Picking the Right Pediatrician
Picking a pediatrician is extremely important. When we were born our parents chose a pediatrician based on their parents and friends recommendations; not much has changed. You will still receive the majority of your recommendations through your family and friend network. But what has changed since our birth is now you interview the pediatrician.
With so many of our friends having babies, I found it only appropriate to write about how to go about choosing a pediatrician. I am no expert, but this was useful information that was passed down to me when we were expecting from many mommy friends and sisters who all had to go through the process of choosing the right pediatrician.
You should begin your pediatrician search in your sixth or seventh month of pregnancy. Most pediatricians now have new parents informational sessions or “meet and greets’ with the pediatrician. If not, call the office and set up an introductory appointment. They will generally not charge you for this appointment. My recommendation is that if the pediatrician does charge, then you might not want to go with that practice. To me it is just like any other business, you do not charge prospective clients; it is considered business development and it is the cost of doing business.
When you begin calling the offices to set-up a time to meet the pediatrician consider the following: How long does it take to get through the phone system? Were the people answering the phone polite, knowledgeable and helpful? How long did they put you on hold? If you choose one of these offices, you want to ensure you can speak to someone in a timely manner because if there is an emergency you want to know they will be there for you.
When you go in to the office for your new parent meeting, things to watch for: Is there a well and sick waiting area? Is the staff friendly? What is the general vibe and cleanliness of the office? Are the same people sitting in the waiting room when you arrived as when you left? Do they have weekend hours? Do they have clinic hours (no appointment required)?
The weekend hours are an important question for me because I am a working mom and if I for some reason cannot get off work for a weekday appointment, I know I can get a weekend one.
Remember to meet with some of the nurses as well- more than likely they’ll be spending more time with your child than the doctor, and their bedside manner can make or break a relationship with the practice.
You do not need to sign a contract or anything with the pediatrician once you chose one. You need to have their practice name, doctor’s name; address and phone number available when you check into the hospital for your delivery. The hospital will be the one to contact your pediatrician to let them know your little bundle of joy has arrived.
The first day after birth the pediatrician will be in to see your baby for a routine checkup. The baby will then need to be seen again at 3 days old; if you and your baby have not been released from the hospital, they will come visit you again there. The schedule for wellness check-ups are generally as follows: Birth, 3-14 days old, 1 month, 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, 15 months, 18 months and 2 years.
Remember, use your mother’s intuition and your gut. If your gut does not say this pediatrician is right for you trust it!
Provided below is a Pediatrician’s Questionnaire I developed for myself when we were expecting. Please feel to print it out and use it for yourself.
Click Here to Download the Pediatrician Questionnaire
Good luck with your new bundle of joy!
