Choosing a Pediatrician

Choosing a pediatrician for your new baby is very important. The best way to find a pediatrician is to ask trusted friends or family for a list of suggestions. You can get a lot of useful information just by the way the office handles your call when you phone them to make the prenatal appointment. If it was hard to get through to a person, or your call was handled in an un‐welcoming manner, you might consider moving on down your list. Similarly, if the office isn’t available for pre‐natal visits, you should presume that the office is too busy…

Below, you’ll find some questions that should be used as a jumping off point for discussion when you go to a prenatal visit with the pediatrician.

1. How many doctors are in the group? Do I always get to see my child’s pediatrician?

2. Are you available to answer my questions?

3. When is the best time to reach you?

4. How do I reach you with questions? Phone? Email?

5. How are calls handled after‐hours?

6. With which hospital(s) are you affiliated?

7. What are your feelings on

    1. Breastfeeding
    2. Circumcision
    3. Parenting techniques (scheduling infants, attachment parenting, etc.)
    4. The use of antibiotics

8. Who sees the baby after (s)he’s born? When?

9. How flexible are you with respect to the immediate post‐partum care plan?

The most important question is one for you to ask yourself: Did you feel like you could ask the doctor anything without being judged or embarrassed? If the answer is "no", or "I’m not sure", try another office.