Read Online What to Expect the First Year by Heidi Murkoff - Free Book Online

means more time for questions and answers (something you’ll really appreciate as a new parent). Having them on your baby’s health care team will also help keep costs and wait times down. Concerned that you’ll have less confidence in the care your baby receives from a PNP or PA? You probably don’t have to be. Studies have shown that nurse practitioners and physician’s assistants are, on average, at least as successful as, and sometimes more successful than, physicians at diagnosing and treating minor illnesses. Another welcome addition to any pediatric practice if you’ll be breastfeeding: a certified lactation consultant on staff.
Finding Dr. Right
    Once you’ve narrowed your field to the right type of practice, it’s time to get serious in your search for Baby Doctor Right—and the right doctor usually comes with the right recommendations. Here’s where to look for those referrals:
    Your obstetrician or midwife. Happy with the prenatal care you’re getting? Then you’ll likely be just as happy with a pediatric practitioner suggested by your ob or midwife. After all, doctors usually refer patients to other doctors with similar styles and philosophies. Not a fan of your prenatal provider? Look elsewhere for a recommendation.
    An obstetric or pediatric nurse, a doula, or a lactation consultant. These professionals get an insider’s perspective on doctors, so tap into any you know who work with pediatricians, in either an office or a hospital setting. You’re likely to get a pretty accurate—and honest—assessment of the care they provide.
    Parents. No one can tell you more about a doctor’s bedside (or exam table–side) manner than satisfied (or dissatisfied) patients—or, in this case, parents of patients. So ask parents you know—especially those you know who are like-minded when it comes to hot button topics that matter a lot to you, such as breastfeeding, nutrition, alternative therapies, or attachment parenting.
    Online medical directories. The American Medical Association website’s DoctorFinder.com provides basic professional information, such as credentials, specialty, location, and training, on the majority of licensed physicians in the United States. Medical websites often offer searchable doctor directories, as do most professional associations for medical specialties, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics ( healthychildren.org ). Just remember that these directories give you only names, not ratings or information on a doctor’s quality of care.
    Referral services. Some hospitals, medical groups, and entrepreneurs have set up referral services to supply the names of doctors in specific specialties. You probably won’t get a good read on personality, practice style, or philosophies on parenting practices from these kinds of services, but they will provide information on where doctors you’re considering have hospital privileges, as well as on specialties, training, and board certification. Such services will also be able to tell you whether the doctor you have in mind has been sued for malpractice.
    There are also plenty of online lists, referral sites, and user generated ratings for local doctors. Just type your city’s name and “pediatrician” in a search engine and you’ll get plenty of hits. Or, check out reviewing websites. One caveat when reading reviews on rating websites: You don’t know the reviewers (or any potential beef they might have with a particular provider), so it’s hard to get a true sense of who the doctor is and what his or her expertise, quality of care, and personality is really like. Plus, many of these sites contain inaccuracies (from where the doctor trained to what types of insurance the office accepts)—so be prepared to confirm details through your own research, too.
    La Leche League. If breastfeeding is a priority, your local La Leche chapter ( lllusa.org