In my twelve years of being a mom, I have been lucky to have pediatricians that I love. We have changed pediatricians a few times, always because we relocated, and each time I have used different strategies to find a doctor for my children.
With my first child, I did the only thing I knew to do and asked for the opinions of other moms. One of my best friends had recently had twins and loved her pediatrician. I checked my insurance, saw that he was covered, and signed up. Although the experience didn't end up being my favorite, I learned what I did and didn't like and knew what to look for in my next pediatrician. Before my son's 9 month check-up we moved into a new home and I found a new pediatrician.
After we moved, I checked out the available pediatricians that were covered under my insurance and picked a practice that was close to my new house. I wouldn't usually recommend this as the best way to find a pediatrician, but I lucked out by choosing a practice with more than one doctor. Although the original doctor I selected didn't end up being the pediatrician of my dreams, there was a new doctor to the practice that we saw often and she ended up being the perfect pediatrician for my family. Six months later she started a practice of her own with another pediatrician and we followed her.
We were with Dr. K until we moved to Texas. Times have changed a little since my first pediatrician search and there are now a ton of great sites that you can check out to review different practices. Because I didn't really know anyone in Texas, I did most of my research online. After again looking at my insurance provider's website to find a few practices that were close to me (all of which had multiple pediatricians practicing together), I checked out the websites for the practices, online reviews, and even the Facebook pages for the offices I was considering. We selected one of the doctors at the practice, but intentionally scheduled appointments with different doctors to check them all out. We found that the original doctor we chose was a great fit for us and we have been happy for the last two and a half years.
So when you are searching for a pediatrician for your little one:
Take your time to find out what you like and don't be afraid to change pediatricians.
Choose a practice with multiple pediatricians. You can often easily switch between doctors without even having to make a change with your insurance provider or filling out paper work at a new office.
Get recommendations from friends, read reviews online, and check out websites and Facebook pages for the pediatricians offices you are considering.
How did you find your pediatrician? I would love to hear the tips that worked for you!
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