Since I started working in the hospital, I’ve heard how useless partners can feel when mothers are breastfeeding their babies. They usually explain that they don’t know how they can help their partners when they are feeding their babies.
In my opinion, it isn’t necessary to share your baby’s feeding during the first few weeks to feel involved as a parent. There are so many other things that you can do to help after the arrival of your new born baby into your family.
My top 10 most important things to help mothers while breastfeeding:
- Offer to bring snacks and water regularly, and prepare healthy meals that cover all the nutritional requirements necessaries for a breastfeeding mother.
- Help the mother while breastfeeding by offering pillows or giving a hand on the baby’s positioning for latching.
- Give your partner lots of hugs and love, which stimulates the production of oxytocin. I’m sure a foot or leg massage would go down well too.
- Settle your baby by doing skin to skin, which will help you bond with your baby.
- Change your baby’s nappy while the mother is getting ready to breastfeed.
- Take your baby with you for a walk while the mother is resting, napping, eating, or having a shower to give her some respite.
- Give your baby a bath or a massage.
- Bring your baby to your partner during night feeds and burp and settle your baby back to sleep.
- Be there to listen.
- Do as much housework as you can without being asked, so it means that your partner doesn’t have to worry about it at all.
