How to Pick a Pediatrician: The Complete Guide for Parents

January 17, 2022

Last Updated on July 17, 2024 by Asfa Rasheed

There are countless important decisions you need to make in your first few years as a parent. Many rank the first two or three years after the birth of a child to be among the most stressful in their life, and the wealth of decisions that need to be made play a big part in it.

Making the decision to pick a pediatrician is one such decision that many new parents get hung up on. It can be hard to determine who is right for the position, especially since you are putting your child’s care into their hands.

Having some information to work through to help inform your decision can be hugely helpful. What should you look out for when considering options for pediatricians? Read on and we’ll walk you through everything that you need to know.

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Convenience and Location

One thing you won’t want to overlook when picking out a pediatrician for your child is where they are located. You’ll be visiting their office quite a bit during the next few years, and you won’t want to select a doctor who is a great way away from your home.

Of course, you’ll need to weigh the convenience factor alongside other more important factors. However, it can be tempting to go with what seems like the perfect pediatrician, even though they operate on the completely opposite side of town.

This is going to end up being a decision you’ll kick yourself for later and is better left avoided.

Similar Views on Child Care

Believe it or not, not all pediatricians operate under the same belief systems. While medicine is a science, there are different lines of thought of how to best operate and implement what we’ve learned as a society.

This is nowhere more prevalent than when it comes to issues of child care. Doctors may have different opinions about breastfeeding, circumcision, vaccine use, and a number of other topics.

At the end of the day, it’s your child, and you’ll likely have a strong feeling about these subjects. When sitting down with different pediatricians and determining which one might be right for your child, you’ll want to talk about some of these more difficult topics.

It’s important that you work with a pediatrician who shares your views, as one who doesn’t might push or pressure you in directions that you do not want to go.

Some doctors will list out their general beliefs about child care on their websites. Doing some online digging and research can help you whittle down the list of pediatricians you’re interested in without wasting too much time.

You can also speak with other friends and family members that share your beliefs and get recommendations. Who did they go to for care for their children? Their recommendation can go a long way.

Clear & Communicative

A pediatrician that is worth paying for will be one who takes the time to ensure you understand everything that is happening with your child. No one deserves to be in the dark when it comes to health, and the proper pediatrician will be as clear and communicative as possible.

This isn’t always the case, with doctors taking on far too many patients and filling up their schedules to an impossible degree. If you get a sense that the pediatrician that you are going to visit might not have the time or patience to give you their full attention, it can be a major red flag.

Even those who are patient sometimes end up just not being a good match. You need to be able to connect with this person that you’re putting your trust in and be able to communicate with them.

If you find you have trouble getting on the same page during your initial meeting, they might not be the right choice for your family.

Smooth Office Experience

How the pediatrician’s office runs is just as important, if not more important, than the doctor themself. Most of your headaches (or feelings of relief) are going to come from the hands of the office staff.

When visiting a pediatrician for the first time, take this opportunity to feel the general energy of the office as a whole. How easily does it seem to schedule appointments, get information, make payments, and so on?

If there are any signs of difficulty, disorganization, or sloppiness, it might be worth heading to a different doctor’s office for your child. Once you commit to a pediatrician, you’ll probably be with them for the long haul, so you’ll want to ensure the process is as smooth as possible.

Do they always answer the phone, or have a service available like the one at https://24x7doctorsansweringservice.com/? Are they clear about expectations regarding payment? Are they polite and helpful when it comes to getting your questions answered?

You might want to chat up other parents that come into the office and see how their experience has been, or look up references and reviews online. You’d be surprised, however, how much you can tell from visiting, observing, and trusting your gut.