As a pediatrician with many years of personal experience nursing my own six children, and counseling and assisting numerous women with breast-feeding, I feel it’s imperative that I comment on the Jan. 1 article, Has breast-feeding been oversold?, which emphasizes its negative aspects.

The preponderance of evidence shows that breast-fed babies have many health advantages. I sympathize with the author who had a difficult time nursing — and twins are harder than singles — but with sufficient encouragement and assistance most women can successfully nurse their infants.

The hormones released while nursing induce feelings of calm and relaxation in the mother and help promote a strong emotional bond between mother and child. The writer’s real objection to nursing seems to be that nursing mothers tend to earn less; however, even after the mother returns to work, nursing her infant when she gets home will strengthen their relationship.

I strongly urge all new mothers to ignore this article and the book that it quotes.

Marcy Bernstein, M.D., Hollywood