, and even a visit by breastfeeding mums and their babies to Áras an Uactaráin – to celebrate how everyone can support mothers to breastfeed. To find out about an event in your area, contact your local breastfeeding support group, details of which are on mychild.ie. To join the HSE parenting and breastfeeding community, see the HSE mychild.ie Facebook page and hse_mychild on Instagram #hsemychild #breastfeeding #breastfeedingweek