I'll use this first post to tell you a bit about myself & what I'm doing here. I'm head of training and national development at the Fatherhood Institute in the UK. The Fatherhood Institute is one of the most respected fatherhood organisations in the world. A registered UK charity (number 1075104), our work focuses on policy, research and practice. Our vision is of a society in which there’s a great dad for every child – a society that: gives all children a strong and positive relationship with their father and any father-figures supports both mothers and fathers as earners and carers, and prepares boys and girls for a future shared role in caring for children. In working towards this vision we: collate, participate in and publicise research lobby for legal and policy changes help public services, employers and others become more father-inclusive, and work directly with families This year I have been awarded a Winston Churchill Memorial Trust
For more information please visit www.fatherhoodinstitute.org A number of studies have found fathers influencing mothers’ decisions to initiate and/or sustain breastfeeding (for review, see Scott et al, 2001). ‘Unpacking’ this research it has been found that support from the infant’s father through active participation in the breastfeeding decision, together with a positive attitude by him and knowledge about the benefits of breastfeeding, have been shown to have a strong influence on the initiation and duration of breastfeeding (Swanson & Power, 2005; Arora et al, 2000; Bromberg & Darby, 1997). Low-income women in particular suggest that male support is crucial in their decision to breastfeed (Schmidt & Sigman-Grant, 2000). It is worth noting that mothers’ perceptions of their partners’ attitudes to breastfeeding – on which researchers often rely – may not be accurate: when the men are interviewed directly, their attitudes can be more positive than expected and