Picking a Pediatrician

I’m not sure how many parents out there actually pick a pediatrician before the baby comes, but we didn’t. To be honest, we didn’t know how to do it. We had no idea where t o start or what we would ask the doctor. We waited until the very last moment because the hospital wouldn’t discharge us until we made an appointment with one. Thankfully, a doctor at the hospital made a recommendation, so we went with that.

I called the practice and unfortunately the referred doctor was not available. The receptionist booked us with another doctor that SHE recommended. That was where we made the first mistake. I should have known. I used to work in a physical therapy office where the owner told me to book all new patients with the new PT working with the practice. I fell for that trick thinking the receptionist, whom I’ve never met, was honestly referring me to this amazing doctor who happened to be free. BIG SPOILER ALERT: We no longer book our appointments with him. Let us recap how SB and I finally found the perfect pediatrician for our precious baby… and hopefully this post will help any new parents out there…

Doctor A
Dr. A was who the receptionist recommended. He made a decent first impression. He was a nice guy. He was young, but let’s not assume anything. He could be great with kids! We asked if he had any kids. Nope. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have any experience. I’m sure his residency taught him a lot about babies… Boy, was I wrong because HE DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO PUT ON A DIAPER. Sure, he could use big words and knew where all the fontanels were located, but he had no clue how to actually handle a baby. That’s when we made an appointment with another doctor within the practice…

Doctor B
Dr. B was the complete opposite of Dr. A. He was old… like, ancient looking old. He slowly walked into the exam room, took a few steps, turned to us and said, “That must be Baby SB” and flashed an awkward smile. He was so old and slow (physically, not mentally,) it was scary watching him examine our baby. He stayed silent the entire time he was poking, prodding, and flipping our precious newborn around. Finally, he put down his stethoscope, calmly placed his hands on the table and told us she is perfectly healthy. We let out a sigh of relief. As we dressed Baby SB, we asked him questions and surprisingly, he was extremely helpful. With age, comes wisdom and experience. It was obvious how knowledgeable he was and his answers were honest and straight forward. None of those wishy washy answers where the doctor doesn’t want to be liable for anything he/she says.

We stayed with Dr. B until the receptionist booked us an appointment with the nurse practitioner. Oh, and one thing Dr. B did that Dr. A didn’t, HE WASHED HIS HANDS BEFORE TOUCHING OUR BABY.

Kerry, the NP
Now, I would have just asked for another appointment to stick with Dr. B, but I have a thing for NPs. I think they’re awesome. They’re like doctors except they actually know how to care for their patients.

When Kerry walked into the exam room, she was so lively and bubbly and just had SO much more energy than Dr. B. She also washed her hands as soon as she walked in. Because she was younger and more energetic, she was able to talk to us and explain what she was doing while she examined Baby SB. We talked, asked questions, and besides checking on Baby SB, she also took the time to ask ME questions, making sure I wasn’t showing symptoms of Post- Partum Depression. See what I mean when I say NPs know how to care for their patients? She shared some personal stories of her own, being a mother of two and all, like how she took her 12 day old baby to a baseball game. She also noticed how together SB and I were as she saw SB holding my hand during the visit. She said it nearly made her tear up seeing both parents here for the baby and how we much we cared for each other. Another thing that made us really connect with Kerry was that she and her husband happened to be about the same age as SB and me when they had their first baby. It was a good connection.

So, now SB and I have our picks. We’re definitely sticking to Dr. B and Kerry. If the receptionist makes an appointment for us for a new doctor, I’ll kindly ask to see either Dr. B or Kerry. We’re set with these two and I just don’t feel like seeing any more different doctors.

I know this post did not address how to go about interviewing doctors to find a pediatrician for a baby before he/she is born, but hopefully this has helped parents at least find a good health care provider when it comes to it. Watch for subtle things like does the doctor wash his hands? When he talks, does he simply say big words to prove he remembers what he learned in medical school or does he actually give you useful information? When he answers your questions, are you satisfied with his response? Do you want someone who is motherly or are you okay with the doctor as long as he knows how to handle a baby? Do you want someone who is chatty and shares personal stories or someone more professional and straight to the point? Just some things to consider so you don’t end up settling with a doctor simply because he was nice.