How do I choose a good pediatrician?

You asked and you shall now receive. It’s only fair for us to share all of this stored up knowledge about having a baby and what is going on with your body during those nine (really ten) months. We now will answer, in a very public forum, all of those burning questions about having a baby. Each Monday, we will tackle a commonly-asked-question from the point of view of an expectant parent. Chiming in to give feedback will be an expert (you know someone who does this for a living). Earmark, share and add your own input to today’s question; it’s good karma.

How do choose a good pediatrician?

So so many things on our to do list while expecting! Choosing a pediatrician doesn’t have to be stressful. A great place to begin is looking at the practices that are nearby your home, as the first few months of your little one’s grand arrival will be frequent with trips for check-ups and vaccines. Inquiring whether the practice accepts your insurance, and if they take new patients are the other two questions of importance. As for all the other tangibles, its almost impossible to know if its the right fit for your family until you are part of the practice. How easy is it to get an appointment same day? How long is the wait once I get there? If I have a question, can I speak to a doctor right away, or how long is the wait for a call back? Its helpful to ask other friends or acquaintances that are in the different practices what their experience has been. Know that many many moms change pediatricians to find one more suited for their family as their needs change. It’s helpful to always ask for your little one’s records after each visit so mom and dad know all the details of junior’s growth and development.

Expert: Renee Sullivan

Renee Sullivan, parent coach and Founding Director of babybites support groups, works with moms each week to create their own personal parenting plan that is right for them, while making sure that each mom gets the support, resources, and community they need for their parenting journey. Drawing from her experience as an birth coach and educator, she guides moms – new, seasoned and expectant through the never – ending array of decisions that come with having a child. Weekly sessions that are “nurturing, informative, and fun” and her “calm-laid back personality” has made her a “dynamic resource” to the parenting community since 2006. Renee’s positive, warm and enthusiastic personality relaxes and guides new and expectant moms to enjoy the journey and her personal attention to detail allows all parents that work with her to quickly get the resources they need to feel at ease to make informed and educated decisions. Before launching the groups, she narrowly escaped the trenches of Corporate America where she was a Senior Project Manager for The New York Times, Morgan Stanley and Pfizer.