WKXW-FM, Philadelphia - Text Transcript

WKXW: Give us an opener. It's obviously the Year of the Healthy Child, but this month while you're focusing on national breastfeeding awareness month, why is it important for mothers to breastfeed their babies?

SG: Well thanks for that intro. It is the Year of the Healthy Child and clearly within the Year of the Healthy Child is the issue of breastfeeding. What we have found is that since 1950 the amount of breastfeeding has decreased and we know that there are specific wonderful benefits to the growing child by being breastfed. That is they have less infections, less ear infections, respiratory infections, they have less diarrhea, and most importantly today we're finding information that shows that children who are breastfed are much less likely to become overweight or obese, which as you know is a national epidemic today in our children.

WKXW: Dr. Carmona, because the data is so compelling at this point, this is no guesswork at this point. It is becoming more and more clear that a breastfed baby has a much better shot at a healthy life. So many things that really are important in the first six months that they'll otherwise miss out on.

SG: There's no question about that. So what we want to make sure is that moms, and not only moms, we have to understand this is a whole culture that needs to embrace this. That people in the workplace, people in school, any place that a mom may be with a new baby. That dads encourage it, that all docs, not just pediatricians and obstetricians and gynecologists, but all docs and nurses and health professionals who come in contact with pregnant young ladies or ladies who have just had a baby...make sure they ask those questions and give the appropriate information to encourage breastfeeding, so that the child has the best chance of growing up healthy.

WKXW: Now doctor, in a society where many moms are working, and working a short time after having the child, how can they meet this six-month duty, if you will, at the same time they're a full-time employee and everything else that comes with life?

SG: Well, there's a lot of options, and first of all many places are accommodating moms. They're giving them breastfeeding rooms. They're letting them take breaks throughout the day where there's a nursery available where children may come to work with the parents. Moms can even store breast milk and have their child fed even if they're not with them at the time. So there are a number of options that moms need to be aware about. This information is available to them, first of all through their primary care providers and it's all Web-based and in libraries.

WKXW: I know we only have a few minutes left, because you got a lot of appointments you're keeping this morning. We're talking with the Surgeon General of the United States, who's not only the first college graduate in his family, but I asked him sometime we'd love to get him back. You have an amazing story. We don't have a lot of time to talk about it this morning, because I know the work you want to do is to promote the National Breastfeeding Awareness Month of August. But you're story is just an awesome one and really proves just how great our country is.

SG: Well it really is a great country and I am very fortunate to be an American and really capitalized on all of the opportunities this country affords people who want to work hard and I'd be happy to come back some time in the future and discuss it with you.

WKXW: We'd love to do it. I just want to let our listeners know that beyond everything that Dr. Carmona does now in terms of being the Surgeon General, he served in the Army Special Forces. He become a combat decorated Vietnam Veteran and then began his career in medicine. You've given a lot to this country and before this interview ends, I want to thank you for your service. We'll get back to this topic now on the Breastfeeding Awareness Month. What else should women in particular and men too, what else should people know about this?

SG: What we are trying to do is increase the awareness nationally of the importance of breastfeeding. Every young lady who's pregnant should begin that conversation with their primary care provider as to what is expected after birth. Tell me about breastfeeding. How does it work? How many times a day? How long should I do it for? Where can I get help? Where can I get information? This information is readily available. But for all of us who have the privilege to serve as healers, as the health care givers in our society, we need to be advocates. We need to encourage moms and dads and families to breastfeed for this six-month period at least so that we will give the child the best chance of growing up healthy and well.

WKXW: Let me share with you, the doctor provided me with this. The Health and Human Services offers a women's health line, a health help line, the toll free number is 800-994-WOMAN, they also have an incredibly great site, an awarding winning Web site, womenshealth.gov. Doctor, beyond just the breastfeeding issues, there are a number of other things you are promoting this month in terms of child safety, baby safety. Talk about some of the other things.

SG: You bet. This is the Year of the Healthy Child and one of the things my staff and I looked at this past year was where we stood nationally; where the state of our children's health was. And in fact it's not too bad. Less teenagers are getting pregnant, more kids are getting immunized and things like that, less smoking, but you can't be complacent. There are still gaps. There are still 150,000 birth defects every year in this country, about 80 percent of which are preventable. If moms get prenatal care, if they take a vitamin, if they take folic acid, we can do away with almost 80 percent of those disabilities that develop. Make sure that children get immunizations. Make sure that once they get into that toddler stage that we're using seat belts, that we're using car seats, that we're proofing the house so that toddlers can't get into things that are toxic to them and put them in their mouth as they always do when they're experimenting. So there's a lot of improvement we can do to improve the health, the safety, the welfare, the growth and development of our children. But people have to be aware of it, and part of my job is to make families aware of what they can do.

WKXW: One of the things on your list that I thought was really important, and a lot of new parents don't know what to do in terms of how to place their baby when they put their baby down to nap or to sleep and it's a really easy phrase that you have about placing your baby back to sleep.

SG: Place your baby back to sleep. Well you know I'm going to have to recruit you as one of my agents, because I don't think I've heard it stated any better than that. Just place the baby very carefully on their back. Make sure also when you place them to sleep that the baby doesn't have anything within their reach that's small enough to put in their mouth that can create an airway obstruction. Make sure that if they're near a window that there are not cords from curtains or Venetian blinds. Make sure that there are not a lot of loose blankets and sheets they can roll up in and suffocate; simple things that can keep them healthy and prevent any problems.

WKXW: Dr. Carmona, I'm a man of my word. Our time has come and gone. My regrets we have to say goodbye now so that you can keep your schedule. Thanks for what you do for our country and it's been a real honor to present you to our audience this morning.

Content last updated August 15, 2005.