Study Finds Father’s Role in Breastfeeding and Infant Sleep Is Key

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Fathers matter.

A new study—a rare study that focused solely on fathers’ involvement in the lives of infants—shows a striking association between the support fathers provide and better outcomes for infants.

This study aimed to answer some questions about fathers’ participation in breastfeeding and how to safely sleep for babies. The results show that fathers play an important role on both fronts, and highlight the need for stronger parental leave policies in the United States, the study said. Published in Pediatrics on Friday.

Results from the survey of 250 fathers were “suboptimal,” the study concluded, with only 16% of fathers following all recommended safe sleep practices for infants. It was revealed. And research shows that many can do more to support breastfeeding mothers, which can have important health benefits for babies.

Why did the researchers ask this question in the first place? He said he hoped to do so.

For over 30 years, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has implemented the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System. stroller — Surveys aimed at collecting data from mothers before, during and after birth.

“In fact, mothers started writing in the margins of the questionnaire,” says Garfield. “The only question they asked about fathers[in the initial survey]was, ‘Did your partner hit, kick, punch or slap you while you were pregnant? ”

Garfield said mothers knew that active father support was very important in the first few months of an infant’s life, and they wanted that data to reflect that as well. Ultimately, the CDC enlisted the help of researchers in the Northwest and funded the research.

“We focused on breastfeeding and infant sleep because these are two important national health goals,” said the pediatrician, internist, and researcher at Northwestern University in the study. said lead author Dr. John James Parker.

This research started small. Researchers collected data through surveys from 250 fathers in Georgia within two to six months after the birth of their children. Fathers were also included if the infant’s mother also completed her PRMS survey.

It found that 99% of fathers had put their children to sleep, but less than a quarter practiced all the methods recommended by the law. American Academy of Pediatrics. These recommendations include:

• Always place infants on their backs to sleep.
• Use an approved sleeping surface (crib, cot, bedside sleeper, etc.) specifically designed for infant sleep.
• Do not use soft bedding or flooring on hard surfaces. Other itemssuch as blankets and stuffed animals.

These are all recommended strategies to prevent sudden infant death syndrome. 3,400 deaths Every year in the United States, according to the CDC.

The study also found racial differences in sleep habits, with black fathers less likely than white fathers to follow sleep habits.

“I think more work needs to be done in this area to understand some of the reasons for disparities,” Parker said. “But I think one of the scenarios we’ve seen unfold is that racial and ethnic minorities have difficulty getting things like parental leave … so go book It can make it even more difficult to attend a job, a newborn nursery, an OB-gynecology office.”

Parker said these are important places for dads to learn about these best practices.

Overall, the study found that nearly one-third of the fathers who participated in the survey received insufficient or no advice on how to sleep safely.

Breastfeeding has great benefits for infant health, helping with immunity, overall well-being, and parent-child bonding.American Academy of Pediatrics It is recommended Exclusively breastfeed your baby for at least the first six months.

Previous research suggests that fathers may play an important role in helping mothers breastfeed. But the researchers in this new study were shocked at how strong the correlation was.

In this survey sample, “Of the fathers who wanted mothers to breastfeed their infants, 95% reported starting breastfeeding, and 78% reported breastfeeding at eight weeks. , which is significantly higher than that of fathers who have no opinion or do not want it,” the study found. Mothers of infants instructed to breastfeed, 69% of whom reported breastfeeding initiation, and 33% reported breastfeeding at her eighth week. ”

The difference is “dramatic,” Parker added.

Going forward, Parker said, “I want to be able to show fathers how successful breastfeeding is worth and that this is a team effort.”

Fathers can play an active role, ensuring that mothers have food and a comfortable place to breastfeed, and help with other household chores to give mothers time and space to breastfeed their children.

Parker urged fathers to continue breaking down the walls that society typically assigns to men and women.

“We’ve made great strides in promoting the importance of women in the workplace,” Parker said. “And to keep it going and make it as accessible as possible, I think we need fathers who are equal parents and who contribute in many ways in the home.”

Dr Jennifer Lunsford called the findings “solemn”.

“We have yet to meet the guidelines and recommendations for these very basic physical care practices,” said director of the Center for Child and Family Policy and a research professor at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University in North Carolina. Mr Lansford said. She was not involved in the research.

Lansford’s own research focuses on: Parenting culture in 9 countriesand she said the study is just further evidence that the United States lags behind other countries in parent support and education.

“For example, we still don’t have universal paid leave for mothers, let alone fathers, in this country,” Lunsford said. “Even though individual parents want to do their best, the social support that makes it possible is not always in place.”

He added that another important takeaway from the study is that while historical paradigms may have emphasized the mother as the nurturer, the father is more than just a supporter.

“A more modern way of thinking suggests that there is a healthier way of thinking about being a father.

Researchers in the Northwest are expanding their research on fathers beyond Georgia and looking to expand their research to other states.

However, Garfield acknowledges that the information may not be particularly useful for same-sex couples and other single mothers without paternal support.

“It took the CDC and the country 35 years to realize that we were taking a highly biased and unequal approach to collecting this data,” he said. “My hope is that it will be less than 35 years before we can understand what is going on in (all) kinds of families.”