When/How to Choose a Pediatrician?

[bigsweetie]

I would definitely try to find one before the baby is born.

Family docs are fine too, as long as they're very experienced with small children and babies. My cousin took her baby to their fam. pract. and he blew off the fact that she couldn't hold her head up straight for a very long time. They finally took her to a ped. and found out she has brain cancer. The family doctor should have realized something was wrong when thier almost one year old still couldn't hold her head up straight.... Not that all fam. docs are this neglegent, but just make sure he/she has some recent experience with newborns/infants and understands their milestones. Babies can clue you in that something is wrong, but you need to see the VERY little nuances that they give you. Some family practitioners aren't schooled in these nuances, or don't see them enough to recognize them.

Your baby doesn't HAVE to see his/her ped. while in the hospital, but you'll need a visit with him/her for the day after you come home.

If you have a good hospital near you, i'd look for a doc that has priviledges there. If, God forbid, you ever have to take your baby to the hospital in the middle of the night, you're going to go to the one closest to your home. It will be helpful if your ped. is there, they can get your baby's medical history from him/her more easily (heck, he may even be on call that night!).

Think of things like:
Will I do his/her immunizations? On the current schedule, or on a delayed schedule?
You want to make sure your ped. is on the same page - right from the get go. Ask him/her at the interview.

Is a fun atmosphere important?
To me, it was important. I don't like stark, sterile doctors offices, and my already nervous/sick child probably wouldn't either.

After he/she gives their shpeel, is he/she listening to your questions? Answering them thoroughly?
If you're asking questions and he/she is not letting you finish, trying to rush you, trying to answer the question before you've finished asking it, or starts rambling on and on about something not related to your question at all... find another doctor. You'll want a good listener - even if it means you'll have to wait in the waiting room longer.

What is your gut feeling?
I believe in gut instinct... your mommy vibes are already working - use them!

Office hours:
As the others have mentioned, make sure they have good hours - including Saturday hours. Kids NEVER get sick during office hours.

Is it important to you that your child see the same pediatrician for each visit?
Some practices rotate the kids between all the docs in the practice. The office my kids go to, they do their best to keep the kids with one doc. The only time my kids have seen a different doctor is when I needed an emergency appt. and my doc was not working that day. Decide what you're comfortable with and ask how they handle it so you're not surprised.

Good luck!!!

[tinabohio]

I found my ped through my aunt. Dr W and I don't always see eye to eye (I delay vaccines due to my personal research and my DD #2 having a reaction to one of them that was horrible), but she does appreciate my having cloth diapered and breastfeeding way past one (she's a believer in breast milk or formula until 2).
If I had had my personal doc back when I first had kids, we'd all be seeing him. It would be so much easier on me to just have the whole family at one place.

My ped doesn't have sick kid/well kid waiting rooms. You maybe wait 5 minutes before you are taken back into an exam room. Dr W is amazing at having you in for your appointment on time and still having time to answer any and all questions. It is incredible, if I could see her too than life would be so much easier...