Source: Meek JY. Pediatrician Competency in Breastfeeding Support Has Room for Improvement. Pediatrics. September 2017, e20172509; DOI 10.1542/peds.2017-2509

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.