A father has proved that it’s not only mothers who can breastfeed their children, after he showed ways in which both partners can work together to make it a success.
It all started when Muhammed Nitoto decided to take a step towards helping his wife with the baby duties…
And he took to social media to share his advice which has now gone viral.
Known as @chroniclesofdaddy on Instagram, Nitoto celebrated World Breastfeeding Day by sharing what he has learned from helping his own wife breastfeed their children.
And the post was captioned with a very relatable picture for first-time parents.
“Here’s what it looks like for the first few weeks or months after your child is born. Yup if mom breastfeeds they pretty much are tucked like this and at times you’ll wonder, ‘what is there for me to do?'” said the doting father.
But irony was he answered his own question, which he most likely asked himself when his child was born.
And while it’s seemingly easier for new fathers, it can be a nightmare for mothers, as breastfeeding can be painful…
But Nitoto revealed how fathers can “help out” while the mother is breastfeeding the child.
First things first, he notes fathers should “get up and ask if she needs any help or water.”
He followed up and said that “most of the time she will say no but just the fact that you offered will go far.”
He then said a father should choose “at least one feeding to take over.”
“Mom will take on almost everything and will burn herself out if you let her. At times, you may have to force her to rest without worrying about the baby. This is an easy way to do that without a fight,” said the dad.
But the advice didn’t end there, as Nitoto went on and said dads should not “put a time limit”on how long a feeding takes…
“It’s not just about feeding your child, it’s about them bonding as well. I know everyone has a different length of time they will breastfeed and as a dad it’s hard to fully understand. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT try and rush this process, it’s not our place and it’s not safe. You will open yourself up to a fight you can’t win,” he said.
The father confessed that new dads also “need to be patient through the first few weeks.”
“I know as a Dad the first few weeks we are equally excited and yet not as important yet. Your time will come faster than you know,” he said.
But understandably the father added that as the babies grow up to be stronger, dads should look forward to “daddy time.”
Although, some fathers tend to give paternity leave a miss, Nitoto encouraged new dads to “take advantage” of it if they’re able to.
“The early stages of a child’s life are not just for moms to enjoy,” Nitoto said.
He also emphasized how important it is to embrace life in the moment: “there are no instant replays in life. It doesn’t make you more of a man to not take the leave. It’s equally as important that you as a Dad get to be a part of the early development of your child,” he finished.
You can read the viral post here.
What do you think of Nitoto’s advice?