There are so many decisions you face as a new mom, from what kind of car seat to buy to planning out a feeding schedule. Some decisions are more serious than others. Choosing how much newborn Dallas Cowboys clothes to purchase is not on the same level as determining when to switch to bottle-feeding. One of the major choices you will inevitably be making is who your child’s pediatrician will be. Because you are searching for a physician for your first child, you want someone you can really trust. Simply checking your insurance site to see a list of doctors that are covered doesn’t really provide enough information. It’s going to take a bit more digging.
Get out a pen and paper, and start calling your fellow mom friends. You may want to start with friends that are on their second child and have a little more parenting experience. Ask these friends for their recommendations, what they find helpful about their favorite pediatrician, and anything you may want to look out for. Once you have a list of potential doctors, see if they are covered by your insurance and located close to your home. Driving through traffic all the way across town to go to a good doctor can be quite a sacrifice when you have a crying baby in the car. Finding a pediatrician while you are pregnant can save you from rushing to make a decision in the midst of those first intense weeks of having a newborn.
Set up consultations. These appointments will give you a chance to interview the doctor before committing to the long-term. Visiting an office in person will show you what the atmosphere of the waiting room is, if it’s difficult to make an appointment, and how long you will have to wait to be seen. Find out if the doctor has similar views about controversial topics like vaccinations or the birth plan you chose. If the doctor has radically different views on medicine and parenting, you will want to keep searching. You want to decide which items are non-negotiables. Some parents find that an office with an after-hours phone line provides the security they need. Whomever you choose, you want the care of your child to go to someone who you trust and have confidence in.