They say it takes a village to raise a child and it’s true.
Breastfeeding isn’t just women's business, it’s everyone's business. Learning to breastfeed takes time and parents need support. Fathers, partners, families, workplaces, early childhood education and care services and communities all have an important role in supporting breastfeeding.
Becoming a parent
Mums and dads/partners need time to get to know their baby and support each other in their new job as parents. Maternity and paternity leave allows both parents this very important time to learn how to breastfeed, support each other and share the role of caring for their baby. Involving dads from the very beginning helps sow the seeds for strong relationships. It also sets the scene for working as a team with parenting and sharing the household workload.
When it is time to return to work
Flexible workplaces can support mums and dads to meet their work and family’s needs. For women, a supportive workplace provides space, time and support to keep breastfeeding going. For men, flexible working arrangements can help dads be more involved with their children and support their partners’ needs. For more information see Breastfeeding and returning to work toolkit
We all play a role
We all benefit when babies are breastfed. Many women start breastfeeding their babies but stop before they had planned.
To meet their breastfeeding goals we need to provide:
- Paid parental leave to allow parents to take time off work.
- Flexible workplace arrangements for parents.
- More breastfeeding friendly workplaces.
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