I agree with those who have said that pediatricians
should know about breastfeeding and infant nutrition as
part of their practice and if they don't and are waiting
for some more exciting ailments to some along they should
be pediatric specialists. However, my experience is that, for the
most part, pediatricians don't know about breastfeeding or nutrition
in general. When I work with expectant couples and new parents, and
speak with them about choosing a pediatrician, I let them know
that nutrition and breastfeeding are not a part of medical training
and that they should not expect their doctors to know about that
aspect of child care. If they have difficluties in those areas they
should look somewhere else for guidance. I find myself trying to
protect the new parents who assume that nutrition is part of
medical training.
  In general, I don't think pediatricians know more than
a reasonably well read layperson about developmental issues
in general. The history of pediatrics as a specialty is very interesting.
Historically, most of what they do are "procedures" and information that
women did among themselves for centuries. At some point that became
specialized
knowledge. I have always wondered what my ped knows about discipline and
allowances etc that I don't.
  Sorry for rambling a bit.
  Naomi Bar-Yam

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New England Complex Systems Institute
http://necsi.org
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