Breastfeeding Tips for Husbands and Daddies

SUPPORT is key in successful breastfeeding. Let's face it,moms. Without the support from the mister, breastfeeding will be very much harder. Just like any other aspect of marriage, breastfeeding should be a partnership between mommy and daddy.

I am very lucky, my husband has been supporting breastfeeding from the start.  This is primarily because he was a breastfed baby. He tasted the goodness of breast milk. It was not hard for me because we both knew that formula was not an option for the both of us. Breastfeeding is not all about the mom and the baby. Family support play a key role, too!

[caption id="attachment_1810" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Don't feel left out because of mother-baby nursing. Maximize daddy-baby bonding buy cuddling as much as you can![/caption]

For daddies and daddies-to-be, here are some tips to make your nursing wife's life easier.

Loooonng string of patience

Postpartum moms are highly emotional. Add to that the pressure of producing milk for an infant who can't seem to be satisfied and you'll have a weepy and wrecked wife. No, you won't get pogi points by just being silent and doing nothing. Get involved. Ask the wife what she needs and try to give him that.

I remember during my first week, i was an emotional mommy, too. Baby was stuck in the NICU and i had to pump to initiate breastfeeding.  So i pumped like crazy, to the point that i broke the manual pump. Tears rushed down as i showed my husband what it did. Instead of blaming me, he just listened and offered to accompany me to the mall to buy new part.

Spoil the wife.

Working nursing moms will need breastfeeding supplies like breast pump, milk containers, nursing bra, nursing cover, malunggay supplements, etc. Mommies enjoy shopping for these stuff, too!

[caption id="attachment_1286" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Spoil the wife by giving her the free hand and the budget, of course to get these supplies.[/caption]

Do your breastfeeding research. 

Sometimes dads feel left out in the mom-baby bonding. But breastfeeding know-how need not be the mom's sole responsibility. My husband was in to breastfeeding as i am. Months before i gave birth, he bought magazines about breastfeeding and taking care of baby.

Dads need to learn about nursing as well.  It's a sign that you care. Besides, knowing about breastfeeding will be great. Whenever she bugs you about buying a "better"  set of breast pump or extra milk storage bottles or a separate freezer for the stash, you'll be able to give an educated disapproval.

Be a knight-in-shining armor. 

When mom and baby are on a breastfeeding marathon, be the gentleman that you are and offer to help. Prop a pillow on her arm or neck, prolonged latching does strain your muscles.  Offer her something to eat or drink.  Take a a more cavalier step and spoon feed your starving wife.  This way she won't need to unlatch while eating.  Do you know how hard it is to get that perfect latch?

Take that extra effort. Whether they admit it or not, such kind gestures bring "kilig" to the nursing wife.

Do the housework. 

Mommies recovering from a delivery, whether normal or cesarian need to rest.  Rest and relaxation will encourage milk production.  You can help her by doing simple things like keeping your room tidy, cooking  or by  cleaning the breast pump.  All these little gestures much appreciated by a new mom. That's moral support put into actions.

Have an open mind. 

If mama wants to nurse in public, try not to be queasy about it.  Feeding baby is a normal act. If you're concerned that she'll just flash her boobs, that's what the nursing covers are for. Some moms, like me,  think that nursing in public is the best way to promote breastfeeding.

Offer words of encouragement.

Choose your words wisely, words are like swords. They do hurt a lot especially to a mommy who's just about to build that EBM stash. So instead of commenting on how little milk she make, try to be a positive influence by smiling and saying, "Ok lang yan,  dear. Pump lang ng pump. Dadami din yan."

Hearing such encouraging words is like music to mama's ear. Make her feel that you're beside her all through out your breastfeeding journey.

Breastfeeding is a decision both moms and dads should take. So, BOTH  must takes steps towards successful nursing.

Thanks, Daddy for being my number one breastfeeding fan!!!

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Breastfeeding "Must Haves" You Probably Won’t Use

Among the perks of being pregnant was the shopping. I guess it's every pregnant mom's hope to have all the essentials ready before the big day. Husband and i had a lot fun buying baby clothes and toys.  I would often spend a lot time rearranging our purchases in the cabinet, happy that we've had some of his things prepared.

We also agreed to save to buy a double electric breast pump. My co-workers suggested that we invest on a high grade pump because it will be worth it.  It will save time, since both breasts are being pumped simultaneously. So we purchased a Medela Pump In Style Advance pump from an online seller. It was  about Php 13,000. Yes, it was the biggest single purchase we had, but i tell you, it's worth it in deed! 9 months on, i'm still satisfied with how easy to use it is.

So breast pump? Check! Then came other "breastfeeding essentials". As an unsuspecting preggy, i was hounded by salespersons at SM.  Well, i'll just say we really did spend a bit during those early days as new parents.

After some months post partum, I realized that some products, i don't really needed. In fact some products you won't really use! Some products, if not used correctly, could even sabotage your breastfeeding plans.

SM Baby Company lists down a checklist for breastfeeding mommies. Take a look below.

[caption id="attachment_886" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The breastfeeding essentials according to SM
Source: http://www.babycompany.com.ph[/caption]

Of the stuff listed above, i used  the breastpump, nursing pad, breastfeeding canopy (is that the nursing cover?), storage bottles and milk storage bags. They were in deed breastfeeding essentials! I did not use these products: nipple shield and nipple cream.

Below i's the explanation why you probably won't need such products.

Nipple shield

• It's a nipple-shaped rubber or silicone for women having nursing difficulty. It's being marketed for women with flat or inverted nipples.  You're supposed to wear it on your nipple when baby's feeding to aide baby in achieving that perfect latch.

[caption id="attachment_940" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Some moms put on the nipple shield so babies can get s good "grip" when feeding.[/caption]

• Contact nipple shield costs P855 per pair at Medela Moms. Chicco also has nipples shields, which costs P700 per pair in major malls.


• According to Dr. Sears, using  a shield can lead to a decrease in your milk production because the breasts may not receive the same stimulation a breastfeeding without it would.


• My sister had a rough start in breastfeeding because of her flat nipples. Her baby would turn his head away from her nipple because it was so flat he can hardly put it in his mouth. I was kinda wary to let her use a nipple shield so I did more research. Moms with flat nipples should focus on learning the proper latch and make sure that baby's mouth is open wide before bringing baby to the breast.


• Consult a lactation expert if you really want to use a nipple shield.  Kellymomstresses that it should be a last option and that is should be considered as a short-term solution.

Nipple cream

• It's a cream, usually lanolin based, which you put on your nipple. It's supposed to heal cracked or bruised nipples or to soften calloused ones.  Some cream products also aide in preparing the breasts for lactation, according to manufacturers.


• Lansinoh creams cost P500 while Purelan costs P600.

[caption id="attachment_941" align="aligncenter" width="436"] There's a wide variety of breast or nipple creams available.[/caption]

• Along with the Medela PISA was a sample of Purelan nipple cream. But i did not use it because i was afraid baby might ingest it. There's a big chance that baby can swallow any foreign matter you put on your breast.


• Although most literature in deed recommend using lanolin-cased nipple cream, you can get by not using one. On my first week of breast feeding my right nipple bled. It's probably due to excessive and intensive pumping.  I did not use any nipple cream to heal, I just expressed some milk and left it on the wound. Wetness tends to prolong infection so i  just let it air dry. After a few days the wound was gone and I managed to breast feed from that side again.


• Breast milk, because of its antibacterial properties can also heal wounds.  Just express some by hand and leave it on your nipple for a few minutes. Here are some more natural healing tips for your nipples.


• As for the claims that some breast gels prepare for lactation, this probably is not true. I got by without putting anything on them before my birth. I just cleaned my nipples with cotton balls wet with hot water and that's pretty much it.  To establish breastfeeding, you really to feed on demand and express milk when baby can't nurse yet.  For more tips for newbie nursing moms, click here.


• If you really think you need a nipple cream, read up of its pros and cons. Better yet, consult your doctor to be sure of its safety. Here's a rundown of the type of nipple creams for lactating mommies.

Breast is best. This can be said in your manner of breastfeeding, too. It's better to rid your breastfeeding style of any "performance enhancing" accessories. It's best if you learn how to have a good latch  so baby can get the milk he so deserves. In nursing your baby, breast is all you need!

Also worth reading:

• Breastfeeding essentials and tipid alternatives

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