If you’re like many parents-to-be, you may be wondering: “When should I find a pediatrician?” Should you start looking now, or wait until after your baby is born?
Your pediatrician will play an important role in your little one’s health and will likely provide care throughout most of their young life. Naturally, you want a doctor you feel comfortable with and can trust.
Making a decision of this importance will take time and should be considered carefully. Starting your search early on is very important.
If your little one gets a cold or you have concerns about her health, you know exactly who to call.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends finding a pediatrician during your third trimester, or about three months before your baby is due.
Finding a pediatrician early on can give you comfort and peace of mind. Along with answering questions about bringing your baby home, your doctor can also perform a prenatal visit and introduce strategies to help manage the stress and challenges of being a new parent.
Research also shows that when children see the same pediatrician for the first six months, they are twice as likely to get important health tests.
After all, your pediatrician will see your family through many milestones, from well-baby check-ups to vaccinations and the inevitable cold or fever. It’s important to have a doctor that you know and trust.
So, if you’re in the final months of your pregnancy, now is the perfect time to get a pediatrician. If you’ve already welcomed your little one into the world, start your search now while your baby is happy and well.
If you’re new to an area, start searching for pediatricians on your health insurance’s website or attempt the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Find a Pediatrician tool.
Take a look at online reviews and ratings, but proceed with caution. Like all online sites, the reviewers’ opinions and expectations might differ from yours. Ensure the review site only enables feedback from real clients.
At Pediatrics of Sugar Land, we offer a prenatal consultations that gives you the opportunity to see our office, meet our staff, get to know one of our pediatricians and ask questions. We welcome all children and would love the opportunity to welcome your child to the Pediatrics of Sugar Land family.
Whichever path you choose, whether it be a pediatrician’s office or a pediatric clinic, you will certainly intend to limit your listing to around two to three as well as meet every one before your baby is born. Most pediatricians will certainly set aside certain times to consult with pregnant moms and dads. Since you will certainly have already seen their site and also spoke with somebody on team, you will certainly have most of the workplace details in hand.
The time invested with the pediatrician is an opportunity to experience their character and bedside fashion, ask them specific inquiries regarding their history, experience, and pay attention to their perspective on things that are essential to you. One more good concern is to inquire the typical time it requires to obtain an appointment (same-day, following day, after hours, and so on), the ordinary waiting space time, as well as exactly how frequently you can expect your child to see them versus a nurse or other supplier.
Naturally, no pediatricians can be readily available at a minute’s notification to all people, yet some have actually placed procedures in place to ensure their patients have better accessibility to a provider. Make sure to ask whether the doctor supplies telemedicine visits, their hours of schedule, their response times in returning calls, and also whether they use 24/7 virtual care.
