STURGEON BAY, WI (WBAY/CNN) – A new father in Wisconsin became the first to "breastfeed" his daughter, thanks to a special nursing system, when his wife was unable to do so following the birth.
Little Rosalia Neubauer is the miracle baby of proud parents Maxamillion and April Neubauer.
The baby’s mother believed she couldn’t have children due to a hormonal disorder called polycystic ovary syndrome.
Unfortunately, during Rosalia’s June birth at Door County Medical Center, her mother had multiple seizures. The baby was delivered via C-section, and April Neubauer was taken to the intensive care unit to recover.
The parents had decided to breastfeed Rosalia, but because of the seizures, April Neubauer was unable to nurse right away.
So, instead, registered nurse Cybil Martin-Dennehy recruited father Maxamillion Neubauer to feed the baby girl, thanks to a supplemental nursing system the nurse created to help new mothers.
"I said, ‘Well, I’m already shirtless, and I’ll try just about anything once.’ Everyone got pretty excited and went for it,” Maxamillion Neubauer said.
Martin-Dennehy got the father all set by grabbing a fake nipple shield, a feeding tube, a syringe and some formula. Rosalia quickly latched on for her first meal, right below the heart with the word “Mom” tattooed on her father’s chest.
"It was a shock when I did walk into the nursery and they had her on his nipple. I didn't see a fake nipple at first, so it was shocking," said Rosalia’s grandmother, Yolanda Edwards.
Photos, which have been shared tens of thousands of times on social media, captured the special moment.
"It says 'Mom,' which is more perfect than anyone could have asked for. You would have thought the photo was staged," Martin-Dennehy said.
The nurse hopes the photos could lead to benefits for future parents and medical professionals. She says she’s asked fathers to try her device many times before, but Maxamillion Neubauer was the first to agree.
"Usually, I get a look of disbelief. ‘Why would I even ask something so crazy?’ But Max was 100 percent. He was like, ‘Heck, yes, let's do this,’” Martin-Dennehy said. "It never hurts to ask. The worst someone can tell you is no and that they don't want to do it, or you can let Dad be part of this really special moment.”
Maxamillion Neubauer says he doesn’t plan on breastfeeding again anytime soon, but he does have some ideas on how to improve Martin-Dennehy’s device – and he has the perfect name: “moob,” a combination of man and boob.
Both baby and mother are doing fine and have returned home, according to Maxamillion Neubauer’s Facebook page.
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