Shelley Blanco
Irving, TX
When my husband, Abe, and I found out we were miraculously pregnant with our first son Isaac, we were beyond happy. The thought of breastfeeding my son crossed my mind but was not necessarily a priority for me, that is, until he arrived.
I was not breastfed as a child, but my husband was, and his mother was a strong advocate for breastfeeding. Through their support and by learning the benefits of breastfeeding I knew the best choice was to breastfeed my son. My husband became my rock, my support system, and gave me the encouragement I needed to continue my breastfeeding journey.
Considering that Abe could not physically be a part of the breastfeeding process, he did everything else he could to assist me along the way. When breastfeeding became difficult he reminded me of the health benefits I was giving our son. At night he would bring Isaac to me so I could breastfeed him. My husband would also clean my breastpump supplies so that I was prepared for the next day. But most of all, his pride for me was evident, and, in turn, it made me proud that I was breastfeeding.
With his constant support I was able to return to work and continue breastfeeding our son for over a year. During this time I was also able to donate more than 100 ounces to Mothers Milk Bank of North Texas. When our second son Xavier was born, I was determined to replicate what I’d done with our first child. Fortunately, I was able to do so.
It has been one year since I finished breastfeeding both of my children and Abe continues to remind me how strong I was. He is very humble and doesn’t understand the important role he played in breastfeeding our children but I pushed through and successfully breastfed our children because of him.
Advice to fathers: Take the time to educate yourself on the benefits of breastfeeding. By supporting your wife while she breastfeeds, you made a huge impact on her confidence.