The Breast Feeding Husband
No this is not about a transsexual who managed to figure out how to breast feed. This is about those husband’s/father’s of the breastfeeding wife and child.
My husband and I got into a discussion this morning about how long I planned on breast feeding. This is something we have spoken of infrequently but I have been giving it a lot of thought. Of course the minute we start to actually discuss the topic his phone rings and its a call he needs to take, but while he was on the phone I started to think about how no one ever considers the breast feeding husband. He as much vested in this process as I am, he’s dealt with all the things I’ve dealt with minus the sore nipples, but rarely do we hear of the husband’s or father’s unless its a woman whose partner is incredibly un-supportive. In which case we all rally around her and assure her that her partner is a jerk who just doesn’t understand and needs to be educated.
My husband actually joked this morning that he was too educated and I screwed myself by telling him too much of what breast feeding is all about. He is right though he could probably qualify as a lactation consultant by this point.
My point is that my husband has been incredibly supportive during this process, but …. he would like his wife back. I’m sure he would like his breasts back too. Breastfeeding is so singularly a female thing that we never consider the fact the husband is “breastfeeding” as well and maybe the happy mommy happy baby mantra should be re-worded to include happy parents happy baby.
I love breastfeeding, I really do. It has been an easy road for me and baby, no issues at all and I know not everyone is as lucky as I have been. I guarantee even though I have had it pretty easy I would not have made it this far without my husband’s support. I don’t think husbands are given enough credit for the support they give their wives, I know mine hasn’t. And I think its probably difficult to be on the sidelines knowing that the mother has all the food which let’s be honest is basically the only thing the baby needs besides sleep.
6 months is my current goal, and I don’t know if I’ll stop before then or if I’ll get to that point and want to keep going. I am uncomfortable putting an end date on something I enjoy, but we did come to an agreement that I would stop pumping as much, I basically have milk scattered in family members freezers throughout the state, I have enough at this point to feed baby for at least a month and I think that’s a good enough cushion.
I don’t know that there is a point or a wrap up to this post which I love to have but maybe a …
to a conclusion that I don’t yet know.
