...And I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to go over with her. I mean, yes, it will be good to meet her and get a sense of whether we like her or not since we'll be spending a lot of time with her over the next year at least. But it's a little daunting trying to figure out the right questions to ask and, really, the questions that I think are most pertinent. I found this
Pediatrician Interview Sheet over at
BabyCenter and I think it's a good jumping off point. There are a few questions that it poses that I already have the answers to, like yes, they take our insurance and yes, it's a group practice. I've also read her bio page on the hospital's website, so I know a bit about her educational background and how long she's been practicing. I guess the things I'm struggling with most are vaccination schedules...and whether or not I should be concerned with them. The one vaccination that I've heard is really not necessary, especially in the beginning, is the Hepatitis B shot. And I've also heard that the MMR shot caused concern in regards to possibly opening the door to autism but that those concerns were based on one study that has since been debunked. I do like the idea of a modified schedule so as to limit the amount of vaccinations given at one time but I still need to learn more about that. Vaccines are a hot button topic and I know that a lot of parents have strong opinions on them and it's a matter of figuring out the best option for you and your family. So I'm just in the process of figuring that out. One thing that I do know is that I believe they are important and plan on making sure that my child gets all of his shots. I just don't know the best way for him to go about getting them.
If any of you have opinions you'd like to share, I'd love to hear about them in the comments....with, of course, respect given to anyone that might have differing thoughts. No arguing please! I'm open to hearing all sides of this debate. Also, if there are any key questions that you think are important to ask our possible pediatrician, let me know!
Also, on a personal note, it's my Baby Daddy's birthday! We are celebrating with a nice date night at one of our favorite restaurants...possibly our last date night for awhile! Can't wait to get dolled up since I've been feeling like poo since this weekend. Not sleeping well, uncomfortable in my body, cranky, ready for this baby to come out. Maybe he'll decide he wants to share his birthday with his daddy...doubt it, but a very-pregnant-woman can dream.
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| Happy Birthday, Love! |
I'd say just go with your gut feelings on the doctor. If you like his or her personality and answers to your questions, go for it! Otherwise, don't be afraid to switch later on if you need to.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Baby Daddy!
Thanks, Red! We liked her well enough. Now we just need to decide if we want to do the AAP's recommended vaccine schedule or if we'd prefer an alternative schedule. In their office, they do not take patients who want an alternative schedule or those that plan on not vaccinating. Which I totally get, if that is their way of practicing. But there was something later that was...interesting. After finding that out and when we were on a totally different topic, we asked if she'd seen a lot of infants with the flu. She said not really and then asked, "You both have your flu shots, right??" And when we said no because of Dan's allergy and family history, she went back to the vaccines and we seemed to get a little lecture about "choosing not to vaccinate" and how it's dangerous for their other patients. I personally feel that the flu shot and infant immunizations are very different things. I get the whole herd philosophy behind getting flu shots but if allergies come into play, there's not much you can do. So, yeah, a bit more research to do before we make our final decision. And the good news is, we can always switch doctors like you said.
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