RESEARCH ARTICLES

Benefits of the father’s presence in care for the breastfeeding infant

Liana Maria Rocha Carneiro^I; Kelanne Lima da Silva^II; Agnes Caroline Souza Pinto^III; Adna de Araújo Silva^IV; Patrícia Neyva da Costa Pinheiro^V; Neiva Francenely Cunha Vieira^VI
INurse. Graduate in Nursing by the Federal University of Ceará.  Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. E-mail: lianarcarneiro@hotmail.com.
^IINurse. Doctorate student of the Post-Graduate Program in Nursing of the Federal University of Ceará. Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. E-mail: lany_lds@hotmail.com.
^IIINurse. Master student of the Post-Graduate Program in Nursing of the Federal University of Ceará. Nurse of the Federal Institute of Ceará. Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. E-mail: agnespinto@hotmail.com.
^IVNurse. Master student of the Post-Graduate Program in Nursing of the Federal University of Ceará. Nurse/ Fiscal Health of the VI Regional Executive Secretary from Fortaleza /CE. Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. E-mail: adnaaraujo@yahoo.com.br.
^VNurse. Doctorate in Nursing. Assistant Professor of the Nursing Department of the Federal University of Ceará. Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. E-mail: neyva.pinheiro@yahoo.com.br.
^VIEnfermeira. Doctorate in Nursing. Associate Professor II of the Nursing Department of the Federal University of Ceará. Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. E-mail: neivafrancenely@hotmail.com.
^VIIArticle built from the monograph titled Fathering from the perspective of the collective subject speech Nursing course, Odontology, Pharmacy and Nursing College of the Federal University of Ceará.

ABSTRACT: This study drew on the discourse of fathers to investigate the benefits of paternal participation in infant care during the breastfeeding period. It was a qualitative study with seven parents of infants assisted at a Family Health Center in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil, from February to May 2011. The technique underpinning the analysis was the Discourse of the Collective Subject. Results show that paternal involvement benefited child and father in: security, a stronger father-child relationship, formation of the child’s personality and character, responsibility, and happiness. It was concluded that fathers are applying themselves to developing more participatory parenting, seeking to balance fatherhood and work. Thus it is indispensable that nursing seek to involve fathers in child care activities and actions and ensure they have a place in health facilities and the family environment.

Keywords: Paternity; infant care; nursing; father-child relations.

INTRODUCTION

Fatherhood is an opportunity of innovate men experience VII, expanding their internal dimensions and renewing relationships with life, being able to deal with the routine of the son as much as her mother, as well as expressing feelings, establishing an affective bond, discovering the pleasure of sharing the intimacy of their children¹.

Thus, it is evidenced the importance of parent participation in the daily life of children, and not only the exclusive participation of the mother, because both are crucial to the son. Parents should share the care during child-rearing to promote healthy growth and development, especially during childhood².

Given the above, the present study aims to investigate, supported in the speeches of the father, the benefits of parental participation in the implementation of the child care in the lactation phase.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Childhood can be divided into different periods, in accordance with the referential adopted. In this work, we will follow the biopsychology perspective, which uses organic maturation-related landmarks and psychological of the individual as parameters to demarcate periods or stages of child development. According to this perspective, infant corresponds to the period of 29 days up to one year of life³.

At the stage of lactation, the largest and fastest changes occur in the development, especially where the neuropsychomotor where arms shall obey the cortical command and visual orientation, before the legs, and with this the child, evolves with his hands and mouth to play with feet and mouth. This phase also appears with highlight the place of the father, or of a third person, by interposing themselves in the mother-child bond, allowing the child to establish ties with the other⁴.

For child health promotion, during the period of lactation, the family participation is required in the assessment of infant growth and development and also in the provision of care, especially those related to nutrition, dental health, hygiene of children, immunizations and the prevention of accidents.

All these precautions should be assessed during the monitoring of the child through the childcare queries, which are essential for the nurse and the entire multi professional team initially recognize changes that may cause inadequate growth and development of the child and to develop actions for the promotion of health. To this end, it is important that parents attend to all the consultations provided by the Ministry of Health5.

Care should be shared between the parents, that is, the mother should not be the only responsible for the care of the child, and the parent must participate from the start of their child's life, because the baby needs both the mother and the father to a growth and a healthy development. Thus, the health professionals involved in the education of family, reinforcing and encouraging the family to promote the development^6,7.

Child care is a challenge for parents who, consequently, require professional guidance. The nursing care in child care promotes development and encourages parents to provide more satisfactory conditions possible, since their context of life, so that the child gets the best level of health⁷.

METHODOLOGY

It is a qualitative research with descriptive approach by trying to understand and contextualize the importance of paternal presence in child care. The study was developed with seven fathers of infants, accompanied by the family health team (FHT) in the Regional Executive Secretary I (SER I) from the city of Fortaleza, in the months of February to May 2011.

Participants were selected based on the following criteria: reside in the area of the FHT, it is their first child, live in the same residence of son and partner and authorize the use of the tape recorder. These fathers were contacted during the childcare queries of the FHT, and later were told about the objectives of the research and signed an Free and Informed Consent (FIC).

For data collection, participant observation, semi-structured interview scripts, along with the use of the tape recorder were employed. The interviews were recorded and performed soon after the childcare consultation on FHT, being composed by the following questions: what are the benefits of parental participation in the realization of infant care the child? What are the benefits of participation in the implementation of the paternal infant care for the father?

Data analysis was based on the technique of the collective subject speech (CSS). This technique methodology searches qualitative data to organize different natures, showing how the proposed analysis of collected material, highlighting the central ideas and their expressions-keys, making speeches in the first person singular⁸.

All information collected and transcribed was organized in figures, as the selection of key phrases highlighted in italics and their central ideas written in italics. And, finally, the formation of the collective subject speech is highlighted in italics. For better understanding the analysis and preservation of anonymity, the subjects of the research were identified with the letter P, preceded with each numbering, with cardinal number, from the order in which the interviews were conducted.

It should be noted that the study was ethical and legal aspects of research involving human beings9, and was approved by the Ethics Committee under Protocol number 330/10.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The following results are presented in figures, which highlight the key expressions, the central ideas and the collective subject speech (CSS). Each figure of this research corresponds to a question of the interview with the respective answers of parents interviewed.

The first theme developed, about the benefits of participative fathering to the child, provided four central ideas (IC) IC: 1^st-IC- safety, 2^nd IC-parent-child relationship strengthened, 3^rd IC-formation of the personality and character of the child and 4th-education, as shown in Figure 1.

In relation to the first IC of Figure 1, it can be seen how one of the benefits of paternal participation for child safety, i.e., it is believed that the child will grow and develop more secure, confident and protected, becoming more mature. That speech also highlights the notion that paternal creation provides more subsidies for the children feel more secure than with maternal creation. So, with the new model of fatherhood, arises the possibility of formation of bond, providing emotional security for children¹⁰.

Another aspect addressed by collective subject is introduced in the second IC of Figure 1, in which parents consider that the parent-child relationship is strengthened as a result of parental participation. It can be seen in this speech the new model of fatherhood, whereby the father passes to experience relations with an emotional intensity¹¹.

Regarding the third IC of Figure 1, it is noticed with speeches from the father that the man's participation in the life of their children promotes the formation of the personality and character of the child, since this will be developing with the image and presence of the father and, gradually, realizing the importance of this in their life.

The first months of life of the child represent the appropriate period for them to know the father and to the establishment of the function paternity². There are many ways by which the parent can enrich the lives of children. The children form their ideals based on the characteristics of the father, extend and innovate their chances when the father reveals the nature of his actions, new elements can be added in the games and, moreover, the father can understand, on their experiences, which toys or activities can be beneficial to the child, expanding and developing the children's imagination¹².

The fourth IC in Figure 1 expresses that the benefit of the participation of the father for the child's education. The speech features a traditional fatherhood, in which education is highlighted as the benefit of the parent-child relationship to the child without, however, highlight the ability to care for and to engage in a more intimate relationship.

Increasingly requires greater participation of the father in the education of children, especially in the first years of life of children. Education should be expressed as a priority by parents for child-rearing and complementary way developed by his father and by his mother, for, so, if possible to form ethical citizens¹³.

The education may be formal, informal and non-formal. Formal education is promoted in schools, with content already determined and where the educator is the teacher; informal education is developed at home, in the neighborhood, by family and friends, from their socialization; and non-formal education is mediated by the experiences acquired in collective environments on a daily basis¹⁴.

Thus, the father has important role in the development of informal education of children, from the promotion of social relations under values, beliefs and experiences perpetuating into generations. The second theme developed about the benefits of fathering for the father with these subjects provided three central ideas: first IC-responsibility, 2^nd IC-parent-child relationship strengthened and 3^rd-happiness

The first IC of Figure 2, the collective speech values the responsibility and maturity that the father will get to participate in the creation of their children. It emphasizes that the man, by becoming father, enters another phase of life, needing to change some attitudes and activities that did before parenthood, providing attitude and actions more centered on the family. Thus the father is developing and maturing the idea of responsibility and realize the importance of parenting for his personal growth, becoming parenthood an opportunity for man to increase and recognize their internal dimensions and renew their relationship with life^1,15.

In the second IC of Figure 2, the speech values as a benefit of parenting for the father develops the link between father-son. It highlights that the approach of the father with the son allows affective exchanges, making the father closer to the son. It considers the important attachment to the development and strengthening of this relationship and the expansion of feelings. This speech characterizes the new model of fatherhood, breaking with the traditional pattern, since the relationships of the father with the son, favoring the bond and developing affective feelings^11,16.

In the third IC of Figure 2, the parents emphasize that happiness and satisfaction are benefits of parenthood. They believe that the fact of being a parent makes them more complete, extending the feelings of affection and happiness.

Happiness is considered a bio psychosocial well-being, satisfaction of the soul, being this shared state between parents and children providing them conditions for its maintenance¹³.

It is realized, with support in the collective subject speech, the fact that parents are modifying the link of authority for a more affective relationship, making it possible to share the care of the children with the mother and expanding the affective ties with the child, so that the new model of fatherhood, depending on which man cares to participate in a more active and effective in the lives of children¹.

CONCLUSION

It is concluded that the parents are working on developing a more participatory fatherhood, seeking the balance between working life and parenthood. This makes the search nursing involve parents in the activities and actions of the children care and enter in the health units and in the family environment.

In addition, it is necessary to include the father in childcare and prenatal consultations, providing cozy atmosphere, promoting educational activities, to which the man feel valued and have the opportunity to receive information, exchange experiences and develop skills for care and strengthening ties with their children.

Among the study's limitations, it is highlighted the small number of participants which prevents the generalization of the findings.

REFERENCES

1. Freitas WMF, Silva ATMC, Coelho EAC, Guedes RN, Lucena KDT, Costa APT. Paternidade: responsabilidade social do homem no papel de provedor. Rev Saude Publica. 2009; 43: 85-90.

2. Falceto OG, Fernandes CL, Baratojo C, Giugliani ERJ. Fatores associados ao envolvimento do pai nos cuidados do lactente. Rev Saude Publica. 2008; 42: 1034-40.

3. Sigaud CHS, Veríssimo MÒR. Enfermagem pediátrica: o cuidado de enfermagem à criança e ao adolescente. São Paulo: EPU; 2006.

4. Ministério da Saúde (Br). Saúde da criança: acompanhamento do crescimento e desenvolvimento infantil. Brasília (DF): 2002.

5. Maciel AF. Avaliação de saúde da criança sob a óptica do enfermeiro. In: Ohara ECC, Saito RXS. Saúde da família: considerações teóricas e aplicabilidade. São Paulo: Martinari; 2008. p. 175 - 201.

6. Hockenberry MJ. Wong Fundamentos de enfermagem pediátrica. 7ª ed. Rio de Janeiro: Elsevier; 2006.

7. Muñoz LC. Lactancia materna y gestión del cuidado. Rev Cubana Enfermer  [revista en la Internet]. 2011  Dic [citado  2012  mar  04] ;  27(4): 327-36. Available at: http://scielo.sld.cu/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0864-03192011000400010&lng=es.

8. Lefèvre F, Lefèvre AMC. Discurso do sujeito coletivo: um novo enfoque em pesquisa qualitativa (desdobramentos). 2ª ed. Caxias do Sul (RS): Educs; 2005.

9. Ministério da Saúde (Br). Conselho Nacional de Saúde. Comissão Nacional de Ética em Saúde. Resolução nº 196, de 1996. 2ª ed. Normas para pesquisa envolvendo seres humanos. Brasília (DF): Ministério da Saúde; 2003.

10. Carvalho MLM. Pais cuidadores. O cuidador. 2008; 1: 6-7.

11. Sutter C, Bucher-Maluschke JSNF. Pais que cuidam dos filhos: a vivência masculina na paternidade participativa. Psico. 2008; 39(1): 74-82.

12. Winnicott DW. A criança e o seu mundo. 6ª ed. Rio de Janeiro: LTC; 2008.

13. Tiba I. Quem ama educa! : formando cidadãos éticos. 25ª ed. São Paulo: Integrare Editora; 2007.

14. Gohn MG. Educação não-formal na pedagogia social. In: Congresso Internacional de Pedagogia Social, 1., 2006. São Paulo, Brasil.  Proceedings online. São Paulo, 2006. [citado em 04 mar 2012] Available at: http://www.proceedings.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=MSC0000000092006000100034&lng=en&nrm=iso>.
15. Oliva TA, Nascimento ER, Santo FRE. Percepções e experiências de homens relativas ao pré-natal e parto de suas parceiras. Rev enferm UERJ. 2010; 18: 435-40.

16. Freitas WMF, Coelho EAC, Silva ATMC. Sentir-se pai: a vivência masculina sob o olhar de gênero. Cad Saúde Pública. 2007; 23: 137-45.