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Episode 57 Content and Overview
Choosing a pediatrician can be a stressful event, but it doesn’t have to be. You have two options when it comes to picking a doctor for your baby; a pediatrician or a family physician or general practitioner. The upside to a pediatrician is that they are specially trained in providing care for newborns, babies, and toddlers. A pediatrician is your trusted partner in your baby’s health. Together you ensure your baby is growing and developing on track and if there is any deviation from the norm you work together to figure out what is going on what is going on and how to treat it. A pediatrician will monitor your child’s growth and development and be there in the event your baby’s health is not optimal. This episode gives you tips to choose a pediatrician and lets you know what you can expect from your doctor visits with your new baby.
Included in This Episode
- Pediatrician vs family doctor
- Frequency of appointments
- When you should you start looking for a pediatrician
- Referrals for choosing a pediatrician
- American Board of Pediatrics (AAP)
- Specialized training
- Location
- Interviewing doctors when choosing a pediatrician
- Questions you should ask:
- How long have you been in practiceWhat is your childcare/breastfeeding/circumcision/alternative medicine/vaccine/etc. philosophy?
- Do you have children?
- Are you part of a group practice?
- How long is a typical appointment?
- How are emergencies handled?
- What is your policy on calling in or emailing with questions?
- Is there a separate waiting area for sick kids?
- How long does it take to get an appointment?
- Are there separate well-baby and sick-baby waiting rooms?
- How do I reach you if my child gets sick after hours?
- Visiting a pediatrician office
- Getting in touch with your pediatrician after your baby is born
- Changing your pediatrician
- Your Birth Plan book
- Get the weekly Pregnancy Podcast newsletter
I love the questions that were posed here to ask potential pediatricians, especially the one about whether or not they have children and if there is a separate waiting area for sick kids. I can definitely see how it could cause anxiety to take your child to a doctors office where they may be infected by other kids, so separate waiting rooms would be really nice. I am sure that doing some online research and asking past clients what their thoughts on a pediatrician are would be helpful as well.
I liked your suggestion to ask about calling in or emailing a pediatrician with questions. You had mentioned earlier that the doctor is there to work with you is a partner for the baby’s health, so communication would be a key aspect to that I’d think. My sister is expecting her first child soon and I know she’s going to have tons of questions when my niece arrives. Finding a pediatrician she can trust and communicate with is crucial for her.
Hi Laurel,
Yes! Communication is key. Congrats to your sister and to you on being an auntie!
-Vanessa