It might not seem important to seek a pediatrician while you’re pregnant. After all, you can’t schedule a visit until the baby is born. Yet most hospitals won’t allow you to leave without knowing the name of your newborn’s doctor. Hospitals require your baby to have a scheduled appointment a few days after birth, which they will make on your behalf. If you haven’t selected a doctor, they can assign one to you. But if you’d prefer to select your own physician, think about these factors before choosing one.
Start the search during your third trimester. Ask friends, family or your obstetrician for recommendations. If you have the same medical philosophy as family members or friends, they may have a trusted physician who will be a good candidate. Your insurance company is also a good source, or you can call a nearby hospital for some recommendations based on your requirements.
Finding a Pediatrician
Before narrowing down choices, ask yourself the following questions:
- Do you want a family physician or pediatrician?
- Do you prefer male or female?
- Do you have any language needs?
- Would you like to find an office near daycare or home?
Once you’ve found a few potential candidates, additional questions you may want to ask the office staff are:
- Are they taking new patients?
- Do they accept your insurance?
- What is their hospital affiliation? If your child needs to be admitted, ideally they’ll be at a location closer to your home.
- Are same day appointments offered?
- Do they offer online appointments?
- Are early morning, weekend or evening appointments offered?
- Is there a separate area for well and sick visit patients?
Some offices will offer brief introductory appointments for expectant mothers to meet the pediatrician or physician. If it’s available, you may wish to ask:
- What is your experience treating newborns?
- What are your opinions on breast feeding, circumcision, immunizations or medications?
- What days are you in the office?
- Who covers for you if you are unavailable?
- How are after-hour calls handled?
After your visit, consider whether you felt heard by the doctor and if you had a good vibe when leaving the appointment. While it’s nearly impossible to find someone who meets every need, if you feel you can trust your child’s provider, that’s a step in the right direction.
Finding a Pediatric Dentist
Although a pediatric dentist probably isn’t necessary until your child is a year old, it’s good to start thinking about someone before it’s needed.
- Ask your family dentist for recommendations. They also may be willing to see your toddler for the initial visits.
- Contact your insurer to verify which pediatric dentists are covered under your plan.
- Ask if they offer early morning or after hours appointments, and evaluate their process for dental emergencies.
- Gauge their patience philosophy to see if it aligns with yours. Many children are anxious, nervous or frightened by the newness of a dental office. Ask the dentist how they handle these situations and be sure you’re comfortable with their response.
- Determine their philosophy on fluoride, and assess how much your child receives on a daily basis.
- Evaluate if the office and chairs are kid-friendly, and if there are distractions for your child while seeing the dental hygienist.
- Verify their cancellation policy, and how easy it is to reschedule appointments if your child is ill.
If you find that your pediatric dentist, pediatrician or any medical professional isn’t the right fit, you can always change to someone new. Knowing more about what you want and don’t want for your child’s healthcare providers can be valuable in finding the right person the next time.
