Many parenting books, pediatricians and other experts often suggest that father give one feeding each day of pumped breastmilk or artificial baby milk to ensure that dad is part of the relationship. This practice, which may undermine breastfeeding, disregards all of the other wonderful ways that daddy can be a part of a baby's life. A baby has so many needs. The need to eat, the need for physical contact with other human beings, the need to be comforted, the need to be clean dry and the need to be taught about the big, wide wonderful world. Dad can participate in all of these activities while preserving the breastfeeding relationship.
New babies crave human contact.
They enjoy being close enough to hear a heartbeat, feel skin, smell their parents, hear the sound of their voices and experience the ongoing motion and activity of the human body. They have just emerged form a world where they were surrounded by all of these sensations. While mother can provide all of these through breastfeeding, dad can provide them in so many terrific ways. Napping on daddy's bare chest is a favorite of almost all babies. Visualize the end of the day.