How to Find a Good Baby Doctor

Locating a Doctor

Before baby arrives, you'll need to enlist a pediatrician. But how do you find a good one? The key to success is to get started early, preferably during your second trimester. You may not feel up to the search later, and you don't want to be scrambling around for referrals during the last few weeks of your pregnancy.

So where do you start? Arm yourself with the telephone book, suggestions from your childbirth educator, friends, or family with ties to the medical community. Take the time to meet with prospective physicians before baby is born. Ask questions and familiarize yourself with any health-care provider before committing your child's health to her. Don't feel shy about asking for interviews with several pediatricians. Your child's health is important, and choosing the right pediatrician should be on the very top of your to-do list.

A Checklist of Questions

Print out this checklist using the "Print" function on your Web browser, and take it with you for each visit with a prospective pediatrician.

Before the Interview

____ Do gender, age, or other factors make a difference to me?

____ Is the office convenient to my home, workplace, or child-care provider?

____ Are the office hours conducive to my family's needs?

During the Interview

____ Are evening and weekend office hours available?

____ What do I do in case of an emergency?

____ How are after-hours patient needs handled?

____ Is this office a participant in my health-care plan?

____ How are billing and insurance claims handled?

____ To which hospital(s) does this physician have privileges?

____ If this doctor is part of a group, how likely is it that you will see her personally and how often will you see a physician's assistant or other caregiver?

____ How does the office handle phone calls for advice? Is a nurse or other medical professional available for questions?

After the Interview

____ Do I feel I can build a cooperative relationship with this physician?

____ Is the staff cooperative and helpful?

____ Does the doctor respect my feelings regarding circumcision, immunizations, feeding, and use of medications? Are our philosophies similar?

Originally published in American Baby magazine, January 2001.

All content here, including advice from doctors and other health professionals, should be considered as opinion only. Always seek the direct advice of your own doctor in connection with any questions or issues you may have regarding your own health or the health of others.