Jennifer Boyd, BSN, RN
Labor & Delivery/Antenatal Unit Nurse Manager
Picking an OB/GYN or pediatrician is a very personal process – the physician that you choose will be an important part of your entire pregnancy. The pediatrician you choose will be an integral part of your child’s life. Being prepared is a big part of pregnancy. Instead of choosing your OB/GYN or pediatrician at random, Baptist Health wants you to feel secure in your choice of physician. We talked to real pregnant women and new moms to compile a list of criteria that they considered when selecting their ideal OB/GYN and Pediatrician.
Are your OB/GYN and pediatrician in sync with your preferences?
Your physician should be on the same page with the way you want to deliver your child and how you want to raise your child. Ensure that your physicians (OB/GYNs and pediatricians) are in sync with your beliefs on pain relief, medication and method of delivery. Once you’ve had a chance to evaluate what is important to you in this regard, you can ask the right questions of potential physicians.
Experience and Communication
Most women wanted the answers to these key questions before selecting their OB/GYN and pediatrician.
- What experience do you have with complications and unique situations?
- What are your views on pain medication and vaginal birth and c-sections?
- Do you deliver at and/or refer patients to Baptist Health?
While asking these questions, women were also able to get a feel for the bedside manner and how they communicated.
Ease of scheduling appointments and your doctor’s availability
Arguably one of the most important parts about choosing an OB/GYN and pediatrician is accessibility. Are they close by? How long are wait times at the clinic and how soon after you schedule an appointment can the doctor see you or your child? These are all important questions to ask before you make your choice. You can find out this information with a quick phone call or online research. Most clinics are happy to provide this information!
Recommendations from women in your community
Recommendations are always the best way to gauge whether a physician will be “your style” or not. Asking women in the community (friends, family) is one of the top ways that women have decided on an OB/GYN or pediatrician. To make it easier for you to connect with women in the community, Baptist Health has crafted an exclusive community of women who are pregnant, new moms, and moms with lots of experience! Here’s a link.
Don’t forget to consider recommendations from your current doctors. Your primary care physician or regular gynecologist (who already have a good idea of how you prefer to receive medical treatment or care) may have excellent recommendations of OB/GYNs or pediatricians that fit your lifestyle and needs.
Online Reviews
While online reviews are not always an accurate representation of a physician’s capabilities or their personality, it’s somewhere to start so you can narrow down your search for the perfect physician. Online reviews are often a good way to figure out a physician’s style of interacting with patients. You’ll get a better idea of bedside manner, experience, hospitals that they deliver at, etc., and identify what’s most important to you.