pediatricians?

egb+jaf

has anyone already met with/decided on a pediatrician? dh and i went on the hospital tour tonight and the guide brought it up. i feel a bit behind because to be honest i hadnt even though about it!

i have a list of providers that come to the hospital im giving birth at, along with an online database of everyone my insurance covers but im clueless as to where to start! can i just call a few offices and set up a consultation or something? or do i just pick and go on good faith?? ask around for recommendations??  ahh!

asibilrud

ugh thats hard  with MIL as an OB/GYN nurse and SO a paramedic/fire fighter, they had the ped choice under control....

egb+jaf

and the funny thing is i work in the dang hospital, and its in the same network as the hospital i will be delivering at and im sure i'll end up with a provider in our health system. buts its still so confusing!

you would thing i would have a better idea of how to go about this working in healthcare and all

bonjourchic

I've been considering this myself! I really need to get on it this week.

Licia&Wayne

At our birthin' babies class, better name than what it was actually called, they suggested we ask our current doctors for recommendations, as well as any parents we knew.

So, I put out on Facebook that we were looking for a pediatrician and would any area parents recommend theirs. We got a bunch of suggestions. I'm also going to ask my doctor when I see her this week, check out what insurance covers and set up a meeting or two.

Just start putting out feelers. Good luck!

rm2013

Licia&Wayne:

At our birthin' babies class, better name than what it was actually called, they suggested we ask our current doctors for recommendations, as well as any parents we knew. So, I put out on Facebook that we were looking for a pediatrician and would any area parents recommend theirs. We got a bunch of suggestions. I'm also going to ask my doctor when I see her this week, check out what insurance covers and set up a meeting or two. Just start putting out feelers. Good luck!

I definitely recommend this approach. We don't have one yet either but are asking around. Then definitely go interview. You may find you don't connect well with the doctor, or you don't like their office. Some things I'm looking for are good hours (a friend has a pedi that is open every Saturday for a couple hours, not standard but awesome!) and also if they have separate waiting rooms for sick kids. People have advised me on how they take their healthy kid to the pedi and they pick up something from other kids or handling toys.

covertxxamour

I found it helpful when I chose one for DD to ask around to my friends that have children. If you have a Facebook or something, it wouldn't hurt to take that approach. It's nice to get some opinions even before meeting the staff and doctors.

candreco

I had a list from my OB/MW office, and a coworker who's wife is an L&D nurse at the hospital I deliver at recommended the practice their kids go to from that list that also has hospital rights there, so I just went with them, didn't bother visiting or interviewing first.  It's worked out really well for us, though we've only been there once for something other than a check up.

Things I like about them are that it's a huge practice, so there are always appointments available and we never wait very long, they have walk-in sick kid clinic hours every morning, and they have evening and weekend hours.  They're also great with kids, but you kind of expect that to be standard for a pediatrics office (though it isn't always the case).

Mrs Babs

For DD, we wanted to use the family practitioner that DH and I went to. I just asked if they were accepting new patients and we decided on him. He wasn't affiliated with the hospital that I was delivering at so the on call pediatrician looked over DD at the hospital. She was underweight and he was so amazing with her that I decided to ask him to be our pedi on the spot. He just told me to call the office and set up an appt for her check-up and the rest worked out. This time around, I called and told them I was pregnant and that I wanted him to be our new baby's doctor too. They just told me to tell my OB who our doctor was and they would take care of the rest. Good luck!

mhickey426

I searched online for one by my house.  I read reviews about different doctors on about 6 different websites.  I have it narrowed down to 1 that I am going to try and set up an appointment to meet (whenever I get a free chance).  If I don't like him I am going to use the group practice many family members use.  I would automatically go there but it is further away from my house and I would prefer a smaller practice.

I think the reviews online were a huge help. People were very honest and blunt.   

ejs1of3

I asked my OGYN for a list of peds that he has worked with before and then compared them to my insurance.  Then I made prenatal appointments with all of them and we picked the one that seem to work best with what we wanted.  We wanted the dr to come to the hospital to see the baby.  Not all peds do that and that they had an on call doctor at night for emergencies.  I say to meet all the doctors on ur list until you find one you like.