Picking a pediatrician

dinonugget1517

I know it is too early but I was just wondering what the process to picking a pediatrician is.  Do you call the office and make and appt. to meet with them before the baby comes? At what stage in the pregnancy do you do this? TIA!

SarahPLiz

My doctor gave me a list, and there is a certain point ( I can't remember off hand) when I have to tell her who I picked. I plan on starting by asking my local board for recs. 

rien713

My insurance has an online database of approved pediatricians, so I'm going to print off those who are taking new patients and have privileges at the hospital where I'll be delivering, then run it by my OB to see if she recognises any of the names. If not, I'll start polling the nurses at work (they tend to know everything about everyone) and my local Bump board.

As to actually pinning one down, I have no idea what the procedure is. I think that's going to be an awkward cold call to various offices that I'm just going to have to make. =/

mooninlv

we got recommendations from friends that live in our area. the majority of them recommended the same doc so that's who we went with. we didn't "interview" him beforehand. typically though you need to pick one sometime early in the third tri i'd say, because most places they need to come to the hospital to give the baby the o before they'll release them. first appointment was within a week after going home.

kermiefrg

I think it's really hard to pick from an "interview."  Just like our own docs, you don't really know until you see how they treat you.  I'm probably going with the practice I went to as a child, but I may get a few recs from around the area.  I think I'll just have to pick one and see how it goes.

buckeyeki

I picked our pediatrician about a month before DD was born.  I started by searching online and then asked around.  I found asking others in the area was the most helpful.  Our pediatrician's offices also have a group web page and that was helpful too because it could answer a lot of my dumb admin type questions like office hours, availability after hours etc.  It took a few appointments to really click with our pedi but we really like her and are happy with our choice.

fabfive

we lucked out with our pediatrician!  he's the BEST!!! we got a recommendation from a co-worker's spouse who is also a pedi.  if i remember correctly, we called and just set up a brief appt. to meet him prior to our babies' birth.  

he came to the hospital to examine our little ones and then the first week they were home we went to his office for an appt.  

i would ask friends who have LO's to recommend someone if possible.  i've never had any luck with doctors when i just went off of our insurance's provider list.  

also, i don't think you are too early in this...better to secure a good doctor now than to be scrambling at the last minute. 

good luck on your search!