Pediatrician Competency in Breastfeeding Support Has Room for Improvement.

Abstract

* Abbreviation: AAP — : American Academy of Pediatrics The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends breastfeeding as the preferred method of infant feeding. The protection, promotion, and support of breastfeeding are matters of public health policy and important roles for pediatricians.1 In this issue of Pediatrics , Feldman-Winter et al2 provide a summary and analysis of the data from 3 AAP Periodic Surveys of Fellows, conducted in 1995, 2004, and 2014, examining knowledge and attitudes of fellows of the AAP regarding breastfeeding. In examining the trends, the authors conclude that pediatricians’ recommendations and practices have become more closely aligned with AAP policy between 1995 and 2014; however, their attitudes about the likelihood of breastfeeding success have worsened, so continued efforts to enhance pediatricians’ training about breastfeeding are necessary. Between 19953 and 20144 (most recent national data available), breastfeeding initiation rose from 60% to 82%, and 6-month breastfeeding rates for any (not exclusive) breastfeeding increased from 21% to 55%. These improvements in breastfeeding rates occurred across a backdrop of increased awareness regarding the importance of breastfeeding for women’s and children’s health outcomes while significant national initiatives promoted breastfeeding. In 2011, the US Department of Health and Human Services published “The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding,”5 which established a national breastfeeding agenda with 20 action steps to encourage all segments of society to improve breastfeeding support. It called for … Address correspondence to Joan Younger Meek, MD, MS, Florida State University College of Medicine, 1115 West Call St, Tallahassee, FL 32306. E-mail: joan.meek{at}med.fsu.edu