This is without doubt a fantastic process. It is truly incredible to watch your wife feeding your child. It is at this time that your previous monopoly on your partner’s breasts goes out of the window, as you are now banished from them as your child takes priority. We don’t know of a guy that hasn’t wanted to lunge at those breasts now looking fuller and, if we are honest ,pretty damn fine. Hold fire tiger, they are not for you! They are for the baby!!!!

So why bother breastfeeding?

The benefits of breastfeeding are well-known and you will have no doubt, by the time your partner actually gives birth, have read countless articles preaching the virtues of breastfeeding. The phrase "breast is best" is with considerable merit (but read on).

Some of the benefits of breastfeeding include:

· It provides all the nutrients your baby needs in the first 6 months to grow healthily. 
· It supposedly enables mum to pass on antibodies that she has so that the baby can fight infection and helps build the baby’s immune system when it is still developing
· It is convenient in that you have no need for sterilizing equipment and all the gear such as bottles and teats
· It works out cheaper than bottle feeding.
· It burns calories, to help your good lady get back in shape.

This list is by no means exhaustive. In addition to the above there are numerous other health benefits for the baby. However if your partner is unable to breast feeding all is not lost! In fact, far from it.

One of the things that has been identified by many of the men that we have spoken to is that women feel under massive pressure to breastfeed and if they can’t, or are unable to continue to, they feel as if they are a failure. This is total rubbish! We know of many women that, for whatever reason, simply don’t want to feed their baby by breast, and others simply can’t. Their babies are healthy and fine. If you find that your partner cannot breastfeed but wants too, she has not failed and she needs your support and understanding. Try and think of it from their perspective.

She has done the “tough bit” and given birth and now has the task of feeding her child. Ironic as this may sound and something that no one seems to publicise is the fact that for many women this can be extremely difficult. Immediately after birth, hormones are running high and your partner, as well as being absolutely totally exhausted, may be feeling inadequate as a new mother. Oh yeah, they are also probably just plain scared or simply overwhelmed by the experience.

According to most of the videos that we have seen on breastfeeding, (we know a tough job but someone’s got to do it!!!), the women featured had small pert breasts that they could comfortably cup in one hand, easily see the nipple, and guide the baby’s open mouth directly to where it should be. All of these educational and even Hollywood type movies always show the new born latching straight on to the breast.

The reality for the bustier women, is that they can’t see their nipple to guide it to the baby, the breast is heavy to hold up to get it in place and if you add to the equation that she may have had a c-section it is downright uncomfortable. It is of course not only the woman with the more ample bosom that can find it difficult. Some women can find it difficult to simply produce enough milk or could have inverted nipples making it difficult to breastfeed - both of these are naturally distressing. The last thing a woman wants to hear then is that breast is best and that their child is missing out on valuable illness fighting antibodies and the like!
We have no doubt that nature intended for women to breastfeed and this is probably their most important function. Just think if you had had problems conceiving your child. If people around you had planted the thought in your mind that you were impotent or the problem in some way was down to you how would you feel, a failure perhaps? Your partner just might think the same if she is finding it difficult to breastfeed. For many this can be overcome but if it can’t you will be feeding your baby with bottles and this, particularly for us guys, has a whole host of advantages in itself.