Your partner's twin peaks were once for your eyes only. But your monopoly on her breasts is suddenly over when your suckling infant arrives. Breastfeeding can provoke jealousy among new dads who feel left out of the intimate bonding process between mother and child. "But breastfeeding is the normal, natural way of feeding a baby," insists Warwick Shanks, a community educator for the Australian Breastfeeding Association and the mastermind behind educational DVD Blokes Babies Breastfeeding. "If guys can find out a bit more about it, they're more likely to be supportive."

NIPPLE EFFECT
A mother's milk brings a vast range of health benefits. "Babies that are not breastfed have higher incidences of a range of childhood illnesess, they have more allergies and their immune system is weaker," says Shanks. "Mothers who breastfeed have also been proven to have a lower rate of breast cancer and ovarian cancer."

Still not convinced? There are advantages for dads, too. Breast milk is the ultimate in portable fast food, saving you time and money. "It's just so easy," says Shanks. "Breast milk is always ready to go."

HELPING HAND
Your inability to breastfeed doesn't mean you can't still help out. "Being physically supportive is really important," says Shanks. Your partner's breasts only release milk if a physiological action called the "let-down reflex" is triggered.

"For that to work, the mother has to be relaxed and calm," says Shanks. Make sure the conditions are right by organising a comfortable spot for your wife and getting her a glass of water. "This isn't just about being a nice guy," says Shanks. "It's a really important physical part of the process."

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS
One reason why breastfeeding produces such a strong emotional bond is the skin-to-skin contact between mother and child.

Shanks says fathers can also get this form of contact by taking baths with their baby to kindle a similar response. He's also a big fan of baby slings that allow fathers to carry their infant close to their chests. "The slings allow the baby to get used to the sound and smell of their dad and hear their heartbeat," he says. "It helps the dad develop a close bond with the baby in those early stages."

OUT TO LUNCH
Worried that other blokes are ogling your missus when she breastfeeds? Don't waste your time. "As a society we're becoming increasingly used to the fact that breastfeeding in public is totally natural," says Shanks. Indeed, it's actually illegal to ask a mother not to breastfeed in a public space such as a restaurant, train or shopping centre.

If you're still struggling to contain your paranoia, your partner can wear loose-fitting clothes that will help her to feed discreetly, or buy special breastfeeding bras or shirts where a small section lifts up for easy access.

CLOCKING OFF
There's no hard and fast rule about what age a mother should stop breastfeeding a child. "It really varies," says Shanks. "The easiest answer is when the baby and the mother are ready to stop - they'll work it out for themselves."

For the first six months, a mother's milk is all a baby needs and it's generally recommended breastfeeding continues for at least the first year. After that it's really up to you.

The American Academy of Paediatrics states that there is "no evidence of psychological or developmental harm from breastfeeding into the third year of life or longer".

For more information or to purchase the DVD, visit blokesbabiesbreastfeeding.com.