It was nearly one year ago when an image of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson feeding his breastfeeding partner dinner went viral across the World Wide Web. Along with the image was a caption explaining that while she busy holding and breastfeeding his newest daughter, he had the pleasure of ensuring his partner also got a solid meal.
The photo endeared thousands of us because it depicted something we don’t see nearly enough: a proud papa lovingly supporting the mother of his child. Many of us mothers have been fortunate to have a partner backing us up every step of the way of this crazy child raising journey, and for that we are forever thankful.
Thank You for Encouraging Us When We Feel like Freaking Out
Being a new mum is physically and emotionally taxing. It’s uncomfortable, messy, and it can fill our minds with doubt.
With a father’s encouragement, we transform into an unstoppable team that works together to make sure that our baby gets exactly what she needs. You play a huge role in setting the right tone in the household when it comes to how our family will raise a baby, and we appreciate every ounce of support you give.
Thank You for Making Our Child Happier
Sadly, more than one third of Australian children do not live with their father. Statistics have shown that children who have little to no contact with their father are more likely to live in poverty, perform poorly at school, become involved in criminal activity and abuse drugs.
The bond you build with our baby begins the moment she is born. From those first snuggles and cuddles to providing continual guidance and advice as she reaches her adult years, having you involved and present in her life significantly increases the odds of our child being a happier and healthier human being.
Thank You for Complimenting Me Even When I’m a Wreck
You gave me confidence and a sense of self-worth when I was at my lowest. In times of sheer distress and confusion, whether I vocalized it or you simply read our body language, those kind compliments you shared about how great I was doing or how beautiful I was made a difference between me breaking down into tears and me breaking down into a smile.
Thank You for Your Patience and Strength
Having a new baby in the household is a massive transition for everyone. But having a woman who is a new mum can also be quite the adjustment for dads.
We may be crying more lately, raving more often and spending nearly all of our time tending to our bundle of joy. Do know that we see you and everything you do to keep our home and family running as it should. With you by our side, we know that we’ll be able to settle into this new state of “normal” sooner or later.
Thank You for Giving Us Time
Motherhood is incredibly stressful. Everything is new and challenging, and throwing little to no sleep into the mix can make a mom an emotional wreck.
Thank you for giving us time to acquaint ourselves with our new little one. Thank you for the time you’ve spent sitting there listening to me question, cry or rage as we adjust to this next chapter of our lives.
Thank you for the times you took our little one into your arms so that I could take a shower, brush my teeth or enjoy a spit up-free meal.
Most importantly, thank you for always being there for her, for me, for us.
Photo byDerek Thomson onUnsplash
Further Reading:
https://www.familyeducation.com/life/breastfeeding/role-father-breastfeeding-family
https://wicbreastfeeding.fns.usda.gov/dads