This week is World Breastfeeding Week. As a breastfeeding mum, I want to help spread the word about breastfeeding and how important it is for your baby, but we breastfeeding mum’s need some help from time to time.
#Dad’sGotThis
Tommee Tippee has launched a campaign for the roles of dads in supporting the breastfeeding mums it’s called #Dad’sGotThis. I think this is a fantastic thing to help dad’s get involved. I know my husband would have loved to helped me out in those early breastfeeding days when it was tough.
A survey was taken in July 2016 by 132 mums who said that they would breastfeed for longer if they could share responsibilities with Dad. This tells us that mums need help from dad’s.
The #Dad’sGotThis campaign runs from 1st -7th August in association with Tommee Tippees Express and Go system. This system makes it much easier to get the dads involved like bottle-fed babies’ dads.
Express and Go uses a single pouch to EXPRESS, STORE, WARM & FEED breast milk. There’s no need to transfer milk at any stage so you’ll never lose a precious drop!
The Express and Go system will help dad to bond with baby and give poor mum some rest time. I love this idea and wish I heard of this when my baby was born.
Tommee Tippee has arranged a photoshoot to celebrate World Breastfeeding Week with real-life dads to capture those feeding moments.
Tommee Tippee will be giving away 10 Express and Go complete starter kits throughout World Breastfeeding Week over on their Facebook Page.
I would love to hear your thoughts on the Express and Go and would it help your baby’s dad get involved?
I like the sound of pouches that can be expressed into, stored and then used without having to decant the milk into a bottle – that is a good idea. I’m in agreement with Beta Mummy above that expressing and getting dad to feed is only one small way in which they are part of the parenting process. Expressing just to give the mum a break always seems like a slightly strange concept to me though – doing the expressing still takes the time that feeding would (unless of course, you’re feeding from one breast and expressing off the other at the same time) – I guess though you’re getting to choose the time that you are expressing whereas with a feed, you’re going with when the baby wants it! If you’re expressing regularly and giving via a bottle regularly than I can see that the pouches would be helpful though. #triballove
Thanks for your comment Louise. That is very true about the expressing to have a break when its probably quicker to just feed as you have no sterilising to do! But this system is an alternative for mums. It’s nice to have that choice and this system is designed to make it easier. xx
Hmmm. I have mixed feelings about this, to be honest. I agree that it’s great if dads can help out, and for some people, expressing so that dad can give an occasional feed is exactly what they need to stay sane. Or for people going back to work, that can help too.
I just get a bit cynical about the whole thing, really. For the majority of women, actually the best thing that dads can do to help their partners, and bond with their baby, is to just be there on hand to help with whatever mum needs. Cooking, cleaning, looking up numbers for breastfeeding helplines, bringing mum a drink or the remote control – all that sort of thing. And taking baby, once s/he’s fed, for a walk or a cuddle so that mum can have a nap or a shower or whatever she wants to do.
I guess I just resent the idea that dads can only bond with their baby if they are feeding them – I remember when I had my first baby, everyone kept telling me to express so that other people could feed him, but I didn’t really want to – I just wanted them to bring me chocolate and take baby out for a walk so I could sleep!
I don’t have a problem with the system if it helps people who already would have been expressing – I do have a problem with any implication (overt or otherwise) that it’s something that people SHOULD be doing.
Sorry, that turned into a massive comment…can you tell this is one of my pet subjects, lol?!
Thanks for commenting. I love to hear your thoughts! I never express – I just can’t, no idea why. xx