Breast-feeding support: How a partner can help
There's more you can do for your breast-feeding partner than you might realize. Understand how to provide breast-feeding support.
By Mayo Clinic StaffIf your partner plans to breast-feed your new baby, your support can make all the difference. Understand what you can do to help.
How can I help my family prepare for breast-feeding?
You can start helping your partner prepare for breast-feeding by taking time to understand the benefits. Breast milk contains the right balance of nutrients for your baby and boosts your baby's immune system. It's considered the gold standard for infant nutrition.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breast-feeding for the first six months after birth — and breast-feeding in combination with solid foods until at least age 1. Extended breast-feeding is recommended as long as your partner and your baby wish to continue.
To learn more about the benefits of breast-feeding, attend breast-feeding classes with your partner. If you know the basics of the techniques involved, you might be better able to help your partner after birth. These classes can also help you understand the impact that the use of bottles, pacifiers and supplemental feedings can have on the breast-feeding process, and spur you and your partner to make decisions together about how you'll care for your baby.
Oct. 03, 2015 See more In-depthProducts and Services
- Book: Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy
See also
- Baby brain
- Breast-feeding and medications
- Breast-feeding nutrition: Tips for moms
- C-section recovery
- Exercise after pregnancy
- Kegel exercises
- Lactation suppression
- Low milk supply
- Returning to work after maternity leave
- Postpartum care: After a vaginal delivery
- Sagging breasts after breast-feeding
- Sex after pregnancy: Set your own timeline
- Weight loss after pregnancy