Hey there! Did you know August is Breastfeeding Awareness Month? If not, now you do!

The awesome folks over at Daily Mom are taking part by launching a brand new category for their site called “Mommy Moments.” This new category is for mommies (and daddies) to share their personal stories about breastfeeding. The stories can be humorous or serious experiences you’ve had, or things you wish you would’ve known.

Check out their website and take part of this wonderful campaign I think needs to be in effect year round! I know I’ve talked about breastfeeding and how much I support it several times in the past, and I’ll talk about many more times I’m sure.

I realize not all mothers are capable of breastfeeding either because of an issue they have or their baby has. Please do not take offense to my thoughts on the importance of breastfeeding; we are fortunate enough that Going Mom is able to breastfeed Avery and we wouldn’t have it any other way. To those who want to but can’t, I am truly sorry and my sincerest thoughts go out to you.

The benefits of breastfeeding over formula are tremendous and will last a lifetime with your baby. From fewer illnesses and trips to the doctor, to a higher IQ, healthy weight, and increased bonding, breastfeeding (when able) is a no-brainer.

Breastfeeding also benefits the mother by burning extra calories, helping your uterus return to pre-pregnancy size, and reducing risk of breast and ovarian cancer. And, a benefit for the entire family, it saves time and money by not having to buy formula that you have to mix and measure.

As a guy, I obviously am not able to breastfeed, but that doesn’t mean I just sit back and let my darling wife do all the work. No way!! All of us men should stand behind their partners and support their breastfeeding as much as possible.

The role of a good dad means being present and supportive throughout…..well, forever! From the beginning, doing what I could to help Kelley’s breastfeeding efforts was important to me, and I know she appreciates all I have done. She told me so! 🙂

I’d like to contribute my experience as part of Daily Mom’s new category, “Mommy Moments” by sharing my thoughts on breastfeeding. Here are some of the ways I help Kelley give our precious daughter the best nutrition that benefits her health, immunity, growth, and development:

Take care of cleaning bottles and pump parts. When Kelley comes home from a long day at a demanding job and somehow finding time to pump several times a day, the last thing she needs is to worry about cleaning everything to be ready for the next day. Instead, I’ll take all of the parts and accessories, make new bottles, and wash everything while she spends time with Avery.

Remind her how great it is that she is able to provide the best nutrition to our baby. We both know it, everything I’ve mentioned above and more is all true, but it’s always good to be reminded of how awesome you are…amiright? 🙂

Cook healthy and tasty food. Even before we were parents, I would take over most of the cooking, and now is no different. I cook with a lot of veggies, whole grains like quinoa and brown rice, and lean meats to prepare meals for work and home. I’m not only providing great nutrition for my beautiful wife, I’m providing for our beautiful baby too! I use packaged food sparingly and only after making sure the ingredients are worthy. The importance of nutrition is never ending, and the closer to being a whole, unprocessed food, the better.

Have her water bottle full and within reach. When breastfeeding, it’s common to always feel thirsty as your body requires a lot of energy and nutrients to produce breast milk in addition to keep the body functioning. Water helps deliver nutrients where needed and should always be available to any breastfeeding mother.

Show sympathy and listen to her. This is key to a healthy relationship whether you have a child or not, but just being there to listen means a lot. Lately, with Avery’s teeth coming in, Kelley has every right to need to vent to someone about the pain of biting! Avery actually took a shot at my nipple one day and OUCH, that is not easy to have to deal with several times a day. To all breastfeeding women, I bow down to your awesomeness!

Bring Avery to her in bed for nighttime and morning feedings. As many know, breastfeeding is exhausting, but if you’re determined to give the best to your child (and don’t want to pump), feeding your baby when they wake at night or in the morning is vital. I do what I can by bringing Avery to Kelley when requested so all she needs to worry about is the feeding part.

Take care of diaper changes. As mentioned many times already, breastfeeding is a full time job in and of itself, so having one less thing to worry about allows Kelley to focus on more important things; good, nutritious breast milk. I know I’m a stay-at-home dad and should be doing this, but I still worked the first couple of months and would take over the diaper changing when I could. It makes a world of difference!

 

At almost 9 months old, Avery is still getting most of her nutrition from breast milk and only eating steamed veggies at dinnertime. Kelley’s current goal is to breastfeed up to 18 months, so she’s halfway there!

I will continue to support her to the best of my abilities and hope all dads will do the same for their baby’s momma. After all, why would anyone want to put something called “formula” in their child?

Have you been to Daily Mom?

What’s your view on breastfeeding and its benefits?