When is a good time to pick you baby's pediatrician?

Question

I am 7months pregnant(28wks) and I have been looking at Pediatricians for my babies care! I wanted to know when was a good time to call the Dr's office to let them know that you chose them as your baby's Dr. I know you need to do it ahead of time so they can be to the hospital before you and the baby leave to check him/her out. I am a 1st time mommy to be so I wanted some quick answers before my Dr's apt. next week! Thanks!

Answer 1

I would pick a doctor as soon as possible, before the baby is born.The pediatrician does not get to the hospital before you. They check the baby after he is born and check the baby before he goes home and everyday the baby is in the hospital. Usually, the ob/gyn does the first baby check after birth.

Answer 2

You really should choose one now so that way everything is ready when the baby is born.

Answer 3

i just love our family doctor, so i asked about him seeing babies; he sees lots of them, as i trust him very much and would be uncomfortable with a doc i didn't know well enough to trust them to make certain judgement calls, she sees him...and he's done a great job so far! my ob actually suggested it; he said if i have a good rapport with him then it should be no problem....gl

Answer 4

I think you can start right away.That will give you the opportunity to choose between various options.  It is important that you choose a pediatrician based on your style and beliefs, for example:

    - Breastfeeding

    - Discipline

    - Office hours. etc...

You can interview various pediatricians if you start early... Good day!

Answer 5

I called right around 7 months pregnant.  It's good to call early just in case they are not accepting new patients or don't take your insurance or something.  You want to have it established before having the baby, so there are no questions.  It's nice to have that detail taken care of and off your mind too.

Answer 6

NOW - call meet and find out if they come to that hospital that you are delivering... then you can add things to the Birthing Plan.

Answer 7

i think now is a good as time as ever. i actually didn't pick out my pediatrician ahead of time and i wish i did!

Answer 8

I was 7 months pregnant when I chose my daughter's pediatrician. As a matter of fact, it was part of the pre-registration hospital packet .

I contacted my daughter's pediatrician office and they told me that since I'm pre-registering that the pediatrician would be notified as soon as I had my daughter. I never met the pediatrician in person but I did some research on her background before I chose her.

Fast forward to post delivery.... the day that I had my girl is when I met her. The pediatrician was in my recovery room examining my girl that same day. She came in twice a day to see her...

Anyway, I definitely think that now is the best time to research a pediatrician for your daughter.

Answer 9

You can choose now if you'd like or wait until you are 8 months but I wouldn't go further than 8 months without calling up on it. Also don't forget that you have to call around and ask the doctors offices if they are accepting new patients and you have to somehwat know what type of insurance baby will have so they can tell you if they accept that or not. With my first daughter I didn't know to ask about accepting new patients and I called my old pediatrician(she was still taking care of my brother when I fell pregnant) and told her that I wanted her to take care of my daughter and she said "Well lucky for you,since I took care of you I'd be glad to take care of your daughter,even tho we are not accepting new patients right now"..so I lucked out big time. I made sure to call her and ask if she was accepting new patients when it was close to the time of my second daughter being born and I've already called for our third daughter on the way and I am now 8 months along.

So yeah better sooner than later so just start jotting some names down and asking if they accept new patients.You can also meet the doctors before you deliver baby and see if you like them,

Best Of Luck

Answer 10

Hmmm I actually never had to. The hospital paedeatrician checked her over before I left, I only stayed 2 nights (couldn't stand it!). After that I just took her to normal doctors and she has never needed any special treatment or had any health problems so I never considered it.