Father's influence on breastfeeding continuity or interruption: meta-synthesis.
Willyane de Andrade Alvarenga, Thais Rayane da Conceição Gomes, Carlos Henrique Rodrigues da Silva and 4 others
PMID 40215354WHAT IT FOUND
Fathers often saw breastfeeding as the mother's decision and felt excluded or helpless; they also encouraged it through practical support and wanted consistent information.
Key findings
01Fathers often described breastfeeding as the mother's decision and felt excluded or helpless when she struggled.
02Some fathers encouraged breastfeeding by creating comfort, doing household tasks, and bringing the baby to the mother.
03Fathers wanted more consistent breastfeeding information during prenatal care but often felt excluded from guidance.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only 13 studies were included, and Brazil contributed seven studies, so the findings may not reflect fathers in other settings. The review describes fathers' perceptions and experiences; it did not test whether involving fathers changes breastfeeding practice. The majority did not report the relationship between researcher and participant, and only three articles partially described ethical issues and three partially described contributions to practice. Eleven studies included only fathers who lived with their wife and child, so it says little about fathers who are separated, non-resident, or not present for most of breastfeeding.
Declared interests
Funding came from CNPQ, CAPES Funding Code 001, and Centro Universitário Santo Agostinho-PIBIC.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these themes as proof that involving fathers makes breastfeeding last longer. The review reports fathers' perceptions and experiences; it did not test a support intervention.