Guys, when your wife becomes pregnant there are a whole lot of things you should and should not be doing. One of the things you’ll get to encounter is breastfeeding and that, in and of itself, comes with several do’s and don’ts.
Your wife’s breasts might be awesome but they’re more important now than for what you usually use them for. Breastfeeding is sometimes murky territory for men, often only vaguely encountered in public or in movies and television. Well you’re front and center now, daddy, here are 6 tips on what to do when she’s breastfeeding.
Good luck.
Your wife’s breasts might be awesome but they’re more important now than for what you usually use them for. Breastfeeding is sometimes murky territory for men, often only vaguely encountered in public or in movies and television. Well you’re front and center now, daddy, here are 6 tips on what to do when she’s breastfeeding.
- Hands off! Unless she wants you to, that is. Remember that your wife is now feeding your child with her body and to her, her breasts are not sexual body parts at the moment. Furthermore, a suckling child can cause painful, sore nipples. The last thing she wants is you pawing at them.
- Offer to help her. Not with the act of breastfeeding, but in general. Feeding a hungry child can be a process that takes time and the last thing she wants to do is get up once she’s gotten your baby to latch on. Be present when possible and ask how you can help. She’ll tell you.
- Offer a massage. Not just of her body, but her breasts as well. Again, this is not a sexual act but a helpful one. A woman’s breasts and her body can get incredibly sore while breastfeeding and some women will gladly welcome a massage of any kind. Some women won’t want you to go anywhere near their breasts though so if she says hands off, it’s still hands off.
- Educate yourself. Breastfeeding is about more than just throwing a nipple at the kid and having them drink. If it was that easy there wouldn’t be libraries full of books written on the subject, a variety of supportive products, and special lactation nurses (yes, that’s a thing) devoted to it. Check out one of those books and read up on the subject. Learn all that goes into the process. You’ll be surprised.
- Encourage her to get help if needed. Many women think that breastfeeding should come naturally to them and to many, it does. That doesn’t mean that some women don’t struggling with learning how to go about the process and there aren’t troubles along the way. It can be frustrating. Remember the last tip? There is a wealth of knowledge and resources available to help her so don’t be afraid to encourage her to seek out that help if you notice her struggling.
- Be supportive and pick up the slack. Breastfeeding can be an incredibly tiring, draining (literally) process. Not only that, newborns need to be fed frequently, sometimes every couple of hours and that doesn’t leave much time for other work around the house. Your wife already has her hands full so it’s time for you to step up to the plate and do a little more around the house. Cleaning, cooking, laundry, etc. You know, all those things you hate to do. Don’t offer to do them, just do them.
Good luck.
