The role of fathers during breastfeeding

Abstract

Objectiveidentify fathers’ perceptions of their role in a breastfeeding context. Settingthree different geographic areas (urban, semi-urban, and rural) of Quebec, a francophone province in Canada. Participants43 fathers whose children had been exclusively breastfed for a minimum of six months. Methodsa qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was undertaken. Thematic analysis of the interviews was carried out with NVivo 11. Findingsvariations were identified in the role of father during breastfeeding, namely, 1) acting as partners in decision-making; 2) being responsible for the family functioning, and 3) providing emotional support to the mother. These different variants each entail challenges and tasks. Key conclusionsparticipating fathers perceived their role as much more complex than the limited role of breastfeeding facilitator that is usually attributed to them. Fathers saw themselves as stakeholders in decision-making relating to how their child was fed and they reacted to the imbalance created by breastfeeding. Their involvement occurred at several levels: that of their child, their spouse, and their family. Implications for practicethese results suggest that more attention should be given to fathers’ roles in a breastfeeding context and more investigation is required into the extent to which health professionals, such as midwives and nurses, support fathers in managing these various roles and the challenges they entail.