Choosing the Right Pediat- rician for your Baby

Our babies are very precious. We cherish them and coddle them and we worry for their well being all the time. Which is why we need to be really careful choosing the right doctor for our little one's…

It's not just your baby who has to have the right rapport with its doctor, you do too. A pediatrician and a mother have to work hand in hand in ensuring the baby's welfare. It also makes sense to have rapport already established with your pediatrician before you actually deliver your baby. So finding the right pediatrician to see your baby through, is an essential prerequisite of your prenatal routine. A pediatrician is someone who will help your baby through the initial stages of life, when proper care is very important. Going to someone who understands babies, and someone, who can keep track of your infant's medical history, is thus a must.

Look around with care

In most cases a family member or a friend in the same city should be able to help you out with finding just the right pediatrician. However, when you do search for a pediatrician, look for the following criteria:

• This should be someone near your home, as you don't want to be running half across the city in the middle of the night, if your baby has a fever. Alternatively, you could keep one pediatrician for the major check-ups, and another one near your home for the emergency or minor ailments that babies keep going through.
• This should be someone who comes personally recommended. It's always nicer to have someone refer you to a good doctor, and have the doctor referred to you too. Most doctors generally have a decent recommendation, but a personal touch does help. You could even get your gynecologist to refer you to someone.
• This should be someone who has the facility for running routine tests, and lab analysis. You don't want to have to take your baby to a different hospital or labs every time, he needs his stool checked do you?
• Your pediatrician shouldn't be charging you the earth for minor problems. It's ok to have a good pediatrician who knows his or her job. But, it's also important not to go to someone who keeps demanding unnecessary tests, and diagnosis aids. Also, till your child is about two years old, you are probably going to be visiting the pediatrician once a month on a minimum basis, and you don't want to go to someone who charges the earth do you?

Meeting the Pediatrician before Delivery

If this is your first pregnancy, you may want to meet the pediatrician before your baby is born. After you have done your research and have several recommendations, make an appointment to meet one or two of the recommended pediatricians. Building a relationship with your child's pediatrician before you need her services helps you to have your systems in place before the baby is actually born.

Some pediatricians are so busy that they do not provide prenatal interviews. This may indicate how busy they are and the amount of personal attention you are likely to receive. No matter how good a pediatrician is reported to be, if they are overworked, they may not be able to give your child proper attention.

What kind of practitioner should I look for?

Some parents take their baby to a pediatrician, a doctor who specializes in the care of children. Focusing on children's health and practicing with kids each day gives pediatricians a leg up when it comes to expertise on children's medical issues.

Other parents prefer a family practitioner, a doctor specializing in family medicine who can treat the whole family, from birth to old age. One advantage these parents point to is that the family practitioner should be well versed in health issues that pertain to your entire family (genetic diseases, for example).

Either type of doctor is fine, as long as you feel comfortable and confident about your child's care.

Working with your pediatrician:

It's very important that your pediatrician is someone whom you feel comfortable with. You should view the pediatrician as your advisor and listen to what he or she has to say to you, about the general care for your baby. If, for some reason, you don't have confidence in your doctor, then do be sure to discuss problem areas and issues with the doctor. If you are not able to resolve the issues, find another doctor.

How the pediatrician's practice works and is run, will determine how much you get out of this relationship. Some areas of the country have many small clinics with only a few doctors in a single practice. In such cases, it is best to choose a person with the maximum amount of expertise on babies and their ailments. Do remember ultimately, you as the mother are the best doctor and caretaker a baby can have. A pediatrician can only give you expert medical opinions; the rest is up to you.

 – Sonali Sokhal

Finding the right pediatrician

• Is the pediatrician accepting new patients? Is he or she covered by your insurance or managed care plan?
• What are the office hours?
• Is emergency coverage available 24 hours a day, seven days a week?
• Is the pediatrician available by phone or e-mail? If so, when?
• Does the practice have an after-hours answering service? Is that service linked to a university or children's hospital?
• Where are patients referred after hours?
• Is there access to pediatric specialists, if needed?
• What hospital does the pediatrician prefer to use?
• How does the office handle billing and insurance claims? Is payment due at the time of the visit?

Our babies are very precious. We cherish them and coddle them and we worry for their well being all the time. Which is why we need to be really careful choosing the right doctor for our little one's…

It's not just your baby who has to have the right rapport with its doctor, you do too. A pediatrician and a mother have to work hand in hand in ensuring the baby's welfare. It also makes sense to have rapport already established with your pediatrician before you actually deliver your baby. So finding the right pediatrician to see your baby through, is an essential prerequisite of your prenatal routine. A pediatrician is someone who will help your baby through the initial stages of life, when proper care is very important. Going to someone who understands babies, and someone, who can keep track of your infant's medical history, is thus a must.

Look around with care

In most cases a family member or a friend in the same city should be able to help you out with finding just the right pediatrician. However, when you do search for a pediatrician, look for the following criteria:

• This should be someone near your home, as you don't want to be running half across the city in the middle of the night, if your baby has a fever. Alternatively, you could keep one pediatrician for the major check-ups, and another one near your home for the emergency or minor ailments that babies keep going through.
• This should be someone who comes personally recommended. It's always nicer to have someone refer you to a good doctor, and have the doctor referred to you too. Most doctors generally have a decent recommendation, but a personal touch does help. You could even get your gynecologist to refer you to someone.
• This should be someone who has the facility for running routine tests, and lab analysis. You don't want to have to take your baby to a different hospital or labs every time, he needs his stool checked do you?
• Your pediatrician shouldn't be charging you the earth for minor problems. It's ok to have a good pediatrician who knows his or her job. But, it's also important not to go to someone who keeps demanding unnecessary tests, and diagnosis aids. Also, till your child is about two years old, you are probably going to be visiting the pediatrician once a month on a minimum basis, and you don't want to go to someone who charges the earth do you?

Meeting the Pediatrician before Delivery

If this is your first pregnancy, you may want to meet the pediatrician before your baby is born. After you have done your research and have several recommendations, make an appointment to meet one or two of the recommended pediatricians. Building a relationship with your child's pediatrician before you need her services helps you to have your systems in place before the baby is actually born.

Some pediatricians are so busy that they do not provide prenatal interviews. This may indicate how busy they are and the amount of personal attention you are likely to receive. No matter how good a pediatrician is reported to be, if they are overworked, they may not be able to give your child proper attention.

What kind of practitioner should I look for?

Some parents take their baby to a pediatrician, a doctor who specializes in the care of children. Focusing on children's health and practicing with kids each day gives pediatricians a leg up when it comes to expertise on children's medical issues.

Other parents prefer a family practitioner, a doctor specializing in family medicine who can treat the whole family, from birth to old age. One advantage these parents point to is that the family practitioner should be well versed in health issues that pertain to your entire family (genetic diseases, for example).

Either type of doctor is fine, as long as you feel comfortable and confident about your child's care.

Working with your pediatrician:

It's very important that your pediatrician is someone whom you feel comfortable with. You should view the pediatrician as your advisor and listen to what he or she has to say to you, about the general care for your baby. If, for some reason, you don't have confidence in your doctor, then do be sure to discuss problem areas and issues with the doctor. If you are not able to resolve the issues, find another doctor.

How the pediatrician's practice works and is run, will determine how much you get out of this relationship. Some areas of the country have many small clinics with only a few doctors in a single practice. In such cases, it is best to choose a person with the maximum amount of expertise on babies and their ailments. Do remember ultimately, you as the mother are the best doctor and caretaker a baby can have. A pediatrician can only give you expert medical opinions; the rest is up to you.

 – Sonali Sokhal

Finding the right pediatrician

• Is the pediatrician accepting new patients? Is he or she covered by your insurance or managed care plan?
• What are the office hours?
• Is emergency coverage available 24 hours a day, seven days a week?
• Is the pediatrician available by phone or e-mail? If so, when?
• Does the practice have an after-hours answering service? Is that service linked to a university or children's hospital?
• Where are patients referred after hours?
• Is there access to pediatric specialists, if needed?
• What hospital does the pediatrician prefer to use?
• How does the office handle billing and insurance claims? Is payment due at the time of the visit?

Our babies are very precious. We cherish them and coddle them and we worry for their well being all the time. Which is why we need to be really careful choosing the right doctor for our little one's…

It's not just your baby who has to have the right rapport with its doctor, you do too. A pediatrician and a mother have to work hand in hand in ensuring the baby's welfare. It also makes sense to have rapport already established with your pediatrician before you actually deliver your baby. So finding the right pediatrician to see your baby through, is an essential prerequisite of your prenatal routine. A pediatrician is someone who will help your baby through the initial stages of life, when proper care is very important. Going to someone who understands babies, and someone, who can keep track of your infant's medical history, is thus a must.

Look around with care

In most cases a family member or a friend in the same city should be able to help you out with finding just the right pediatrician. However, when you do search for a pediatrician, look for the following criteria:

• This should be someone near your home, as you don't want to be running half across the city in the middle of the night, if your baby has a fever. Alternatively, you could keep one pediatrician for the major check-ups, and another one near your home for the emergency or minor ailments that babies keep going through.
• This should be someone who comes personally recommended. It's always nicer to have someone refer you to a good doctor, and have the doctor referred to you too. Most doctors generally have a decent recommendation, but a personal touch does help. You could even get your gynecologist to refer you to someone.
• This should be someone who has the facility for running routine tests, and lab analysis. You don't want to have to take your baby to a different hospital or labs every time, he needs his stool checked do you?
• Your pediatrician shouldn't be charging you the earth for minor problems. It's ok to have a good pediatrician who knows his or her job. But, it's also important not to go to someone who keeps demanding unnecessary tests, and diagnosis aids. Also, till your child is about two years old, you are probably going to be visiting the pediatrician once a month on a minimum basis, and you don't want to go to someone who charges the earth do you?

Meeting the Pediatrician before Delivery

If this is your first pregnancy, you may want to meet the pediatrician before your baby is born. After you have done your research and have several recommendations, make an appointment to meet one or two of the recommended pediatricians. Building a relationship with your child's pediatrician before you need her services helps you to have your systems in place before the baby is actually born.

Some pediatricians are so busy that they do not provide prenatal interviews. This may indicate how busy they are and the amount of personal attention you are likely to receive. No matter how good a pediatrician is reported to be, if they are overworked, they may not be able to give your child proper attention.

What kind of practitioner should I look for?

Some parents take their baby to a pediatrician, a doctor who specializes in the care of children. Focusing on children's health and practicing with kids each day gives pediatricians a leg up when it comes to expertise on children's medical issues.

Other parents prefer a family practitioner, a doctor specializing in family medicine who can treat the whole family, from birth to old age. One advantage these parents point to is that the family practitioner should be well versed in health issues that pertain to your entire family (genetic diseases, for example).

Either type of doctor is fine, as long as you feel comfortable and confident about your child's care.

Working with your pediatrician:

It's very important that your pediatrician is someone whom you feel comfortable with. You should view the pediatrician as your advisor and listen to what he or she has to say to you, about the general care for your baby. If, for some reason, you don't have confidence in your doctor, then do be sure to discuss problem areas and issues with the doctor. If you are not able to resolve the issues, find another doctor.

How the pediatrician's practice works and is run, will determine how much you get out of this relationship. Some areas of the country have many small clinics with only a few doctors in a single practice. In such cases, it is best to choose a person with the maximum amount of expertise on babies and their ailments. Do remember ultimately, you as the mother are the best doctor and caretaker a baby can have. A pediatrician can only give you expert medical opinions; the rest is up to you.

 – Sonali Sokhal

Finding the right pediatrician

• Is the pediatrician accepting new patients? Is he or she covered by your insurance or managed care plan?
• What are the office hours?
• Is emergency coverage available 24 hours a day, seven days a week?
• Is the pediatrician available by phone or e-mail? If so, when?
• Does the practice have an after-hours answering service? Is that service linked to a university or children's hospital?
• Where are patients referred after hours?
• Is there access to pediatric specialists, if needed?
• What hospital does the pediatrician prefer to use?
• How does the office handle billing and insurance claims? Is payment due at the time of the visit?

 Our babies are very precious. We cherish them and coddle them and we worry for their well being all the time. Which is why we need to be really careful choosing the right doctor for our little one's…

It's not just your baby who has to have the right rapport with its doctor, you do too. A pediatrician and a mother have to work hand in hand in ensuring the baby's welfare. It also makes sense to have rapport already established with your pediatrician before you actually deliver your baby. So finding the right pediatrician to see your baby through, is an essential prerequisite of your prenatal routine. A pediatrician is someone who will help your baby through the initial stages of life, when proper care is very important. Going to someone who understands babies, and someone, who can keep track of your infant's medical history, is thus a must.

Look around with care

In most cases a family member or a friend in the same city should be able to help you out with finding just the right pediatrician. However, when you do search for a pediatrician, look for the following criteria:

• This should be someone near your home, as you don't want to be running half across the city in the middle of the night, if your baby has a fever. Alternatively, you could keep one pediatrician for the major check-ups, and another one near your home for the emergency or minor ailments that babies keep going through.
• This should be someone who comes personally recommended. It's always nicer to have someone refer you to a good doctor, and have the doctor referred to you too. Most doctors generally have a decent recommendation, but a personal touch does help. You could even get your gynecologist to refer you to someone.
• This should be someone who has the facility for running routine tests, and lab analysis. You don't want to have to take your baby to a different hospital or labs every time, he needs his stool checked do you?
• Your pediatrician shouldn't be charging you the earth for minor problems. It's ok to have a good pediatrician who knows his or her job. But, it's also important not to go to someone who keeps demanding unnecessary tests, and diagnosis aids. Also, till your child is about two years old, you are probably going to be visiting the pediatrician once a month on a minimum basis, and you don't want to go to someone who charges the earth do you?

Meeting the Pediatrician before Delivery

If this is your first pregnancy, you may want to meet the pediatrician before your baby is born. After you have done your research and have several recommendations, make an appointment to meet one or two of the recommended pediatricians. Building a relationship with your child's pediatrician before you need her services helps you to have your systems in place before the baby is actually born.

Some pediatricians are so busy that they do not provide prenatal interviews. This may indicate how busy they are and the amount of personal attention you are likely to receive. No matter how good a pediatrician is reported to be, if they are overworked, they may not be able to give your child proper attention.

What kind of practitioner should I look for?

Some parents take their baby to a pediatrician, a doctor who specializes in the care of children. Focusing on children's health and practicing with kids each day gives pediatricians a leg up when it comes to expertise on children's medical issues.

Other parents prefer a family practitioner, a doctor specializing in family medicine who can treat the whole family, from birth to old age. One advantage these parents point to is that the family practitioner should be well versed in health issues that pertain to your entire family (genetic diseases, for example).
Either type of doctor is fine, as long as you feel comfortable and confident about your child's care.

Working with your pediatrician:

It's very important that your pediatrician is someone whom you feel comfortable with. You should view the pediatrician as your advisor and listen to what he or she has to say to you, about the general care for your baby. If, for some reason, you don't have confidence in your doctor, then do be sure to discuss problem areas and issues with the doctor. If you are not able to resolve the issues, find another doctor.

How the pediatrician's practice works and is run, will determine how much you get out of this relationship. Some areas of the country have many small clinics with only a few doctors in a single practice. In such cases, it is best to choose a person with the maximum amount of expertise on babies and their ailments. Do remember ultimately, you as the mother are the best doctor and caretaker a baby can have. A pediatrician can only give you expert medical opinions; the rest is up to you.

 – Sonali Sokhal

Finding the right pediatrician

• Is the pediatrician accepting new patients? Is he or she covered by your insurance or managed care plan?
• What are the office hours?
• Is emergency coverage available 24 hours a day, seven days a week?
• Is the pediatrician available by phone or e-mail? If so, when?
• Does the practice have an after-hours answering service? Is that service linked to a university or children's hospital?
• Where are patients referred after hours?
• Is there access to pediatric specialists, if needed?
• What hospital does the pediatrician prefer to use?
• How does the office handle billing and insurance claims? Is payment due at the time of the visit?