Pediatrician

KatieRu920 · May 2013

Hi all! I need to pick a pediatrician as soon as possible and just need some advice. I was just planning on looking at the insurance website and picking one that is close by and covered. I don't have family close by so I can't go off of their recommendations and friends with babies haven't been too helpful with any recommendations either (but, I'm one of the firsts of my friends so not too many anyway). Anyways, do I just put down that he or she will be my pediatrician or do I need to meet with him or her beforehand or do they just show up to the hospital? I'm just a bit confused! Thanks for the help!

lkobriant · May 2013

We're going with the pediatrician my OB recommended, so far we've had fantastic referrals so I trusted this one too. She told me to just stop by the office or call and let them know that we were planning on using them and they'd give me a number to call when we deliver. I'm sure every office is different though. If you happen to find one, I'd just give the office a call and see how they recommend proceeding. I'm sure it's something they deal with daily.

WheeLinTheSky3 · May 2013

My OB gave us the name of our pediatrician. My suggestion is to make a list of things that are important to you in a pediatrician ( whether the office has seperate sick/well areas, office hours, off hour availability, etc) and then look into several in your area that best fit those needs. My ped's office has an open house every month and we got to go in, see the office and ask questions. We selected them ahead of time and they came to hospital to examine my son the second day we were there.

Mrs.KMid · May 2013

As someone who ended up changing Pediatricians when DD was 5 weeks old I think you should interview your Pediatrician the same was you would an OB. As a FTM I was so focused on the pregnancy I didn't even think about what care I wanted DD to have. Turns out I wasn't ok with a rude front office staff, a pediatrician that wasn't supportive of breastfeeding and was very quick to write a prescription for a 3 week old for everything rather than suggesting natural alternatives. I drive 15 more min out of my way now but I have my dream pediatrician.

In our hospital we saw the pediatrician that was on call but we had the option of our pediatrician coming to the hospital and we would have just had to give the hospital their information.

Best of luck to you.

magdalina.h · May 2013

We did not meet with ours before hand. I did some research on her and I knew I wanted to use her. I called the office a few weeks before I had Lucas and picked her. Then we met her after he was born, she was doing rounds on the newborns, and it was a perfect connection.

BellaOso · May 2013

There are several websites you can check. Just pick a doc you think you like and google them and a bunch will show up with reviews. That's how we picked my kids ped.

It was actually quite nice and many people were very thorough with the review. For example, before I signed up with her ped I found out he is in favor of a regular vaccine schedule, very good at spending time with each patient, never seems to need to call in sick, is super above and beyond supportive of breastfeeding - even when it gets hard, has a memory for details, (still asks me how my arrhythmia is when I see him and it has been over a year since my diagnosis,) actually LOOKS at your child's chart and history, and then ACTUALLY LOOKS at your child, (you would be amazed at how many don't,) but his office staff royally sucks... I mean like epic fail status sucks. They are all nice, but they are not efficient. It was nice to be able to see his other traits described and see if I could deal with a poopy staff to have a great ped. And I can, because everything else about him is true!

Keep in mind if you see 1 bad review and 25 rave reviews, that 1 bad may be just an unreasonably butthead.

atoz625 · May 2013

We interviewed before, and when we registered at the hospital, they asked who the pedi was. Then when he or she is doing rounds they come by to meet you in the hospital.

kje120 · May 2013

With DS I went with the recommendation of some friends and set up an appointment to meet with the doctor before he was born. That way when we went to the hospital to deliver I could put down what practice we were using and the on call pedi came to the hospital to check him.

I would call and set up a meeting prior to delivery - mostly to make sure that you like them.

mrsf123 · May 2013

you can look at your insurance website, pick a couple and call them to set up meetings. Then see who you like best.

Our pediatrician doesn't work at our hospital, so they set up another pedi to see DD2 when we are at the hospital, and we take her to our pedi after we get home.

BelhurstBride · May 2013

Keep in mind that once you're in the thick of things if you realize you're not happy with the care he/she is providing you can always switch doctors.

wifeyvana · May 2013

We interviewed a couple different pedi's before the birth. We just had to call our insurance to let them know who we were going with once LO arrived and we were good to go. I would check with the pedi office though, they might have a waiting list you have to get on. Not sure about the hospital thing since we had a home birth.

BlueJewelM · May 2013

lkobriant:
We're going with the pediatrician my OB recommended, so far we've had fantastic referrals so I trusted this one too.nbsp; She told me to just stop by the office or call and let them know that we were planning on using them and they'd give me a number to call when we deliver.nbsp; I'm sure every office is different though.nbsp; If you happen to find one, I'd just give the office a call and see how they recommend proceeding.nbsp; I'm sure it's something they deal with daily.

I did exactly this. The dr my OB recommended for DS is amazing. We will continue to have her see this baby.

studyinpink · May 2013

BlueJewelM:
lkobriant:
We're going with the pediatrician my OB recommended, so far we've had fantastic referrals so I trusted this one too.nbsp; She told me to just stop by the office or call and let them know that we were planning on using them and they'd give me a number to call when we deliver.nbsp; I'm sure every office is different though.nbsp; If you happen to find one, I'd just give the office a call and see how they recommend proceeding.nbsp; I'm sure it's something they deal with daily.

I did exactly this. The dr my OB recommended for DS is amazing. We will continue to have her see this baby.

She gave us list and googled for reviews. Our pediatrician is great and the group is amazing. We have had to see several different ones when e has been ill and they were all amazing.

sleeping5beauty · May 2013

Some Pediatrician's aren't taking new patients. You might want to call there office to double check. Also you can see if they do meetings before hand to see if you like them.

I choose my Pediatrician based on recommendations 4 years ago right before my first DS was born. I know now they aren't taking any new patients.

As far as the hospital goes, if they are affiliated with that hospital someone from their office will see your baby at the hospital. If they aren't affiliated with the hospital then your baby will be seen by whoever is the Pediatrician on call.

Want a personalized experience?

Pediatrician

Re: Pediatrician

Choose Another Board

Search Boards