let's talk to dr. natalie azar. what is the benefit? i don't think people really need to be reminded of this, but let's go over what the obvious benefits are of mother's milk. >> i think it's important to remember that the american academy of pediatrics has a very strong viewpoint on this. they do think that breastfeeding is the optimal way to feed your child for a number of reasons. there is evidence to suggest that it can improve the child's immune system. prevent infections. there may be a lower incidence of allergy, asthma, diabetes, being overweight and also can improve the health of the mother by reducing the risk of ovarian and breast cancer. but i think importantly, the aap also states that in the case where breastfeeding is not an option, and it isn't an option for every woman, that formula feeding is an appropriate choice. that it's safe and nutritionally sound but may not offer some of the other benefits that milk does. >> and, jeff, what about these trade issues? the administration has a very checkered career, to say the lea

right now dr. natalie azar joins me. dr. natalie, in the minute we have left, what concerns do these boys have to face when they come out of the cave? >> their status has to do with falling oxygen levels as we mentioned a couple times. they're exhaling co-2, they're not getting enough oxygen. short term that could be shortness of breath, heart and brain problems, longer term some other issues, of course, well hypothermia. if those two things can be addressed and/or managed, monitored as they are coming out then the initial triage, of course, then goes to the rest of their vital signs and things like that. the bigger picture, infection and post traumatic stress. >> you mentioned infection. that is a concern. you were describing something -- what is it a cave fungus? >> it's called cave's disease. it likes to live in moist, dark environments. that's one of the biggest risks, that's a lung infection but they were drinking -- we heard they were licking water off the walls of the cave and they can develop infectious diarrhea from

natalie azar, thanks for being with us. >>> back in the u.s., president trump is on the verge of nominating his second supreme court justice of his presidency, a move that will tilt the balance of the court to the right. the announcement scheduled for tomorrow night. as white house correspondent kelly o'donnell tells us, the president talked about his decision tonight. >> reporter: a casual sunday drive in michigan for supreme court contender raymond kethledge. in suburban washington brett kavanagh stepped out on the eve of the president's announcement, and cameras spotted amy coney barrett on her way to church. also, thomas hardiman of pennsylvania. as the president headed back to washington late today, he said his search is almost complete. >> let's say it is the four people, and they are excellent. you can't go wrong. but i'm getting very close to making a final decision. >> reporter: the road to confirmation is paved with political pressure. >> i hope every republican will rally behind these picks because they are all outstanding. >> reporter: already on cable this conservative group's

natalie azar and gary, let me start with you and pick up on a point that we just heard from matt. this is not new now and they have gone in there before so presumably they know what the challenges are and with the water and certain circumstances have change. does that go well for the last group that's still waiting to be rescued? >> well, it does. the experience counts for a lot. to be honest with you, it is still a dangerous operation. with torrential rain falling, we know that and obviously we don't know the condition of these boys. they may know more of details. we have not been given specific details on what kind of shape these boys were in. what do you see as the biggest obstacle in getting the five out. >> again, the rain and rising water may increase the water and washi washing sediments and etcetera, it is not a certainty of getting out but the previous successes does very well. for a lot of us that spend a lot of time in caves as you have, as you watch the video that came out from inside, what struck you? >> well, there are a couple of things, one is the divers could reac

joining me now, msnbc contributor dr. natalie azar. these rescuers have to make life and death decisions. there are reports that the four healthiest boys were the first to even make the attempt of this arduous journey. that does stand to some sort of reason, right, in trauma cases like this? >> i think it does. in trauma scenarios, there is a way to sort of triage on the field to say we want to save as many lives as we can, so we want to be most efficient with rheth resources that we have. we can't speculate how they chose those four kids for the moment. but we've been talking all day about the fact we have these fully staffed 13 medical teams, right? they have their own ambulance and helicopter. it's 14 minutes in the helicopter, another 15 minutes in the ambulance. so the initial triage when they're at the exit of the cave will do pretty much the abc's. we have to make sure they are breathing properly, they are not hypo hypoxic or have hypothermia, anything else external they can see. >> you've got to think that they have carried in

and in studio with me now is dr. natalie azar. and let's divide this in two parts. the psychological and the physical. and let's start with that. what will doctors be looking at as these boys are removed from the cave? janis mentioned they were met by doctors and individual teams upon their removal from the caves. what are they looking for? >> right. so the first line of defense are the basic vital signs. they can glean a lot from that. >> the respiratory rate, heart rate, blood pressure. they can see whether they're stable. and one of two things they're looking for is how well they're oxygenating, obviously, and what their temperature as both high pox even i can't and hypothermia. as i was stating earlier, it takes ten minutes to get from the medical tent to the held i pad. then they are probably in the meantime also drawing blood, checking what their fluid status is, their electrolyte status. and was mentioned, the refeeding process, which is a whole science unto itself. on the flip side, we have the psychological. and i've also sort of divided it into these two m

natalie azar. we're so gratefulan so of these boys have come out. i was thinking about medical conditions and, well, if they got food and water and fresh air, tre they going be okay for the most part? >> i think the expectation is evyone will be okay in time. the most immediate pressing concern is when they come out of the mouth of the cave, is just their overall stability. they do their vital signs, whatsu their blood pr, their body temperature. they're making sure number one that they're not hypothermic, that their oxygenating okay.bl then pro comes the more challenging part in the hospital. now they're skrining them for infections. there's uniquele susceptn a cave setting for certain kinds of lung diseases as well as contaminated water. they have to check their nutritional status and something we have been covering as well is the psychological impact of this and their risk for post traumatic stress disorder. >> and of course, they're starving, but you can't bring in their favorite food. although some have written he letters aboutood they want to

natalie azar. we're so grateful so many of the boys have come out. and i was thinking about their medical conditions. if they have food and water and fresh air, are they going to be okay for the most part? >> i think the expectation, hoda, is everyone will be okay in time. the most immediate pressing concern is when they come out of the mouth of the cave, it's just their overall stability. they do their vital signs, what is their blood pressure, making sure they're not hypothermic, their body temperature isn't too low. they're oxygenating okay. then comes the challenging part in the hospital. now they're screening for infections. there is some unique susceptible in a cave setting for certain lung diseases, as well as contaminated water. they have to check their nutritional status. and something we have been covering as well is the psychological impact of this and their risk for post traumatic stress disorder. >> and, of course, they're starving, but think can't just go and bring in their favorite foods. you have to take it slowly. >> absolutely. sort