Journal of Family Issues 1–25 © The Author(s) 2016 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/0192513X16650922 jfi.sagepub.com Article Fathers’ Perspectives on Their Relationship With Their Infant in the Context of Breastfeeding Francine de Montigny 1 , Danaë Larivière-Bastien 1 , Christine Gervais 1 , Kate St-Arneault 1 , Diane Dubeau 1 , and Annie Devault 1 Abstract Research has demonstrated beneficial effects on children’s development of both breastfeeding and fathers’ involvement. Evidence has also shown that breastfeeding could influence paternal behaviors. Since there is little data available on paternal representations of breastfeeding and on its effects on paternal involvement, the aim of the present study is to bridge that gap by examining fathers’ perceptions of their relationship with their infant in the context of breastfeeding. Semistructured interviews were carried out with 43 fathers of an infant who had been exclusively breast-fed for a minimum of 6 months. These were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. The fathers identified some impacts of breastfeeding on the father–infant relationship. Feeding their infant themselves appeared to be a determining moment in this relationship. These results highlight the relevance of supporting early father–infant bonding in the breastfeeding context. Keywords father–child relationship, qualitative, breastfeeding, gender and family, mother–child relationship 1 Université du Québec en Outaouais, Gatineau, Quebec, Canada Corresponding Author: Francine de Montigny, Université du Québec en Outaouais, 283 Taché Boul., P.O. Box 1250, Postal Station Hull, Gatineau, Quebec J8X 3X7, Canada. Email: francine.demontigny@uqo.ca 650922JFI XX X 10.1177/0192513X16650922Journal of Family Issuesde Montigny et al. research-article 2016 at UNIV DU QUEBEC EN OUTAOUAIS on May 26, 2016 jfi.sagepub.com Downloaded from