Question about pediatricians

Danalana wrote: Did you already have yours picked out before your baby was born? I read that it's good to have one picked out around 36 weeks, in case baby comes early. But I also read that the ped on call will see your baby when he/she is born if you don't have one, and then you can make an appointment with one for the 2-week appointment. I'm not sure what to do.

MyBabeMaddie replied: The hospital registrar asked us when she was getting my insurance card when I was in labor... A doctor from the Practice we chose saw her day 1 and day 2 in the hospital, then we went back for her one week check up.

lovemy2 replied: Mine was picked out when I was half way through my pregnancy - he is the one who saw both kids in the hospital and when they put Dylan in the NICU since it wasn't an "emergency" the Ped at the hospital called him to confer on what to do.....

MommyToAshley replied: We interviewed pediatricians about half way through my PG. I had the ped picked out before we went to deliver. I wanted Ashley's ped be the one to check her out in the hospital and be her ped from day 1.

PrairieMom replied: You can do it either way, but I know from working with them how I will and will not see, so it was easy for me, I had chosen way before i even got PG.
IMO, I would interview and choose one ahead of time, there are a lot of idiots out there, and really, I wouldn't want to take a chance on accidentally getting one.
Do you know anyone in the health care field that would have inside experience? or other mommies?

luvbug00 replied: Nope we didn't pick one out but our ped wouldn't have come to the hospital anyway. she had the hospital peds and specialists since she was early and from there went to the ped of brads family.. which reminds me..i need to swich her, they are a mess!

austins mom replied: Start looking into them. I know alot of them will let you come in and talk with them. I would say its better to have your choice be the one to see them when the baby is born.

DillsMommy replied: I don't remember when I picked mine out But the doctor that Dylan see's now, is the same one that came to the hospital after he was born. Peyton also see's the same docotor, but with him I delivered at a hospital that she doesn't go to, so the on call doctor did his check up.

luvmykids replied: I did have mine picked out but didn't have him at the hospital, hadn't even met him yet. I was going off referrals from friends and by the time I tried to set up an "interview" with him he was booked for a month solid, so we weren't considered patients yet and he wouldn't do a hospital call for a non patient.

He was a great pediatrician, but I did learn something after the first few months...he was way too busy, I hated not being able to get an appointment for a month or more, so that is something to keep in mind.

Danalana replied: Well, there is a place I'm thinking of going to. Here's the thing...there are 5 different doctors...4 women and 1 man. I was told that, at some point, the baby would probably see all of them. What do you think of that? I checked them out and they are all board-certified. There's one thing I like: they have a walk-in time from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. for acutely ill children, so you don't have to have an appointment. That's good, right? Anyway, I am thinking of going by there on Tuesday, after my appointment. I was told that Kade would be seen by whichever of the 5 doctors were making rounds the morning I deliver. I'm not sure having more doctors is an advantage, but I guess it could be.
My BIL and SIL use a pediatrician in the same area, and they like him. I'm just not sure what to do! I guess I will go on Tuesday and decide from there.

luvmykids replied: The practice we ended up at was very similar, I LOVED the walk in hours, and actually liked the fact they had so many doctors b/c when I'd call for an appointment, they would ask who I wanted to see but if he couldn't get us in soon enough, there were the others. I'd say nine times out of ten we saw the one I liked best.

Kaitlin'smom replied: I meant to but she was early. We eneded up seeing the on call ped at the hospital so we coudl go home then DH picked out the ped for the 2 week check up, all I told him was I wanted a woman, he did a great job, unfortunally one of the peds in the office she goes to passed away she had seen her the most but we so far love them all in the practic. If your thinking of it now do it

grandma replied: My dil & son interviewed pediatricians during her pregnancy, I think they talked to three. She ended up going with a female doctor with another doctor at her office, both very good with babies/kids. To the point of giving them her cell phone number and instructions to call anytime, night or day.

lisar replied: Yes.... I had both of their names picked out before I even knew it they were boys or girls.

A&A'smommy replied: which peds are you planning on using? If you don't mind me being nosy

lisar replied:
I dont know why I thought names.......Sorry.....I must have been reading another post about names or something.

Anyways to answer your question yes I did.

Danalana replied:
The place is called Tuscaloosa Pediatrics...it's over by Wings restaurant.
The only 2 names I remember right now are Lucy Culpepper and Julie Vaughn.

And Lisa, I had a feeling you were confused

A&A'smommy replied:
Yes that is who we use.. dr Farmer is our ped we LOVE him!!! We have only seen 1 other ped in the office dr. Vahnn she is really nice kinda strange though

Danalana replied: LOL...how is it that we have the same OB AND the same pediatrician office?

A&A'smommy replied:
because great minds think alike!!!

Danalana replied: Yes, that must be it!

Boo&BugsMom replied:
I think that's really neat!

We had ours picked out beforehand, and I strongly encourage you to go by referrals from other people. I think that says a lot and think when you are dealing with doctor's in general it is good to get the word from previous and present patients. We found the boy's ped through 2 of my cousins...one works there and the other has a daughter who is a patient. I am SO glad we chose him because he is wonderful. I wish he could be MY doctor!