What’s Up, Doc?
Whether you have questions about breastfeeding or thumb sucking or the H1N1 vaccine, pediatrician Wendy Sue Swanson has answers, which she doles out in a forum that’s kind of like a post-modern house call.
Swanson’s  blog, Seattle Mama Doc, which was launched by Seattle Children’s Hospital, has quickly developed a following.  In addition to her personable, lay-it-on-the-line manner, Swanson’s appeal comes in the fact she’s a mother of two toddlers. When you’re getting advice on how to cope after sleepless nights from a mom who was up a few times with her own kids, well, you figure she gets it.
Trained at Seattle Children’s, Swanson now has a part-time pediatric practice at The Everett Clinic in Mill Creek. She started the blog as a way to provide an online voice that addresses pediatric health news in a professional manner, but also from the perspective of motherhood.
Posts include advice on why it’s important to keep kids in a rear-facing car seat until age 2 (they are 75 percent less likely to die or be injured in a car accident) and how to help your baby sleep through the night (follow your instincts and be consistent).
Like most working parents, Swanson’s biggest challenge comes in balancing the demands of her practice along with her blog, not to mention Twittering, video-blogging – oh, and parenting. But she knows it’s a challenge that’s worth it.
“If I get their car seat turned backwards and it saves a child,” says Swanson, “then I’ve done my job.”
—Kavita Varma-White
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