When the first child of Chet Berlin, M.D., was born 37 years ago, little did he realize that her birth would start him on a road that would lead to national and international respect from his peers for his medical expertise. We were aware of the benefits of breastfeeding and knew this was something we wanted to do. Also on his list are immunizations and creating a warm and loving environment.
Fathers benefit from that closeness too.
The acceptance and advocacy of breastfeeding has grown substantially over the past 40 years. Berlin maintains that, today, about 60 to 62 percent of new mothers in this country breastfeed. Berlin has observed and participated in that changing culture of acceptability. About 40 years ago, most physicians didn't know anything about breastfeeding techniques or the benefits of human milk. It's been a big job to educate medical professionals in this regard, and we still have work to do.