Ok, we have to decide on a pediatrician within the next few weeks so we can do all the blah blah blah paperwork related to birthing a baby. Everybody I've talked to uses Rankin Children's, which is just a wee bit out of the way for us, being in Clinton and all. Anybody got a suggestion of somebody a little close to Jackson, maybe associated with Baptist or UMC? Or, you know, anywhere around this area?
And how exactly do you go about picking one? Do you just pull a name out of a hat and say, "I choose... YOU!" then call them up and congratulate them on winning? I dunno. Never had to do this before...
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7 comments:
Sent you a few texts and a message on FB.
Talk to your friends (like you just did!) and see who they use and like. You must be satisfied and feel comfortable w/your pediatrician. You MUST. I'd suggest mine but he'd be about 80 miles out of your way.
Definitely meet with the person you choose beforehand. Make a list of questions for the person, ask those questions, then see if you feel comfortable with him or her... I don't mean comfortable with the answers they give, I mean see if you jive well.
A few questions that might be on your list:
How do you feel about vaccinations?
Do you have an after-hours line?
Do you work with an after-hours/weekend clinic?
How do you feel about (your planned method of feeding the baby... formula, breast milk, long term breastfeeding)?
Do you plan on moving anytime soon?
Does your nurse return phone calls for you? In what time frame? (Before the end of the day?)
How quickly will you refer to a specialist? (This is important - if you feel your baby needs a specialist and your doc refuses to refer you, that's a problem.)
You might want to ask how they feel about treatment for ADD and various other brain glitches, as well. I know it's something that's important to you and something you'll want to treat if it crops up.
Figure out what's important for YOU... it was important for me to have someone who had good experience with preemies and children with disabilities, so I chose someone who had done a NICU rotation.
Hope this hella long comment helps.
Susan, I am in Clinton, too. I chose my pediatrician through word-of-mouth recommendations and location. I use Children's Medical Group on Hwy 80 (across from MC's baseball field). They have several offices in the metro-Jackson area, and an after-hours office off Lakeland Drive. My doctor is Joe Russell, but I would not hesitate to use any doctor in the practice. Dr. Myers is a female, in case you have a gender preference. They have always been very responsive to me. They return calls in a timely manner and do their best to get you appointments when you need them at the local office. If they can't, they will make an appt for you at the after-hours office. They trust my mother's intuition, which is very important to me. I do not ever feel "dismissed."
Good luck!
LOL! for real!
again, i recommend Rankin Children's Group, but that is quite a drive. i'll put some feelers out with some mamas i know about other places.
xoxo
THANK YOU! I feel like I have somewhere to start now. I've been looking at this form for weeks thinking, "I dunno any pediatricians..." and shoving it back in a pile. =)
Word of warning about the Children's Medical Group in Clinton ... if your child gets sick in the night and you want to take him/her to the doctor first thing in the morning, Children's Medical will pop you with a $25 fee (that your insurance will not pay) for not making an appointment. You have to plan your child's illnesses with them ahead of time or you'll be penalized.
(This is probably not an issue if you don't have to be at work at 8 o'clock every morning — and therefore have to beat the crowd at the doctor's office so you won't miss too much work. If you CAN plan your child's illness, I'm sure Children's Medical in Clinton is fine)
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