Breast Feeding Class
We went to a breast feeding class last night. When we got there I was the only male around and felt a little uncomfortable. The teacher broke the ice very easily and just a minute or two after that 2 other couples walked in. I don’t know how common it is for man to attend breast feeding classes but I think it will be helpful that I was there. There are a lot of things a partner can do to help the breast feeding Mom when time comes. Having a baby puts a lot of stress onto Mom and she can use every helpful hand that is available.
The breast feeding class took care of the history of breast feeding and how it evolved over the last 7 decades. Colorado – the state we live in, has a very high breast feeding rate. 81% of all Moms do breast feed their babies. An interesting fact about babies and breast feeding. New studies have apparently shown that breast feeding helps babies to reach a higher IQ compared to babies that were strictly raised with the bottle. The difference sounds small but in regards to the IQ this can make quite a difference. The average IQ of a baby that was raised with the bottle is about 5 to 8 points lower compared to babies that were breast fed.
Anyway – the teacher also showed a few breast pumps and gave the class information about where to rent them and which model is supposed to be good. She also recommended to rent a pump for the first 2 weeks after the baby is born to be prepared for problems that usually arise in and around breast feeding a baby the first time. So, overall – the class was very interesting and there was no reason for a man to feel at the wrong place.
If your husband is hesitating to join you (the pregnant Mom) at a breast feeding class – drag him along. Raising a baby is a lot of work and especially during the first 4 weeks you will need any help you can get.