What do fathers really think about breastfeeding? Implications for a theory-based intervention

Objective: To understand the male partner's perceptions of breastfeeding with a hope that findings could inform the development of interventions to increase their support of breastfeeding. Research shows that male partner attitudes, knowledge, and feelings about breastfeeding can influence a family's breastfeeding experience. Design: Qualitative design. Male partner attitudes, knowledge, and feelings were collected through private interviews. Setting: Participants were recruited and interviewed in two WIC clinics located Honolulu, Hawai‘i. Participants: Fourteen male partners of low-income pregnant women or new mothers. Methods: Interviews were transcribed verbatim and data were analyzed using grounded theory methods. Results: All men appreciated breastfeeding's health benefits, acknowledged that it was natural, and were empathetic to the efforts of the mom. The men also discussed not being involved in the breastfeeding decision, believing formula feeding was more convenient than breastfeeding, feeling left out of the infant-feeding process, and being uncomfortable with breastfeeding in public. Conclusions: Findings suggest that an intervention to increase male partner support of breastfeeding would need to intervene in multiple ways—to enhance knowledge, to empower men to be more involved in the breastfeeding decision, to provide specific tips on how men can be involved in breastfeeding, and to increase comfort with breastfeeding in public. A multi-component framework such as the Social Cognitive Theory could be useful in guiding the development of such an intervention.