Fathers could make an enormous difference in whether an infant is breastfed and placed to sleep safely, in response to a recent survey of latest fathers led by scientists at Northwestern University and the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Kid’s Hospital of Chicago.

The study included 250 fathers who were surveyed two to 6 months after the birth of their infant. The survey findings are among the many first to explain father-reported attitudes toward and experiences with breastfeeding and infant sleep practices in a state-representative sample. They will likely be published June 16 within the journal Pediatrics.

Amongst fathers who wanted their infant’s mother to breastfeed, 95% reported breastfeeding initiation and 78% reported breastfeeding at eight weeks. That is significantly higher than the rates reported by fathers who had no opinion or didn’t want their infant’s mother to breastfeed – 69% of those fathers reported breastfeeding initiation and 33% reported breastfeeding at eight weeks.

The scientists also found that 99% of fathers reported placing their infant to sleep, but only 16% implemented all three American Academy of Pediatrics-recommended infant sleep practices (using the back sleep position, an approved sleep surface, and avoiding soft bedding). Almost a 3rd of fathers surveyed were missing at the least one key component of secure sleep education.

Our findings underscore that recent fathers are a critical audience to advertise breastfeeding and secure infant sleep. Many families don’t gain the health advantages from breastfeeding because they aren’t provided the support to breastfeed successfully. Fathers have to be directly engaged in breastfeeding discussions, and providers need to explain the necessary role fathers play in breastfeeding success.”

Dr. John James Parker, lead study creator, instructor of pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, pediatrician at Lurie Kid’s and an internist at Northwestern Medicine

Racial disparities in rates of SIDS within the U.S.

Black fathers were less more likely to use the back sleep position and more more likely to use soft bedding than white fathers. Greater than 3,000 infants die of sleep-related deaths per 12 months within the U.S. Nationally, the speed of sudden unexpected infant death (SIDS) of Black infants is greater than twice that of white infants, and unsafe sleep practices may contribute to this disparity, the study authors said.

“Fathers must receive counseling on all of the secure sleep practices for his or her infants,” Parker said. “To scale back racial disparities in sudden unexpected infant death, we’d like tailored strategies to extend secure infant sleep practices within the Black community, including public campaigns to extend awareness and residential visiting programs. These interventions must involve each parents to be simplest.”

Recent survey highlights unique needs of latest fathers

Recognizing that recent dads play a crucial role within the health and wellbeing of kids and families, senior creator Dr. Craig Garfield, professor of pediatrics and medical social sciences at Feinberg and a Lurie Kid’s pediatrician, partnered with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Georgia Department of Public Health to develop and pilot the brand new survey tool utilized in this study called Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) for Dads.

The tool was modeled after PRAMS, an annual surveillance tool the CDC and public health departments have used for greater than 35 years to survey recent moms. PRAMS for Dads is, for the primary time, providing data on the unique needs of latest fathers. The survey gathers data on the health behaviors and experiences of men as they enter fatherhood.

“As pediatricians, we give attention to how one can ensure the most effective health outcomes for kids, with successful breastfeeding and secure sleep practices being two key behaviors that impact kid’s health,” said Garfield, who is also the founding father of the Family & Child Health Innovations Program (FCHIP) at Lurie Kid’s. “Our study highlights the undeniable fact that fathers play an enormous role in each these behaviors, but there’s more to be done to support fathers.”

For instance, Garfield said they found that fathers with college degrees were more more likely to report that their baby breastfed, and so they were more more likely to receive guidance on infant sleep safety.

“To enhance child health outcomes, we’d like to ensure breastfeeding and secure sleep guidance reach all recent parents equitably,” Garfield said.