pediatricians?

[lorienellen]

I'm due in March with my first baby and am still doing lots and lots of learning. When would be the best time to interview pediatricians? I'm only about 17 weeks right now, so I'm assuming it's a little soon. Do you find that your child is more comfortable with a provider of the same gender, or has that not been a concern? What types of

Comments

[curbbrat]

We interviewed about a month before my due date

[curbbrat]

Well unless you purposefully chose what might very well be the last doctor in the known universe to have their own private practice with two nurses / office assistants. Bonus points, for such a doctor who returns your inane middle of the night on a Saturday newbie questions.

I never wanted to deal with a giant practice and lucked out in that we're covered for the only pediatrician I know of who has his very own private practice. I'll take a small private practice where I can call and be seen in under an hour during regular hours, have my calls returned within minutes after hours and have only 3 faces for my child to know (she's figured out the nurses give the shots, poor nurses.)

[curbbrat]

I can see why late hours and Saturday's would be very favorable for a working family. If that was a need for my family there's a good chance I'd have gone to a larger weekend hours having practice too

[usagi629]

I'd say whenever you want to start looking is fine. It's not too early. I actually have to have a pediatrician sign a form saying they agree to see the baby within 48 hours of birth since I am going to have my baby at a birthing center and then go home 4 hours or so after birth, and that form has to be turned in at my next appointment (although they'd probably let it wait longer if I needed to). For me, this is my second child so we're using the same pediatrician as we have used for my son.

This is a good article on the topic:
http://www.babycenter.com/0_choosing-a-doctor-for-your-baby_320.bc

I think we got our pediatrician questions out of the book Baby 411. I'll have to find the book and see what the questions were.

[megamuphen]

Given this and the information in your profile, I suspect we might be going to the same birth center!

[usagi629]

ORLY?! Bay Area??

[megamuphen]

Darn! Nope, the other one. :-)

[amyura]

They'll all say they're supportive of breastfeeding-- heck, even the formula companies say that

[sandi1743]

unless you are just having the one - the sex/gender of the medical provider should not matter as if you another child you could have this issue again.
talk to your friends and other mom's you know about which peds group they go to and see what they have to say as well./