I just finished reading You Having a Baby The Owner's Manual to a Happy Pregnancy by Drs. Michael F. Roizen and Mehmet C. Oz. That's Dr. Oz for everyone :)
It had so much useful information for me when it comes to things to like what to eat when pregnant, what questions to ask a pediatrician, and information on vaccines.
The biggest thing I noticed they advised was getting DHA from fish or algae. It can strengthen the baby's immune system and brain as well as the mother's. I was already taking some fish oil before I became pregnant (thankfully). I take Barlean's Organic fish oil in mango/peach. It tastes yummy. The Drs. recommend getting 600mg daily.
Now on choosing a pediatrician and q's to ask:
1. What hospital(s) is the doc affiliated with?
2. Is the doc part of a group? If so, will you visit your doc exclusively, or will you see whoever is available (including perhaps a nurse)?
3. Does the doc encourage email communication?
4. How long can you expect to wait for a response when you email/phone with a question?
5. Is the office clean and comfortable, and does it have a separate sick-child waiting area?
6. How does the doc treat ear infections? Some dispense antibiotics liberally; others encourage that you wait and watch. as most ear infections resolve themselves within 3 days.
7. Does the doc have a standard protocol for vaccines? How flexible are they about timing of vaccines and the administration of optional vaccines?
8. Do they have electronic medical records so when baby graduates HS the records are complete?
9. Are the doc's feelings about complementary medicine in sync with yours?
10. Do you offer same-day sick appointments?
11. Do any of the doctors have sub-specialties?
12. What are your hours? Do you offer evening or weekend hours?
and some for myself:
Was the office staff helpful? Were the nurses friendly?
How long did you have to wait to be seen? How long were patients waiting to be seen?
Was the interview rushed? Did the doctor seem open to questions?
First impression of the doctor?
Did the communication feel natural? Was the doctor easy to understand?
The info on the vaccines is too long for me take notes on so I'm going to scan the page for myself, lol. Basically, I'm going to need to find a ped that will allow to me stray from the standard schedule. My choice is to NOT vaccine until 6 months. This gives baby a chance to build his/her immune system on their own.
That's it for now, I'm off to learn about infant car seats and strollers. :-P The new Baby Bargains book comes out at the end of April and I've heard that book is amazing for finding out the goods on all baby stuff.
G'night!
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