Breastfeeding Advocacy and Awareness for Dads
It’s nothing new to see moms advocating for universal support towards public breastfeeding, and now dads are joining the fight too—Project Breastfeeding is a dad-created non-profit organization that calls for dads to support their wives who struggle with breastfeeding both in the home and in public.
Hector Cruz is a freelance photographer whose wife recently gave birth to their first child, a girl. Cruz’s wife Nicole had a hard time breastfeeding baby Sophia and Hector felt unprepared to help his wife nurse successfully—Nicole had attended a breastfeeding class for moms only before their daughter’s arrival. Also, the Cruz family found less-than-enthusiastic breastfeeding help at the hospital where they had delivered Sophia.
Determined to help his wife, Hector first acknowledged his lack of information about breastfeeding. “I wish I could say I was an enlightened guy, but I wasn’t. I figured women have breasts, a baby has a mouth, it all works, and there are never any issues” Cruz told Fox News in a recent interview. When he realized that he was “very, very wrong” Hector decided to remedy his family’s tough situation by opening up his family to the larger breastfeeding community.
Cruz’s photography background came in handy for his newfound project; Hector cultivated a series of photographs that feature men holding their babies in breastfeeding positions (shirtless as well!) with the caption: “If I could, I would.” Cruz explains that his slogan is meant to share a father’s frustrations towards his own breastfeeding limitations, as well as his unconditional support for his wife and child. Born from his own experiences, Cruz’s new campaign is widely accepted by breastfeeding groups across the country. Hoping to establish a new breastfeeding curriculum for both men and women, Cruz wants to provide essential breastfeeding information for new and expecting parents.
Remember, dads, that even though you cannot physically nurse your newborn like your wife can, you can contribute by bringing mom water or something to eat while she nurses, watching the other kids while she breastfeeds in (relative) peace, and even getting up and giving baby a bottle of breast milk in the middle of the night. Showing your support is a great way to help keep your wife feeling confident about breastfeeding.
What do you think of Hector’s photographs and campaign? Let us know in the comments.
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