title: Fathers' and co-mothers' voices about breastfeeding and equality - A Swedish perspective.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Breastfeeding has benefits for mother and child and the partner's support influences the decision as well as the duration of breastfeeding. The aim of this study was to describe partners' knowledge and feelings regarding breastfeeding and how they reason about equality and involvement during the lactation period.
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with 7 male and 2 female partners (labelled co-mothers) of breastfeeding mothers. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using a phenomenological approach.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The main theme Wish for the child to be breastfed/get breast milk described the informants' desire that their child was breastfed and this desire was based on knowledge of benefits of breastfeeding but also on intuitive feelings of breastfeeding as something natural. The main theme Effect of breastfeeding on fathers/co-mothers described how breastfeeding affected the informants and their relationship to the child and the mother in different ways. The main theme Adaptation and acceptance described how informants accepted the impact that breastfeeding had and/or adapted to it and continued to wish for the child to receive breast milk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The informants desired that their children be breastfed/get breast milk. Breastfeeding affected the informants in different ways, which they handled by adapting to and accepting the situation, and they expressed a continued desire that their children be breastfed/get breast milk. Parental classes should include both parents to be and address how breastfeeding can be successfully performed and supported without threatening the equality between the parents.
authors: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. Electronic address: hannina@hotmail.com.
authors: Hanna
authors: H
authors: Palmqvist
authors: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. Electronic address: josefinezather@hotmail.com.
authors: Josefine
authors: J
authors: Zäther
authors: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. Electronic address: margareta.larsson@kbh.uu.se.
authors: Margareta
authors: M
authors: Larsson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000523:psychology*; D005220:Fathers / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007224:Infant Care / Q000379:methods*; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D009042:Motivation; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D011181:Postnatal Care / Q000379:methods; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013548:Sweden
keywords: Breastfeeding; Feelings; Gender equality; Knowledge; Parents