Today’s my birthday. When someone asks me how I’m doing, “alive and grateful” is my typical response. As I reflect on my life and the anniversary of my birth, I can’t help but be grateful to those who brought me into this world – my mother and father. When I woke up this morning, I went into my son’s room to look at him still sleeping. Fatherhood is one of the best presents I could ever have wanted.

Most parents want nothing but the best for their child or children. We all confront obstacles and challenges in making that come true. One way to give children a great foundation for life is to have their moms breastfeed them. An array of evidence points to the positive benefits of breast feeding, not to mention the cost savings. For example, breastfed babies have lower rates of childhood obesity and their moms have lower rates of certain cancers.

We recently recognized National Breastfeeding Week, but the effort to have dads support the mothers of their children in breastfeeding continues. Although this is one task in child rearing we cannot do, dads have a particularly important role in support and encouragement. I was thrilled that my wife breastfed our two kids. She was pleased with the tangible and intangible benefits for her and the kids.

Despite being perfectly natural (moms have been doing it for millennia), it’s not always easy. That’s why the Department of Agriculture, and other parts of the federal government, has resources to support breastfeeding. Our Women Infants and Children (WIC) Program is a huge help to the almost 9 million moms and their kids who participate in the program. In fact, one out of every two babies born in the US is on the WIC Program (yes, 49% of all babies). Please take a look at our resources for Fathers Supporting Breastfeeding here. Moms in the program who are breastfeeding receive more nutritious food as an incentive.

I’m grateful to be alive, especially today, and I’m grateful to be a dad for my son and daughter.

Three generations of Finbergs bowling at Margaretville Bowl in Upstate New York

Max Finberg is the Director of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships at the U.S. Department of Agriculture