Bosom Buddies: Why Dads Should Know the Facts About Breastfeeding

The moment a new parent holds their baby for the first time is often characterized by overwhelming love and emotion. But in that same magical moment, many fathers can also start to feel disconnected from the intimate bond being formed between mother and child; a child being nourished and nurtured by human milk essentially making the father's role as caregiver almost obsolete - at least when it comes to one of babies most foundational needs.

But dads should not despair - mothers aren't creating any sort of nursing dynasty here. In fact, studies indicate that mothers not only benefit from having a partner knowledgeable about the proven health and development benefits of breastfeeding, but that those benefits are passed directly onto the baby — and the whole family in fact — when the father knows more about breastfeeding.

Although it may not be everyone's cup of tea (or bottle in this case!) fathers who know the facts about breastfeeding have been shown to provide babies with more complete and consistent nurturing in the early days of life. That's because some infants need more TLC than their moms initially anticipated, and if that happens to be mom's least favorite job or if breastfeeding doesn't go according to plan, dads can step up to meet their infant's needs — knowledgeable and supportive of their child's nutritional needs — rather than deferring all responsibility by default.

On top of everything else new parents must bring to the party, being informed with the right knowledge can help couples better understand how to support one another during what can become a grueling feeding marathon in the early weeks of life.

Of course, it's not just psychological — there are countless studies that point to proven physical, emotional and intellectual benefits from an uninterrupted breastfeeding relationship between mother and baby. In terms of physical health, babies exclusively fed breastmilk are known to be more likely to fight off infection and allergies due to a deeper level of immunity provided by antigens naturally found in the human milk itself.

The ways in which breastfeeding promotes cognitive development have also been established in numerous studies. Research demonstrates that children who are breastfed have higher IQs, are better equipped for problem solving, have a superior ability for memory recall and can make intuitive decisions based on past learning experiences. Those kids who were breastfed often display greater emotional competence with others as well.

But beyond intellectual prowess, various parental surveys suggest that mothers who engage in exclusive breastfeeding experience greater emotional wellbeing than those who choose other nutrition sources. It has been surmised that this could be due to hormones produced while nursing which may contribute towards increased feelings of warmth and attachment — beneficial not only for mom but for baby too! So while it has long been suggested that fathers don't actually produce these important hormones required for breastfeeding, an understanding of the biological process signals something even bigger: that dads are fully capable of emotionally supporting their pediatric nutritionist wife – helping her to stay calm, supported and fortified throughout her nursing journey – leading to less stress for everyone involved!

So don't feel like you're missing out on that special bond Dad – because from day dot you can be just as involved in giving your newborn the best possible start! Knowledge is power — take some time to educate yourself on the value that breastfeeding brings to your family and embrace this opportunity to become an even more useful and valued part of your infant's care team! With your help, your little bundle of joy will get all that they need to grow into their very own awesome self!