In 2022, the American Academy of Pediatrics updated the “Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk Policy Statement” to recommend that newborns be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life and encouraged support for breastfeeding for 2 years or longer because of its long-term benefits.1 Breastfed infants have lower rates of lower respiratory tract infections, otitis media, asthma, and infant mortality.1 People who breastfeed are noted to have a decreased incidence of breast and ovarian cancer and chronic diseases, such as hypertension and diabetes.1
Despite the Surgeon General’s call for increased breastfeeding education, pediatric residency programs do not highlight breastfeeding education as part of American College of Graduate Medical Education requirements, with a median of 9 hours spent on this topic over the 3-year training period.2,3 Physicians have expressed a desire for more comprehensive training regarding breastfeeding with a particular emphasis on...
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