Why It’s Important to Choose a Pediatrician Before Birth

Almost immediately after your little bun exits the oven, they’ll need care from medical professionals. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that even the healthiest babies see a provider for well-child care visits periodically as they grow, starting just a few days after they’re born.

But once your baby is born, you’ll be busy feeding, changing diapers, and rocking your little one to sleep, so you probably won’t have time to search for any pediatrician, let alone one that meets all of your preferences. That’s why it’s best to use the time before you give birth to research, vet, and bond with your baby’s future healthcare provider.

How to Find a Pediatrician for Your Newborn

Pediatricians are experts on all things baby. They specialize in health care for newborns, infants, toddlers, and adolescents—basically, anyone who isn’t an adult.

While a pediatrician can cover pretty much all of your baby’s health needs, you may also want to consider other physicians who provide care for babies and children, such as:

• Family practitioners – Like the name suggests, this type of physician can treat your whole family, including your infant. Note that family practitioners offer general family medicine services; for other needs or complications, they’ll likely refer you and your baby to a specialist.
• Neonatologists – If your baby is born premature or is otherwise high-risk, you’ll probably need to see a neonatologist. They’re trained to treat babies’ breathing troubles, birth disorders, and more.
• Pediatric nurse practitioners – These are nurses who specialize in pediatric care. While they can’t provide all of the services of a pediatrician, they can perform health assessments and offer parental advice.

Other important factors to consider when picking potential pediatricians include:

• Insurance coverage – Are they within your plan?
• Location – How close do you live to their office?
• Credentials – What degree(s), certifications, or specialties do they have?

Now that you know who and what you’re looking for, let’s explore how to set up pediatrician before baby is born.

Ask for Recommendations

When looking for a pediatrician, never underestimate the power of word of mouth. Of the people in your life that have children, all of them will have seen pediatricians or child care providers—and all of them will have opinions.

Ask them about their experiences with their pediatricians, like:

• How easy is it to contact them? Do they answer calls, emails, and/or texts?
• What’s their personality like? Are they talkative, or do they get down to business?
• Are they open to holistic or alternative medicine?
• Can you schedule appointments easily?

As helpful as recommendations are, be sure to keep your personal preferences and needs in mind. Everyone’s experiences are different; your friend’s sticking points might not be your own.

Research Potential Pediatricians

If you’ve recently moved to a new area, you might not have made enough connections yet to receive personal pediatrician recommendations. Fortunately, the internet can help.

To jumpstart or enhance your baby’s doctor search, you can browse various online resources, such as:

• Your health insurance company’s website
• Online doctor reviews (from verified patients)
• Online doctor databases

Again, remember to prioritize your and your baby’s specific needs. Don’t write off a potential pediatrician because of a single critical review.

Questions to Ask When Interviewing Pediatricians

Did you know that you can actually meet with prospective pediatricians even before you have your baby? In fact, many doctors and insurers prefer it. During these interviews, you can get a feel for a pediatrician’s experience, manner, values, communication style, and more.

Here’s what you can ask to paint the full picture of their practice:

• What are your office hours? Are you open late or on weekends?
• How many care providers are part of your practice? If you’re not available, who will see my baby?
• How can I contact you? By phone, or email? Do you have an online portal I can message you through?
• What is your personal care philosophy?
• Are you affiliated with any hospitals in the area?

Keep a list of everything you want to ask, and write down each pediatrician’s responses to weigh your options.

Preparing for Your First Pediatrician Visit

Let’s fast forward into the future. You gave birth to your beautiful bundle of joy, you figured out those tricky car seat buckles and made it home safely from the hospital, and now, you’re ready to experience all of your baby’s “firsts.” This includes, of course, your new baby’s first pediatrician visit.

The first visit should happen about three to five days after your baby is born, according to the AAP.

To ensure you’re prepared, let’s explore what you can expect and the important documents you’ll need to bring.

What to Expect During Your Initial Pediatrician Appointment

Since this will be a well-visit, your pediatrician will be focused on your baby’s growth, development, and general health. You can expect:

• Measurements—and lots of them – A main purpose of pediatrician visits is to measure your baby’s growth. (They do a lot of that the first few years!) Either a nurse or the pediatrician will measure the baby’s length and weight, as well as observe their behavior and other markers of healthy development, like vision and reflexes.
• Questions—again, lots of them – Since this is your baby’s very first visit, the pediatrician will want to learn as much as they can about them and how you’re caring for them. They may ask questions about feeding (breastmilk vs. formula), your baby’s sleeping habits, and how you’re faring as a new parent.
• Time to ask your own questions – At this point, your baby will be less than a week old, so you’ll likely have questions, too. Fortunately, your pediatrician can answer questions about anything, from preparing bottles and bathing to curating the perfect diaper-changing schedule.

Your pediatrician will be there for you the entire time you’re raising your baby. Don’t be afraid to throw questions their way (even ones like when can babies have Pedialite?).

Important Documents to Bring

Whenever you see a new doctor, there’s naturally going to be a lot of paperwork involved. And since your baby will need extra close care for the first weeks and months of their life, having all their health documents in order will be a top priority.

Key documents your baby’s pediatrician will ask to see can include:

• Hospital paperwork, including hearing and blood screening results
• Immunization records
• Health insurance information

The pediatrician may also request that you bring additional documents, especially if your baby has any special issues to address. To that end, it can be helpful to make a list of all the papers you’ll need to bring—and check it twice before leaving your home.

Tips for Establishing a Good Relationship with Your Pediatrician

The AAP recommends that babies have well-child visits about once every few months during their first two years. That’s a lot of face time with your pediatrician; fostering a strong and trusting relationship with them will make every experience enjoyable and valuable for you and your baby.

As long as your baby’s pediatrician isn’t thinking of retiring any time soon, they’ll provide your child’s health care for many years to come. To that end, here are a few ways to build a parent-doctor relationship that lasts.

Effective Communication Strategies

Communication is key for any important relationship, including with your doctor. Use these simple strategies to have an open and productive conversation during each pediatrician visit:

• Be engaged – When your pediatrician is explaining a concept or reviewing health data, listen intently and ask for clarification when you need it.
• Be informative – Before your baby can speak, it’s up to you to advocate for their needs. Always give your pediatrician the most accurate and comprehensive information about your child’s symptoms and behaviors.
• Just ask – Pediatricians treat pressing health concerns, but they can also give you general care guidance, like how to help your baby sleep through the night, or when to start introducing new foods. If they don’t offer this outright, just ask!

Keeping Track of Your Baby’s Health Records

Another way to stay on your PED’s good side is to keep your baby’s important documents organized.

You may receive health records as physical papers or digital files. Either way, here’s how to keep them nice and tidy for future reference:

• Hard copies – Dedicate a folder or binder to your baby’s important papers and documents. If you’re into color coordination, whip out your gel pens and sticky notes, and go to town.
• Digital copies – You can create file folders on your computer to hold any digital medical care documents you may have. Your child’s pediatrician may also have an online portal where documents can live, too.

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