[natashaccat]

Hi from a lurker, I don't usually have much but I've been thinking about this...<br><br>
my dh is a male minority at his job and there always seems to be somebody preggo there. My dh is a total guy's guy, he's into sports, cars computer games, I really have no idea how he survives all the girlie chit chat at work....it turns out that he's been chatting with the preggo gals about the benifits of bfing, all the stuff I've been telling him but thought he wasn't paying attention to, lol.<br><br>
this got me thinking about how little we hear from men about bfing. Do ya'll think men shold do more to push bfing or is it not really their business?<br><br>
Anway I just thought this would be fun to discuss...

 

[azyre]

I think it is there business, ideally they should have been breastfed and their children will be <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"><br><br>
I think we all need to be careful how we advocate - and I think if I was struggling or had struggled and not made it, hearing a message with the content "it is tough but you should persevere" by someone who has not been there, done that, would not make me very happy! But hearing anyone talk about the benefits of breastmilk and breastfeeding, relating their personal experiences is ALL GOOD!

 

[maddysmama]

I have a friend who's dh put a sticker on his locker at work that said 'support breastfeeding'. I love it! When one of his superiors asked him to remove it (something about sexual something or other), he pointed out that they worked at a natural foods warehouse. Hello!<br><br>
My dh will encourage his close friends and their dp's to bf, but he did take the 'support bf'ing' sticker off the car. He said the guys at work made fun of him. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/eyesroll.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="roll">

 

[RachelGS]

I would love it if my DH would speak up more about breastfeeding. He's supportive of ME, but I don't think that he gets that supporting breastfeeding in general is so important.

 

[bec]

I absolutely think that men need to be just as supportive, both publicly and privately, of breastfeeding. It isn't until we get everyone in our society to accept and support BF that it will be the norm.<br><br>
With that said, DH will often advocate when he's at work, or with a group of friends, etc. I love it when we're with friends and the subject comes up. I'll often open my mouth to start the BF 101 lecture and he'll pipe up with it instead! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/love.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="love"><br><br><br><br>
Bec

 

[Graceoc]

My dh is usually pretty researved about certin things. But if the topic comes up at work he will chim in on the benefits of breastfeeding! Just the other day some 'uppity' women we talking about how women shouldn't breastfeed in public <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/angry.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="angry"> and DH started talking about how his wife ( <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/love.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="love"> ) nurses in public all the time and it was perfectly fine. He talked about how it could be done discreetly (if you want <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"> ) and then asked the other women if they would rather listen to a screaming baby who was hungury. They kind of shurgged and agreed. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/irked.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="irked">: Stupid women! But I was sooooo proud of my hubby!<br><br>
On another note - he was always supportive of my bfing - but a little learly of ebfing. Until one night at a dinner meeting with his boss, who was a VERY high powered attorney at his firm - she mentioned that she nursed her son until he was 2.5 <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngbiggrin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="orange big grin"> After that Dh seemed to be completely fine with everything... LOL!

 

[Lucky Charm]

I don't think we give men the credit they deserve. Certainly, there are men out there who pay little attention nor give credence to what we do as moms. But i think in alot of ways, men can be tremendous advocates and have a great impact on breastfeeding in general. If men were to support their wives more, i think more women in general might have increased breastfeeding success. From my own experience, if it wasn't for my husband cheering me on, encouraging me, i would have never stuck with it as long as i did, because i was never one of those women in breastfeeding bliss.<br><br>
My husband once called me from work, because one of the mechanics that worked for him had recently had a baby, his wife was nursing and had sore nipples. apparently they talk about it more than i thought, because although i am no expert, i got more than one call on what to do about it (i recommended a LC, the LLL, and for immediate relief try changing positions every time she nursed.....in the end all was well). Imagine, men at a Pontiac dealership taking about breastfeeding and sore nipples!

 

[Icequeen_in_ak]

I'm with you Simone.... I was rather shocked to discover that my DH was discussing the benefits of BFing with one of his pregnant co-workers.<br><br>
I think it would be wonderful for our DHs to become lactivists pro se LOL

 

[Victorian]

well since how the father feels about breastfeeding is one of the reasons that women choose to or not to breastfeed, I think that it is important for men to talk to other men about the benefits to THEIR babies health and to the woman that they loves health. Trust me, when there are problems with breastfeeding the guys bring home all sorts of bad advice from work (i.e. the baby is allergic to the milk, ect.). I had a client whose husband's secretary even went to far as to buy them bottles to help with the colic that was being "caused" by the milk. we need all lactavists to be talking, everywhere.<br><br>
That said, my dh will talk to other men about it, but feels that women would see him as "creepy" if he started talking about their breast functions. He also wouldn't let me put a "breastfeeding welcome here" sticker on our car - some reason thought people would think that he was some weirdo driving around.<br><br>
Victorian

 

[soccerchic21]

Lately my DH has been a total advocate. There is a pregnant woman at his work and I guess they are always talking about how good breastfeeding is...<br><br>
One of the big things that he does is when we are out and people ask how old DD is and then after they find out and say how small she is....she is actually right on the breastfed scale.....he will then tell them that she is breastfed and perfectly healthy and just not overweight because breastmilk makes for leaner healthier babies. LOVE IT!!!<br><br>
I know with the last one he was getting sick of hearing how small his baby was.

 

[bec]

When dd1 was small we would go out to a restaurant. Waitstaff would ask us if we were ordering anything for her (even when she was a tiny baby <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/eyesroll.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="roll"> ), DH would smile and point to me and say, "She'll get what she's having in a few hours!"<br><br>
It was cute, but usually just confused people.<br><br><br>
Bec

 

[soccerchic21]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>bec</strong></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">When dd1 was small we would go out to a restaurant. Waitstaff would ask us if we were ordering anything for her (even when she was a tiny baby <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/eyesroll.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="roll"> ), DH would smile and point to me and say, "She'll get what she's having in a few hours!"<br><br>
It was cute, but usually just confused people.<br><br><br>
Bec</div>
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:LOL I used to say that too and I would get weird looks.

 

[Rach]

My boyfriend doesn't go out and talk about breastfeeding, but I will say that to him there was never really any other way to feed our child.<br>
He knew it was better for her and that was that. I'm glad we see eye to eye. Now...as for extended breastfeeding, he's not so much of a fan of that, but oh well! lol. He wanted happy healthy children, I'm doing my best to give them to him! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/wink1.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="wink1">

 

[jadegirl553]

I think it's great when dad's advocate, but I do agree with some of the pp's about how it would be weird for a man, or anyone for that matter, who has never lactated to be telling me about BFing.<br><br>
That said, it is great when men are pro-BF! It really is encouraging, because you know that that attitude will rub off on his DC and on their DC and their DC, etc.... Pretty cool!<br><br>
Sorry, I'm conflicted! :LOL

 

[chicagomom]

Actually there is some research out there showing women's breastfeeding initiation rates and duration (length) of bfing are very much related to their s.o.'s attitudes about it, even more related than the attitudes of their sibs and parents.<br><br>
So, yes - it's crucial! I think one cool way to get guys into it is to get them into the 'science' of it - all the cool things it can do.

 

[be11ydancer]

I think it definitely helps a new nursing mom when her husband is supportive of her nursing efforts. My DH is supportive and when I struggled to nurse in the beginning, he gently reminded me of my original commitment. He's been very supportive lately of me talking about nursing Jasmine past her first year. When the story on 20/20 aired about the ad campaign, he wrote letters to our senators and congress people to encourage more pro-bfing publicity. He's great. No complaints here. (And he's totally a guy's guy.)

 

[mamapixie]

My husband is definitely supportive, but I wish he was more so. My sil just gave birth, and while she is breastfeeding for now, says she's going to stop at 6 weeks. She won't nurse in the living room of their home, in case someone comes over! BIL(DH's brother) has this hang-up about breastfeeding, he thinks it's gross. And he's passed it on to SIL. I'm HOPING that I can get her to come with me to a breastfeeding support group(I'm no longer nursing though, DS self-weaned in December at 17 months) But it's times like that I wish I was, so I can show her just how non-gross it is. *sigh*<br><br>
Oh, and for some reason, she thinks the crappy First Years double pump that her sister gave her is better than the Medela hand pump I gave her. And what's worse, the First Years one was given to her sister by her WIC office!!

 

[DawnaRose]

my husband is very pro-breastfeeding and will tell anyone who listens that I nurse Elliana <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/love.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="love"><br>
We were at church and one of the ladies was commenting on Elliana's beautiful skin and my husband said "yeah, she's a boobie baby" <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/bag.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Bag">: <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/wink1.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="wink1"><br><br>
I guess that it helps he was breastfed until he self weaned at 2.5 and both of his siblings were also breastfed until they self weaned, I think my MIL told me that at the very least they were all breastfed until 2 <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngbiggrin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="orange big grin"><br><br>
I plan to nurse Ellie until she decides we are done, just like I did with my first two <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile">

 

[jeca]

I think that it heps greatly if the man in your life is probreastfeeding.

 

[JaneS]

<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/oops.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="oops">T<br><br><div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>DawnaRose</strong></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">We were at church and one of the ladies was commenting on Elliana's beautiful skin and my husband said "yeah, she's a boobie baby"</div>
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I was just thinking about this issue today... DS had a play date with 2 FF babies. I was noticing how their skin is so much thinner. I remember reading that this is a measurement of certain nutrients in bm, that the skin of the breastfed baby can be measured to be thicker. I can't find it now and my sieve like brain can't remember the details. But it's really cool I think, you can totally tell who's a BF Baby!