Adolescent fathers: Knowledge of and involvement in the breast feeding process in Brazil Ana Catarina Torres de Lacerda, (MSc) a,n , Maria Gorete Lucena de Vasconcelos (Doctor) b , Eloine Nascimento de Alencar (Doctor) b , Mˆ onica Maria Oso ´ rio (Doctor) c , Cleide Maria Pontes (Doctor) b a Nursing Department, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, R-Conselheiro Nabuco 444, Casa Amarela, Recife, PE, CEP: 52070-010, Brazil b Nursing Department, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil c Nutrition Department, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil article info Article history: Received 5 April 2011 Received in revised form 16 October 2012 Accepted 19 January 2013 Keywords: Fatherhood Adolescence Breast feeding Qualitative study abstract Objective: to understand the ways in which adolescent fathers participate in the breast feeding process in the family environment in North-eastern Brazil. Methods: a descriptive, exploratory, qualitative study was undertaken involving 10 couples with infants aged 6–8 months living in a single community in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with questions to guide the interviewer. Data were analysed using thematic content analysis, and interpreted under the theoretical reference of being an adolescent father within the context of breast feeding. Findings: from the data collected, three themes were identified: knowledge of the benefits of breast feeding for the child’s health; discontinued participation of the father in breast feeding during the pregnancy–childbearing cycle; and exclusion of the adolescent father from the breast feeding process. The adolescent fathers knew about the benefits of breast feeding in terms of the child’s health, but did not mention benefits for the mother, the family or society. For some adolescent fathers, their participation in the breast feeding process started during pregnancy, whereas for others, it was only initiated after the infant was born. One of the fathers was prevented, by his wife and mother-in-law, from participating in the breast feeding process. Conclusions: the involvement of adolescent fathers in the breast feeding process oscillated during the pregnancy–childbearing cycle. This may be due to the patriarchal cultural heritage, Brazilian paternity laws, and the fact that these fathers were adolescents. This study showed that adolescent parents were knowledgeable about breast feeding. Finally, fathers want a new model of parenting in which the man participates in child care. Crown Copyright & 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Introduction In contemporary society, a wide variety of family configura- tions and changes in the fatherhood role can be found, especially in urban areas. In these new family arrangements, the father is involved to a greater extent in child care, emphasising the importance of a loving relationship between father and son (Cabrera et al., 2000; Tao et al., 2010). The number of pregnancies among adolescents is increas- ing in Brazil (Costa et al., 2005; Carvalho et al., 2009; Meincke and Carraro, 2009). Studies in Brazil and across the world have shown that adolescent fatherhood is a reality (Bunting and McAuley, 2004; Gilkman, 2004; Schelemberg et al., 2007). The lack of involvement of these young men with their partners in this phase of their lives is perhaps founded on the assumption that an adolescent father is more of a teenager than a father. Therefore, young fathers are calling for greater participation in the pregnancy and childbearing period, despite the fact that health services tend to overlook them (Amato, 1998). In Brazilian society, certain characteristics and stereotypes are still associated with being a teenager, including the belief that becoming a father in adolescence is always undesirable and detrimental. On the other hand, when this occurs in adulthood, it is always seen as the result of decision making and family planning on the part of the couple (Orlandi and Toneli, 2005). If the young man’s family and partner provide support, this can help him to become more involved in the process of pregnancy and Contents lists available at ScienceDirect journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/midw Midwifery 0266-6138/$ - see front matter Crown Copyright & 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2013.01.006 n Corresponding author. E-mail address: anacattorres@hotmail.com (A.C. Torres de Lacerda). Midwifery 30 (2014) 338–344