'Breastfeeding Myths Debunked' Day 1: Dad can only bond by feeding baby

[Cafe Jenn]

Today we are debunking the myth that the only way for dad to bond with baby is by feeding him/her.

Dad doesn't need to feed baby in order to bond with him/her. Here are some ways for dad to bond:

• Give baby him/her baths
• Change baby's diapers
• Cuddle with baby-skin to skin

How did your baby's dad bond with him/her? What other ways can you think of for dads to bond with their babies?

  If you haven't signed up for the 'Breastfeeding Myths Debunked' Challenge yet, you can do so here.

[mostlymaydays]

I have 4 breastfed babies my dh has never given a single bottle to. To his credit, he has found his own ways to connect with the babies. When they fuss, he is famous for running their feet under water in the sink and sometimes standing with them in front of the open freezer. Oh, and he sits with them and watches ESPN with them, or rather he bores them with ESPN. He never once asked to give them a bottle.

[Cruz-s-mommy]

DH bonded with DS by singing to and rocking him. DS loves it when daddy sings, mommy not so much.

[mamadani87]

Just talking to the baby during times when the baby is awake is good. My husband likes to talk to our 3 week old daughter when she has her periods of being awake. I feel this brings them close.

[collinsmommy0]

DH played with DS, changed diapers, helpe with baths....and just held the baby and spent time with him.

By 10 months, DS learned to crawl and would crawl AROUND me to get to DH because he 'bonded' with him so much!

[OBImomma]

I have bfed 3 babies. My 2nd had a bottle for a little while bc of being a preemie. She was ebf by the time she was 9 weeks old. My dh has bonded with all 3 of our kids. He holds them, plays with them. He is there to spend time with and they all absolutely adore him.

[MommyO2-6631]

My dh takes showers with ds. And they read hunting magazines :) ds loves when daddy tickles him also.

[MamaToCollin]

In the early days, when nothing would help my son's crying, my husband would put him in his car seat and raise it up and down.  Also, after his bath, my son would sometimes get fussy while getting dried off so my husband would (and still does) sort of "sing" the Pac-Man song.  My son calms right down.

[Baby_Avas_Momma]

One of the biggest (and silliest) myths!! DF gave dd just one bottle her whole life. And to be honest, I myself did all the diaper changes and bath times too, lol. DF was always about snuggling, cosleeping (nap and bedtime) and playing with her. At 2 years old, she is the ultimate daddy's girl, and it's been like that for a long time. I'm chopped liver when it comes to daddy lol!

[audmom1218]

I always felt baby preferred dad over mom! Mom was a food source, daddy was comfort, entertainment, and a pillow! He would get home from work and play tummy time, or snuggle in the lazy boy and watch tv while I got showered or made supper! I was so jealous to see her content and happy to just snuggle and watch him and not be rooting for food or squirming to get away! He only gave bottles once I went back to work, and that was long after they had "bonded"!

[Terpsichore]

Daddy was thrilled the first time he could feed baby a bottle of expressed breastmilk. But before that, there was singing and humming to baby and walking around with her, and interacting while changing diapers.