Picking a pediatrician

mrshall1027

When did all you mommies pick a pediatrician? The hospital I'm delivering at wants me to select a pediatrician before registering but I feel like it's a little early.  We're going to a "Meet the Doctors" next month, but it just seems so early! Am I over thinking this?

sgautschi

I think second tri is the perfect time for picking a pediatrician, taking classes, touring hospitals, etc. You are past the 12 week mark, which makes things less scary, and you aren't huge and uncomfortable yet so those tasks are actually enjoyable. I hope you find a good match!

LooneyLife

I haven't yet. None here're quite you to officially choose them until birth. When you get to the hospital you tell them who your Ped is and they call them once the baby is born.

We've got a few more open houses in our calendar but really they've been a waste of time.

Sewilson33

I planned on asking my obgyn for her opinion next week. The group she is in has a whole list of peds and they all work in association with the hospital I am delivering at. I figured I'd ask her what she thinks and who she recommends then maybe meet with 2 of them. I just have no clue what to ask in a "meet the doctor" setting.

brij2006

Our OB office asked that you start searching during 1st tri.  I thought they were crazy, but we had ours picked out by 13 weeks.  Now it's just noted in our file so they can contact him when baby is born and get anything sent over to him that he may need.  Our OB and Pedi are from 2 different affiliations (we're delivering at the hospital an hour away but will use the Pedi at the hospital 20 minutes away), so they have to send over anything he needs to know prior to the 1 week appointment.

sparklingdiamond

I think I started researching sometime in 2nd tri and ended up only interviewing one.  But I knew she was perfect when I met her and DH had some crappy insurance that a lot of doctors didn't accept.

sgautschi

Try your local FB mom page and ask for their opinions/recommendations. That's how I found my new OB and I have been very happy with him. We also asked their opinion for a pediatrician (we had to switch temporarily due to insurance issues, but are back with our original pediatrician now).

And definitely don't stress over having this all figured out right now, I just meant that 2nd tri is a good time to do the bulk of the research. You do still have plenty of time.

aggiebug

When you found your pedi did you notify them? I only interviewed one, but I liked him. He doesn't have right at my intended hospital of that makes a difference.

spin25

aggiebug said:

When you found your pedi did you notify them? I only interviewed one, but I liked him. He doesn't have right at my intended hospital of that makes a difference.

I had to register my twins with the pedi before they were born. They just put them down as baby a and baby b since they didn't have names yet. It didn't matter that they didn't have privileges at the hospital where I delivered. Since there are a number of hospitals where I live, any given pedi is not going to have privileges at all if them. The hospital where I delivered has a group of pedis associated with children's hospital that sees the newborns.

LittleLady77

Doing it early is a great idea.  You'll want this lined up way before baby gets here- one less thing to do.  

I picked one and then hated mine and switched. Questions I wish I would have asked:

- view on BLW (some docs don't even know what this is)

- how do you handle it if a child has allergies to food (my old doc told us to avoid the food for a year, out new doc had my son tested and it turns out he wasn't allergic at all)

- view on co sleeping 

- view on vaccinations 

Find a doc that has up to date information and will work with your parenting choices and not force their choices on you. 

Good Luck. 

LooneyLife

aggiebug said:

When you found your pedi did you notify them? I only interviewed one, but I liked him. He doesn't have right at my intended hospital of that makes a difference.

I did not. I was told just to write them down at the hospital. At my hospital, if you don't have a pedi or they don't have rights, they'll just have the on call pedi check out the baby. I suppose you'd then call your pedi to set up the first appointment after discharge.