Monday, April 6, 2009
The Search for a Pediatrician
I have come to the point in the pregnancy where it is time to start thinking about a pediatrician for little Caleb. Since I am new to the area of Northern Kentucky, I am completely clueless as to who a good pediatrician might be. Nick's family has provided some input but honestly I have forgotten the doctors names and I am going to have to ask them again. I have googled pediatrics of northern kentucky, and found a few groups of doctors that I feel as though seem well qualified by their website. However, how do you really ever know if you feel comfortable with them until you meet them? I am actually kind of clueless at where to begin. Do I just call the different offices, and see if they have an opening for my unborn baby? Do you meet the doctors before they care for your little one for the first time? This is a really big decision because they are going to be caring for the most important thing in our life. If any moms to be or moms out there would like to give me advice on how they picked their pediatricians, and what steps I need to take to find the right one I would appreciate it. I have to take paperwork into the hospital within the next week or so, and fill out all my labor/delivery paperwork, and I am suppose to have a pediatrician chosen by that time. HELP!!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Hey girl!! It is a really big decision! I'm lucky I know Brody's pediatrician, I was friends with his kids. My sister lives in Northern Ky I could ask her where she takes me nephews and of some good ones? Her husband is a family practice dr. in Florence and he could probabaly give some good reccomedations??
If you get recommendations then go visit those practices and you may still want to visit some of the places you found on the web. Just call and explain to the receptionist that you are a soon to be mom and looking for a pediatrician and see if they schedule any one on one meetings with their doctors or if they have any type of an orientation for new patients. If so, go and be prepared to ask lots of questions to get an idea of how their practice works. I think after visiting the different offices, then you kind of have to go with your gut feeling. You will want an office that will offer services available to you after hours-such as a call in line where you can talk to a nurse and if they feel your situation is serious then a doc is on call to help you. You will also want to be at an office where it will be easy to get an appointment if your little one gets sick on a random day. Also, whatever doctor you speak with at the practice you will want to make sure you feel comfortable talking to him/her because the mom is the one who will be having all the questions and you don't want someone who you think will make you feel stupid when you need help! Us first time moms need to be able to trust and feel comfortable with our baby's doctor! It's so hard finding a doctor because most practices rotate out on sick visits, so you will see all the doctors in the practice. However, I think it's important to find one doc to stick with on your check up visits. If you find a practice you like then you might want to give it some time take turns rotating with different doctors until you find one you love and then you can start requesting them all the time! Have you asked your doctor for recommendations? I'm sure that your doctor will be able to give you some recs! Good luck!
I went and visited them. There are guides on the internet about questions to ask them I believe I found the one I used on the Texas Childrens Hospital website. GOOD LUCK! One important thing to look for is if they have a well baby area because you don't want your bundle of joy sitting in a waiting room with other sick kiddos!
Post a Comment