First Food Father’s Day Google Hangout to highlight role of Dad in breastfeeding

We believe that all children should have the opportunity to thrive – regardless of where they grow up. Breastfeeding is a critical first step to setting a child on a pathway to health. Research shows that paternal emotional, practical and physical supports are important factors to successful breastfeeding. Researchers Kristen M. Mitchell-Box and Kathryn L. Braun found that “Informal sources of support, particularly the male partner, have more influence on breastfeeding behaviors than formal support from health care providers.” Moreover, researcher Elsa R. J. Giugliani and colleagues concluded, “A favorable attitude of partners towards breastfeeding was the most important factor associated with breastfeeding.”

With Father’s Day approaching, we wanted to highlight the important role fathers play in supporting breastfeeding. We hope you’ll join us for a Google Hangout on June 18, 2015 at 3 p.m. ET to explore opportunities for engaging men as equal caregivers and ways society can encourage fathers’ involvement in family and child rearing. Carla Thompson, vice president for program strategy at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, will moderate the panel discussion. She’ll be joined by panelists Kimberly Seals Allers, Mocha Manual; Joseph Jones, Center for Urban Families; and Samuel Nuñez, Fathers & Families of San Joaquin.

We invite you to RSVP today and submit questions for panelists in advance via the RSVP page. You also can follow the conversation on Twitter at @WK_Kellogg_Fdn and by using the hashtag: #SupportiveDads.