I'm 34 weeks pregnant and starting to look at doctors.
I finally found a family doctor that I like. He listens to what you have to say, doesn't appear to be rushed or doesn't try to rush you. But I'm curious with my soon to be son, if I should go to a pediatrician or stay with my family doctor.
Is one better than the other? Or is it just a preference thing?
I know when I was younger, my sisters and I saw a pediatrician until we moved to Ohio and then we all saw the same family doctor as my parents.
I just want to make sure that I am doing everything right, or as right as possible. This is my first child.
my son sees a family doctor. I love him, and we all see him now, it's really nice that he knows all of us so he knows the family history and what germs are flying around the house ect.
I much prefer a family doctor, especially when I'm nursing. It's so much easier to treat me if I'm sick if my doctor doesn't have to confer with a separate pediatrician! And we've been known to line up the whole family in the office when we all have the same bug.
I've also found that family doctors tend to stick with the medical issues, while pediatricians give more parenting advice. I prefer to stick with the medical stuff.
If you have a family doctor you like I would take your child there. I had a family doctor when my daughter was born and he was great - even came to the hospital to check us out.
Good luck!
I've had the same doctor since I was 9, and now he's my son's doctor too.
If I had it to do over again I would go to a family doctor and NOT a pediatrician.
That's just me . . .
I prefer a family doctor. This way you can all see him/her if needed.
When I had my first son, we used a pediatrician, and we would always get in very quickly and see the doctor quickly, but I never felt like he actually listened to me, and if I ran into him on the street, he would have absolutely no idea who I was, and he certainly would not have know my child. After my second son was born, I switched them both to the family doctor that my husband and I both see, and although I can now wait longer at an appointment to see him, he spends the time with us, he listens to my concerns, and I know that if I ran into him at the grocery store, he would know exactly who all of us were. We have had plenty of medical issues with all three of our children, from stitches to broken bones to tubes in the ears to hospitalizations for pneumonia, and he has been great through it all, getting us to specialists where we have needed them.
I guess after all that is said - you should pick someone that you feel is going to listen to you and your concerns and won't rush you in and out of the door.
Good luck & congrats on your little one that you'll be able to hold in your arms soon!!!! :)
~T.
If you found a doctor you like & are comfortable then I say stay with them. I see the same doctor as my 3 kids. She is a family doctor with a specialty in OB so she literally has been their doctor since before they were born. I love that.
Pediatrician. My children's health issues would not have been identified with a family doctor. The first years are critical. They specialize in children. Most hospitals have peds orthopedic, peds opthalomology, etc. Children are different than adults.
I found it more difficult to get my daughter in to see our family doctor when she was sick - that's why I ended up finding a pediatrician.
I also, personally, feel that my daughter is receiving better, more specialized care from a pediatrician. They can focus on children - family doctors have to know a little about every thing. "Jack of all trades, master of none."
I am very lucky. I have a double boarded pediatrician / internal medicine doctor. She is now the 'family doctor'. My oldest has seen her since he was born, and so have the other 3. My husband and I switched to her over the last 3 years. She knows the whole family and keeps tabs on all of us. It really is nice to have us at the same place where she is trained on children and adults.
Good luck with your decision. I will tell you that I went to a regular doctor and took the kids to a pediatrician for several years before making the switch myself.
I prefer going with a pediatrician because they are trained to deal with little ones and can focus better on a specialized practice vs needing to know alot about so many different areas. IMO. Good luck.
I would highly recommend using a family doctor instead of a pediatrician.
Pediatrician all the way. They receive the most up to date training and techniques for dealing with children. Current education, more specific.
If you really like this doctor, make him the family doctor. But ask him for a referral to a pediatrician. Children are different from adults, and pediatricians specialize in children's issues.
