6. How to Choose a Pediatrician

My wife and I just had our beautiful fifth baby, Gloria Benedicta Boucher, two weeks ago! You can see her on Instagram. I might be just a little bit biased, but I think she’s one of the greatest babies of all time. Overall, everything with our other kids have gone well, too! Our two next youngest kids have struggled a little with the transition, but it’s gone better than we expected.

I was able to take two weeks off work, during which a real tragedy took place: our practice manager, and a key employee, passed away abruptly and unexpectedly. He was the rock of our office, and we’ll be missing him for a long time. Please keep this incredible father, grandfather, family man, and mentor, along with his family, in your prayers.

Now, onto today’s show! This episode is a little different than usual; it’s a discussion with my friend Dr. Nicole Calloway Rankins. Her podcast is called All About Pregnancy & Birth, and I highly recommend that you go check it out and subscribe! I was a guest on her podcast, and enjoyed the conversation so much that I wanted to bring it to you here, too. In our chat today, Nicole asked me about choosing a pediatrician and what goes into that decision. This is something I get asked about all the time, and it’s an important topic to me!

We’ll talk about when to start thinking about a pediatrician, which I recommend doing in the late first or early second trimester. By being proactive in this way, you’ll have an easier time getting into a specific pediatrician’s practice, which may be pretty full. We’ll then move on to chatting about which questions you should ask a potential pediatrician, including philosophy, availability, and vaccines. Next, we’ll discuss breastfeeding, circumcisions, and much more. Don’t miss this information-packed episode, and your chance to hear me be interviewed for once!

In This Episode:

[01:02] - Welcome to Parenting Matters! Dr. B talks about his new daughter, and shares some tragic news from work.

[03:45] - We hear about today’s special episode, which will be a different format than usual and features Dr. Nicole Calloway Rankins.

[06:41] - Dr. B talks a bit about himself, what he does, and his family, as well as the weather in Nebraska.

[08:26] - When should a family start thinking about choosing their pediatrician?

[09:46] - Dr. B walks listeners through the steps people should go through when going about choosing a pediatrician.

[12:17] - Nicole and Dr. B chat about the value of weekend and evening hours in a pediatrician.

[12:59] - What are Dr. B’s thoughts on prenatal consults with a pediatrician?

[14:04] - Dr. B shares some questions that he would recommend asking to determine if a pediatrician is a good fit.

[16:06] - Other than philosophy, what other questions or topics should parents ask a potential pediatrician about?

[19:04] - Dr. B explains that most of the parents he deals with are on the same page about vaccines, to his relief.

[19:47] - Will the pediatrician you choose automatically see the baby in the hospital after he or she is born?

[21:05] - How soon does Dr. B see the baby after they’re discharged home?

[24:18] - Nicole takes a bit of a detour and asks Dr. B about circumcision.

[26:04] - Dr. B explains that he does screening for postpartum depression at visits after birth for the first six months.

[28:14] - The most rewarding part of Dr. B’s work is getting to see parents over the first years of their babies’ lives.

[29:51] - What does Dr. B find most frustrating about his work?

[31:36] - Dr. B talks about what he’s particularly passionate about when it comes to caring for children.

[33:44] - What is the one piece of advice that Dr. B would give to soon-to-be parents?

[35:10] - Dr. B mentions the places where listeners can find him online.

[35:56] - With the interview portion over, Dr. B shares his thoughts on the conversation with Nicole.

Links and Resources:

Dr. Phil Boucher on Instagram

@DrPhilBoucher on Twitter

@DrPhilBoucher on Facebook

Present and Productive Parents with Dr. Phil Boucher Group on Facebook

Dr. Phil Boucher

[email protected]

Dr. Nicole Calloway Rankins

Dr. Nicole Calloway Rankins on Instagram

Dr. Nicole Calloway Rankins on Facebook

Dr. Nicole Calloway Rankins on Twitter

All About Pregnancy & Birth Podcast with Dr. Nicole Calloway Rankins

Questions to Ask BEFORE Choosing a Pediatrician