Baby-Friendly e-Newsletter : Breastfeeding – We Care (Oct 2026)(AI-translated version)

A mother cradles her baby, exhausted and barely able to keep her eyes open.

At moments like this, a glass of warm water, a simple “Thank you for your hard work,” or a father stepping in to care for the baby may not take away the sleep deprivation, but it reminds a mother that she is not walking this breastfeeding journey alone.

Over the past two decades, Hong Kong has made significant progress in promoting breastfeeding. Baby-Friendly Hospitals and Maternal and Child Health Centres, professional support from healthcare workers, breastfeeding facilities in public places and workplaces, legal protection, and public education have all contributed to a more breastfeeding-friendly environment.

Today’s parents are generally well educated and have greater access to health information than ever before. Most expectant mothers understand the benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and baby. Yet once a baby arrives, mothers must cope with physical recovery, sleep deprivation, childcare responsibilities, and the daily challenges of breastfeeding. Knowledge alone is often not enough to help them keep going.

What, then, truly helps mothers sustain breastfeeding?

The stories of three fathers point to the same answer:

Companionship, affirmation, shared responsibility, and a family willing to walk alongside her.

When families also receive understanding and support from employers, supervisors, and colleagues, that strength extends even further.

Perhaps, now that breastfeeding knowledge is no longer the greatest barrier, support has become the key factor influencing how far a mother can go on her breastfeeding journey.

“When I first became a father, I thought breastfeeding was purely a mother’s job. Later I realised how important my role actually was.”

His wife struggled with blocked ducts and the pressure of maintaining milk supply after childbirth. Although he could not solve every problem, he chose to stand beside her throughout the journey.

“Besides taking care of household chores, bathing the baby and changing diapers, the most important thing was providing emotional support. I often reminded her, ‘Just do your best. Your health and happiness matter most.”

Fortunately, his employer allowed flexible work-from-home arrangements during those crucial early months.

“The arrangement allowed me to spend more time with my family, hand my wife a warm drink, take over baby care when needed, and ease some of her burden.”

After experiencing life as a father of three, he came to realise that every family has different needs.

“With our first child, we were simply trying to survive as new parents. By the second and third child, paternity leave was not only about supporting my wife, but also about taking care of our older children and helping them adjust.”

He still remembers what his wife said when she decided to breastfeed.

“She told me that, in this world, she was the only person who could give this gift to our children. From that moment, I fully supported her decision.”

To him, breastfeeding should never be a mother’s task alone.

“Breastfeeding requires many things working together: a suitable environment, adequate rest, nutritious food, and family support. Only then can a mother continue this important mission with confidence.”

He vividly remembers the challenges they faced.

“Is the baby getting enough milk? Is the baby full? What if she gets blocked ducts? What if breastfeeding becomes painful?”

While acknowledging that he could never fully understand a mother’s experience, he knew he could stand by her side.

“I may not fully understand the helplessness and uncertainty mothers face, but as a husband I can provide both practical and emotional support.”

He did so through the simplest acts.

“Whenever she was exhausted, I would gently pat her shoulder and say: ‘You’ve worked so hard.’ ‘You’re doing a great job.’”

He also tried to remove as many external pressures as possible so she could focus on the baby.

When his wife returned to work, another challenge emerged.

“Going back to work while ensuring there was enough breastmilk for the baby was not easy.”

He recognised that continuing breastfeeding required not only determination from mothers, but also support from the workplace.

Fortunately, his wife’s employer provided flexibility and understanding.

At the end of the interview, he shared a message for his wife:

“Thank you for everything you have given our children. I know none of this came easily. Thank you for your patience and understanding. You’ve worked so hard.”

One of the most difficult chapters came when their youngest child required admission to a neonatal ward shortly after birth.

As his wife had not yet fully recovered physically, she was unable to breastfeed directly and had to rely entirely on expressing milk while building and maintaining her supply.

“During that time, my wife had to keep expressing milk and working hard to build her supply. The pressure was immense.”

As mother and baby were separated, he stepped into multiple roles.

He delivered expressed breastmilk to the hospital, took photos and videos of their baby so his wife could see him while expressing milk, and hoped that the emotional connection would encourage milk production.

“Sometimes what mothers miss most is simply seeing their baby.”

When visiting the ward, he carried out skin-to-skin contact, fed the baby and helped with burping.

“I wanted our baby to feel the love and presence of both parents.”

Meanwhile, he cared for their two older daughters, handled household chores, and washed bottles and pump parts.

Whenever his wife became overwhelmed, he would reassure her:

“You’ve already done your very best. You’re under so much pressure and expressing milk is exhausting. Let me give you a shoulder massage.”

Looking back, he remains deeply grateful for the support of his colleagues and supervisors.

Today, he has become a team supervisor himself.

Having experienced support firsthand, he is committed to passing it on.

“I try to arrange suitable duties and schedules so that colleagues can attend to family responsibilities, and so breastfeeding mothers can express milk comfortably after returning to work.”

He also shares resources with new parents whenever possible.

“If a colleague has breastfeeding difficulties, I introduce them to my wife, who can offer practical breastfeeding advice and support.”

His belief is simple:

“It is more blessed to give than to receive. Others supported me in the past, and now I hope to pass that support on.”

Breastfeeding is never solely a mother’s responsibility.

Support goes beyond policies, facilities, or knowledge.

Sometimes it is a sincere word of encouragement.

Sometimes it is a warm drink or a comforting hug.

Sometimes it is taking responsibility for household chores, washing pump parts, soothing a baby, or changing diapers in the middle of the night.

And sometimes it is workplace empathy: family-friendly policies, flexible work arrangements, and understanding from supervisors and colleagues.

Although Hong Kong has made significant progress in promoting breastfeeding and building breastfeeding-friendly environments, mothers still need ongoing support from families, workplaces, and society.

As promoted by the Department of Health’s Family Health Service, a little more Support, Affirmation, and Sharing Chores can help mothers navigate breastfeeding challenges with greater confidence. Such support comes not only from fathers, but also from family members, friends, colleagues, supervisors, and employers.

The three fathers in this article are not breastfeeding experts. They simply chose to accompany, encourage, and share responsibilities. Yet these seemingly ordinary actions often provide the strength mothers need to keep going when they feel most exhausted or uncertain.

When families share parenting responsibilities, when workplaces embrace family-friendly practices, and when communities choose understanding over judgment, mothers are better able to pursue the breastfeeding journey they hope for.

Every father can be a great teammate on the breastfeeding journey.

Every companion can become a mother’s strongest support.

Every act of support is a precious gift to both mother and baby.

We would love to hear from you!

Email us at info@bfhihka.org.hk

Selected stories will be published on the website of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative Hong Kong Association, helping more families learn from one another and build a more breastfeeding-friendly and family-friendly community.