A very important part of nesting is finding a good pediatrician for your child. You don’t want to start looking for one while holding a sick baby in your arms.

As soon as you know that a child is coming, start looking for a pediatrician. Many will even let you schedule a “prenatal” visit so you can interview the pediatrician and determine if he or she is what you are looking for.

The best way to find a good one is through referral. However, if you don’t know anyone who uses a pediatrician, here are some things to look for.

Separate Sick and Well Waiting Areas

Does the pediatrician’s office have separate waiting areas for sick and well children? This is very helpful, particularly when you have a newborn baby. Any cold can be dangerous for a very young baby, but you have to take babies to the doctor quite a bit in the first six months of life. You don’t want to be waiting with your perfectly healthy baby while a child with the chicken pox or stomach flu is sitting right next to you.

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Time how long it takes to get a live person when you call a pediatrician’s office. You don’t want to have to wait on hold for 15 minutes when your child is screaming in pain.

I moved my son to a new pediatrician because his prior one’s practice became too busy. I would routinely wait on hold for 15-20 minutes just to talk to a receptionist and schedule an appointment.

My last straw was when the practice instituted a new “triage” rule: I had to wait on hold for 15 minutes to talk to a nurse and then, if she approved, I would wait again for 15 minutes to schedule an appointment with the doctor. Meanwhile, I had a child screaming from an ear infection. I moved to a doctor who did not put me through so many hoops in order to schedule an appointment.

Back-up Plan for Weekends and Holidays

Find out if your doctor’s office has weekend hours. If it doesn’t, then find out what you are supposed to do if your child gets sick on Saturday morning. Some practices are open on the weekends for sick visits only.

Related Topics:

• How to Choose Health Care Providers for Your New Child



• Tips for Finding a Great Pediatrician



• Choosing a pediatrician for the baby to come...



• Preparing for the Arrival of a Baby