Joe Wicks and his breastfeeding journey

It did make me laugh how he thinks he invented the concept of Baby Led Weaning, and all of his sage mansplainy advice about raising a small child. It's like Joe, honey, we have been doing this for a looooong time!

He's not my cup of tea for lots of reasons (not least because I find the HIIT workouts so uninspiring and dull!) but he has helped a lot of people recently with his videos, whatever his motivation.

The 'we' in reference to experiences that only the woman can have is exasperating. The worst I ever heard was 'we didn't have pain relief during labour'. Seriously?

There are lots of ways a man can get involved with caring for his newborn child - and many men do. Breastfeeding just isn't one of them.

I don't follow this argument that we should be happy with him expressing himself however he chooses on the presumption that his wife is happy.

Does someone on here know her personally?

Else, how on earth do we know how she feels?

I think until we stop treating fathers as if they were rather dim Labradors we need to train up to be slightly more than useless, we're never going to get equality, because they'll always think they're doing wonderfully well when they're doing very little.

It is not a 'journey' to watch someone else doing something.

There's a balance to be had between indifferent and unsupportive and super engaged and invested. Both ends of the spectrum have their flaws when the actual process is solely happening to a woman.

Would it have messed up his book plans if his wife had decided after a couple of weeks that BF wasn't working out for her and she wanted to stock up on Cow & Gate?

I have no idea what Joe Wicks is like as a person but I've known enough couples with new babies over the last few decades to know that stress and pressure can come from more than one direction.

I will admit to having a bias against any parenting advice from Joe Wicks because our eldest children are the same ages to within about a month and I still remember someone sharing one of his posts about how they just had such a chilled out baby because they were both so chilled out, and I still want to tell him to fuck right off.

Supporting someone through something tough does not make it 'your journey'. DH did not have 'his journey' through my operation for suspected cancer; I did not have 'my journey' when he went through work-related anxiety to the point of near mental breakdown. Of course both of those affected the other one, but it's insulting to pretend that it was in an equal way, and it's also insulting to say that Joe Wicks had 'his' journey through breastfeeding.

£££££ KERCHINGGGGG!! £££££

Mr. 'I Just Want To Help The Kids' has become Mr. 'What Else Can I Do Make A Bit Of Dosh Out Of This'.

Didn't take long did it? Shame.

so shouldn't we encourage the support instead of resenting and mocking it because "we" don't like the phrasing? Who cares.

If HIS breastfeeding wife felt supported and happy, surely that's all that matters? It doesn't hurt one bit if a MAN dares talking about breastfeeding journey and help making it NORMAL for fathers to be just as involved. As much as they anatomically can obviously

he has a degree in sorts science ( commendable) but no actually qualifications in nutrition.

This is my main problem with him. I know otherwise sensible people who have followed his eating advice and it worries me the influence he seems to have.

It is very admirable that he has got people off their arses in lockdown, and I do think he makes exercise more accessible to people who otherwise wouldn't do it, but that's where I draw the line.

And this breastfeeding stuff sounds HIGHLY annoying.

This. I get really pissed off with the whole “we” thing. The only thing “we” did was generally have a shag Well that is a shame, thankfully most women I know get a lot of support but I suppose not everyone is that lucky.

There are many MANY tasks in your average household that are “ properly helping “ and don’t require you to be able to lactate. I don’t see too many fathers queueing up to do all these.

and.. we are back to projecting and the usual resentment against MEN

Many men happen to be helping in all areas they can, but don't let that stop you from being so bitter.

We hear enough complaints about absent fathers, let's stop resenting and mocking the ones who are involved and who make their partner happy shall we. Exactly this.

Yet we are supposed to feel sad for them that they can’t BF. Except that wasn't what she said was it. I always find it a bit pathetic when people have to twist what someone else has said, even worse when it is in black and white so you can see exactly what they said. Alot more pathetic than dad's wanting to be supportive of breastfeeding.

@Mrsjayy

That is all well and lovely having supportive engaged partners but I do think mother's need to have something just for them and their baby of course father's are important but really a journey a faffing journey

Fathers are responsible and entitled to 50% of the care anyway

I am so bored of the women moaning they have no partner help and that men are useless but who try to keep them away as much as they can.

Thankfully there is a place for a father in the breastfeeding stage. It's NICE to have a caring and helpful partner. Even if it's only to research and suggest the best possible breast pump.

We hear enough complaints about absent fathers, let's stop resenting and mocking the ones who are involved and who make their partner happy shall we.

I agree that dads who support, help, are your number one cheerleader etc, obviously probably do find it challenging.
But why can't he write... "it was challenging for me to watch my wife do xyx"
"I found it hard to watch my wife tired and sore etc"
No.. By the use of "we" he has ownership over the breastfeeding.
It makes the difficulties uniform a cross both of them... When actually the challenges are very different for each parent.
Plus I love the catch all "just do what you parenting instinct tells you"
Mine told me to leave baby back at hospital and neck a bottle of gin...

@TheVanguardSix I think we can all confirm that Ozzy does not remember. And there was me thinking a chat with me about breastfeeding was probably a high light in his life. Actually I didn't know who he was, my sister told me when I was talking about the different people I met at the class so I suppose that balances it up?

“OOoo please centre my feelings as well as doing the work “.

There are many MANY tasks in your average household that are “ properly helping “ and don’t require you to be able to lactate. I don’t see too many fathers queueing up to do all these.

Yet we are supposed to feel sad for them that they can’t BF. Poor ickel lambs feeling excluded.

Oh, and all the people saying 'we need dads involved bless them' ... can you not see how fucking patronising that is? 'Poor ickle wickle menz, pat thems on the head when they does good'.

I still don't see how it's 'my' breastfeeding journey?! Or your DH's.

It's your DH's journey of being with a newborn, for sure. But I think it's really weird to say it's anyone's breastfeeding journey but the person actually doing it.

There are no standards or set qualifications for nutritionalist. I could set myself up as one now. Did he use a nutritionalist or a fully qualified dietitian?

He could have asked bf mother’s for their advice and included that and credited them or he could have written a piece on how you can support your breast feeding partner.

I went to NCT classes nearly 50 years ago, we had one week that was "dad's night" Breast feeding was covered. I wonder if Ozzie Osbourne remembers? His daughter, from first marriage, was born a few weeks after my son.

I think we can all confirm that Ozzy does not remember.

YANBU . Daft man.

I suppose I could ask my ex DP about his breastfeeding journey seeing as he's a fat bastard who the baby tried to latch on to more times than he would have liked.