I didn't interview peds. I was stupid. If you plan on doing everything your pediatrician tells you and all it's probably not as important. Not sure. I never had a problem with my first ped. with vaccines. He said they don't always do the RV shot and they weren't doing it at the time so no issues. What we did run into though was....a very slow growing baby. V was 7 lbs. 2 oz. at birth......she was 10 lbs. 15 oz. at 4 months....she didn't grow more than a lb. per month after that until she was 9 months (then she didn't slow down). V could wear 6 month clothes when she turned 1...she was wearing 3T when she turned 2. She's finally slowed down some....I think.
Anyway, I asked the ped. to do some testing at 6 months because I was concerned. She was hitting her milestones, she was happy, she was peeing and pooping......she just wasn't really growing a whole heck of a lot. They did a ton...everything looked normal. They had told me if everything came back normal she was fine. The next month they wanted to do a lot more tests so my red flag came up. I started looking for a new ped. I interviewed this time and was happy with the first doctor I met (he even gave me his pager # and personal home # and his direct office #). The doctor my gut had told me to go with the first time around but instead I chose the closest doctor.
Now...here's my horror story (at least to a mom). Before V's first appt. (well visit) with her new doctor she got sick so I called the original doctor and they got me in right away (they were always very good at that). She had a little fever and just seemed off. They did a blood test and said if some count was ok then she was fine. The came back and said it was fine but that wanted me to take her to get a blood test and get catherized for a urine sample. They wanted to check for a UTI but they were *sure* she had blood posioning. When I made it clear I didn't really want to do all that I was told that if I didn't then she could die in 24-48 hours from blood posioning. She was 8 months. I was not loving this. I had all kinds of red flags popping up. I called the new doctors office. They said come right in. I drove straight there. They did a nose swab....that's it. She had the flu. The common flu....not even swine flu. I guess most parents would freak out about their 8 month old baby having the flu but I had just heard she was going to die so it was great news in my eyes. She was had a high enough temp. for me to rotate Tylenol and Motrin for 3 days...then she was just on Motrin for another day and then she was fine. I loathe my first ped. because of the crap I went through with him. I was going to put despise or hate there but decided they weren't strong enough words. Doctors fear-mongering in a real thing and it's horrible.
Now....we're to E. She's growing slower!!! How the heck?!?! I told hubs when we have another kiddo I'm going to need a line backer. I can't handle someone poking and prodding at my babies. She was 7 lbs. 15 oz. at birth and now at 4 months weighs in at a whopping 10 lbs. 12 oz. So they did some tests. Everything was normal. They are happy and they aren't making me come back in for growth checks and so on. He said she is hitting her milestones and seems happy and healthy so we just wanted to be careful and that was that. He did ask if she gets bottles and I said sometimes but it's very rare. He suggested adding 1/2 a scoop of formula (which is fine by me) and some rice (which is so not happening because I am so against adding rice to bottles....heck...I'm against rice period).
Now, if you plan to do selective vaccinating or staggered vaccinating then you definitely need to interview your choices because they can drop you if you don't follow their schedule. Make sure your doctor wants what you want. Make sure your doctor understands too that breastfed babies tend to be slimmer. If you have a doctor that expects your BF baby to grow as fast a formula fed baby then that's no good.
Hmm...I need a break from the long posts (I'm sure you do too) so next I'll talk about elimination communication and pre-chewing food....things I don't really know jack about...but I'll look into it. I know a wee little bit on the elimination communication.
ETA: Up there is said RV Shot....it's an oral vax....sorry about that! Also...they thought V had a blood *infection* not posioning....my brain doesn't work sometimes.
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