How to Choose a Pediatrician: Tips + Questions to Ask

How to Choose a Great Pediatrician for Your Child

While pregnant, there seems to be a never-ending list of things to do before you give birth. Choosing a pediatrician is one you just can’t skip!

Did you know you can set up consultations with pediatricians in your area to help you make your decision? They’re often called consultations, but may also be called interviews or meet and greets. Whatever you call it, they’re key to cover all of your bases when deciding on a healthcare provider for your children.

Here you’ll find the best tips to choose a pediatrician for your child, whether you’re pregnant or moving to a new city.

Start your search early

If you’re currently pregnant, now is the time to start your search for a pediatrician! Around 6-7 months pregnant, start researching reviews and ask friends and family who they would recommend as your child’s doctor.

On that same note, if you’re moving to a new city or state, start your search a month or two before your move.

Independent pediatrician or group practice

There are pros and cons to going with a solo practice or a pediatrician within a group practice or hospital network.

I recommend talking with both types to get a feel for which works best for your family.

For example, when your child is born, which doctor will visit your child in the hospital? For larger clinics, their pediatricians are on a rotating schedule and your child may not be seen by their actual doctor. They may be seen by whoever in the group practice is on call. For smaller clinics, your actual pediatrician will visit you and your newborn while in the hospital.

Personally, we thought we would go with the convenience of a larger clinic, but ended up with a small, independent practice! In fact, I walked into the larger clinic certain we had our pediatrician, but it ended up not being a good fit.

Three years later, I still remember the care and comfort our chosen pediatrician showed after our son was born. While we were still in the hospital, my son’s doctor would call me personally to check in not just on our son, but me as well. They even sent us home with a personalized burp cloth embroidered with his name at his one week appointment!

Set up consultations

Next, you’ll want to contact the office to set up interviews with your short list of pediatricians. Simply call their main number or if they have an appointment number. Let them know your due date and that you’d like to set up a pediatrician interview or consultation.

Being able to take a few minutes to sit down with prospective pediatricians is a great way to get to know them and ask all your questions at once.

By setting up interviews, you will get a better idea of how their office works. You’ll also see how open they are to new patients and how easy (or difficult!) it is to schedule an appointment in the future.

Keep in mind, with COVID-19, you may not be able to meet with a prospective pediatrician in person. A virtual meeting still gives you a chance to “meet” them, learn about their methods and personality.

Create a checklist of questions

First, create your top 3-5 priorities of your child’s future pediatrician. Is it a convenient location? Are same-day appointments available? Are natural treatments key? How long are appointments? How can you get in contact with the nurse or doctor?

One of our major priorities was the fact I have multiple autoimmune diseases. It was important to us to find a pediatrician well-versed in my chronic illnesses.  She was willing and able to keep one eye open for our son for the same.

You can download a free checklist of questions to interview prospective pediatricians by clicking here!

What to expect during your pediatrician interview

When you arrive at the office, if meeting in person, take note of how busy the office is. Are there toys? What is the sanitation protocol? Check-in procedure? Are there sick and well children in the waiting room?

See how the staff interacts with you, the patients and each other. Don’t be afraid to ask a parent in the waiting room their thoughts on the office.

You should count on your consultation to take anywhere from ten to thirty minutes, depending on your questions and conversation and the pediatrician’s schedule.

Finally, choose your pediatrician

Try to choose your pediatrician several weeks before your due date. Be sure to call the office and let them know you’ve chosen them as your pediatrician. You’ll also let them know your due date and your planned location of birth.

If having your baby at a hospital or birthing center, you’ll likely put the doctor’s name and contact information on your intake paperwork in advance or when you arrive to give birth. That way, they’ll know you have given birth to their newest patient and they can set up an in-hospital visit and/or your newborn’s checkups.

Consider what works best with your family

When choosing a pediatrician, you’re not just choosing a doctor for your child when they have an ear infection. You’re choosing a partner in helping to raise your child, in good mental and physical health and even the not-so-great.

As a mom, I’m grateful I went beyond reading reviews online for pediatricians and found the best pediatrician for our family. Meeting in person was absolutely key.

A few things we love about our pediatrician are longer appointment times and they’re open to feedback and collaboration. And it’s easy to ask questions or advice – on the phone, email, text, and portal – and a friendly staff and environment.

We also love how they space appointments out so sick appointments are on different days and times from well visits. That means no sitting in the waiting room with a contagious child when you’re there for your two year old checkup!

All in all, know that you may not find a perfect fit for your family right now. Give it a little time – everyone has bad days or running late – but above all, trust your gut!

Don’t forget to download the Pediatrician Interview Checklist here!

Postpartum Essentials for New Moms (Great Ideas for Gift Baskets!)

Please note: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small compensation if you choose to purchase any products linked below at no extra charge to you! Click here to view our disclosure policy.

As a first-time mom, it’s hard to know exactly what you need postpartum, especially for those first few days and weeks after baby is born. For me, I was lucky to have a sister who had gone through the postpartum experience twice by the time I had my first child and let me tell you: She was a lifesaver!

My sister had the best tricks and items for postpartum and knew exactly which items were the holy grail of postpartum or were total duds. After going through the postpartum period myself, I was able to find my favorite items that helped me the most after we arrived home from the hospital.

Between the two of us, we’ve nailed down exactly what new moms need to get through the first two weeks postpartum.

Enjoy my favorite tips below for what you need for those days, weeks and months after baby is born!

Top New Mom Essential: The Diaper Caddy

I’m not kidding when I say this diaper caddy was the most-used item after my son was born… And I didn’t even keep diapers in it!

Our son slept in his room once we were home from the hospital and all of our bedrooms are upstairs, so we did a lot of “traveling” from floor to floor and room to room during the day! This caddy made it easy to bring all of my most used supplies around the house those first few weeks.

Personally, I used this diaper caddy. It’s sturdy enough I could put a large Tervis cup of water in, along with all of my other essentials. I breastfed for a year and I used this caddy every single day while I did!

What I kept in my diaper caddy on a daily basis:

 

A Postnatal Bathroom Kit

This is the list your friends or family members may not tell you about. But hey, we’re friends, and I want to do you a favor so you are totally prepared.

Trust me when I say, you NEED to have this prepped well before your due date. I’m talking at least a month prior, because if you go into labor early, you will not want to be assembling these boxes when you get home from the hospital at 10 p.m. I know by experience!

I kept one of these bathroom kits in our master bathroom and one in our downstairs bathroom. Why? No matter what type of labor you had, you will not be wanting to go up and down stairs several times a day just to access your bathroom kit! And you’ll likely need this kit for at least a week postpartum.

And note, that even if you have a c-section, you will bleed after birth. So keep plenty on hand!

Also, if you have your child in a hospital, don’t be shy about asking for extra underwear or pads. They’re honestly the most comfortable and they’re usually more than happy to give you a few extra to take home with you!

What to keep in your postnatal bathroom kit:

  • Frida Mom bottle (the best!) or regular Peri bottle
  • Witch hazel and cotton rounds or witch hazel pads
  • Pads of all sizes
  • Incontinence or postpartum underwear
    • They’re great to wear to the hospital if your water breaks and are as comfortable as the hospital underwear for after delivery!
  • Sitz bath
  • Dermoplast or natural pain relief spray
  • Nursing pads (I would often switch these out during bathroom breaks!)

 

Ice it down

Postpartum essentials to keep in the freezer

Again, there are some things your friends or family may not share… This is another one of those categories.

Like everything else on this list, I highly recommend you have these ready before you have your child! Like they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Padsicles

You have a few options for what us moms call “padsicles.” Personally, I didn’t use these since I had a c-section, but all the moms I know say these are a lifesaver! You can make them yourself or they now have them premade from Amazon. Pop them in the freezer for a few hours and you are ready to go.

Nursing ice packs

I also highly recommend nursing ice packs. These can be heated (great for clogged ducts) or popped in the freezer for an hour or two to help with the breast pain from the first week or two, whether you’re breastfeeding or not. These were a HUGE lifesaver for me and used them all the time.

As a bonus, after you’re finished using them for nursing, they make great little moldable ice packs for your toddler’s booboos! Way better than the stiff ice packs, especially for heads, elbows and knees.

Premade meals

One last thing I recommend keeping in the freezer: Premade meals! I’ll be detailing my favorite meals we prepped in advance to keep in the freezer, but some quick suggestions are:

  • Casseroles
  • Soups and chilis
  • Precooked and seasoned meat (tacos, shredded or grilled chicken, etc.)
  • Egg bites

We even pre-made dozens of quesadillas on corn tortillas and they were one of the easiest snacks or meals: We simply popped them from the freezer into the microwave for a minute or two.

It was one of the things I was most grateful we prepared for before our baby was born, because when you have a newborn and running on little sleep, cooking is the absolute last thing on your mind.

Best nursing bras and clothing

In the first week or so after you have your child, you will be so sensitive up top, whether you’re nursing or not. You’ll want the softest, most comfortable nursing bra around.

If you’re able, buy several bras, too. It’s not a matter of if you leak, but when.

Also, be sure to avoid underwire bras while you’re nursing as much as you can. They can cause clogged ducts!

Personally, I lived in this sleeping nursing bra when we were just hanging out around the house. After a week or two, I would only wear that one at night and would wear one of these bras:

Most comfortable postpartum clothes

Everyone is different, but I lived in a combination of leggings and nursing tops or dresses; however, after my c-section, it was incredibly uncomfortable to have anything on my stomach for several weeks, namely any kind of pants, even high-waisted ones.

In fact, when we took our son to his first pediatrician appointment, it was freezing – temperatures in the 30s! – and I wore a dress with bare legs to his appointment, because tights and leggings were so incredibly painful those first few days!

After about a week, I felt like I was ready to wear leggings and anything with a waistband – the way they pull you in was a comfort and eased some of the pain once my incision had healed.

In the case of clothing, like most women, I wore my pregnancy clothes the first few weeks (okay, let’s be real… months).

It will be a while before your stomach shrinks down (it’s science!), so don’t jump into those pre-baby pants for a while. I say this with love and care. Your body kept another human in there, so be gentle on yourself and simply wear what’s comfortable.

Miscellaneous Postpartum Essentials

Here are a few more essentials that don’t quite fit into any other category, such as recommended medications (always, always check with your doctor and pediatrician first, as this is not medical advice!), clothing and more.

Check back soon for an interactive, printable checklist of the best postpartum essentials!

What were your favorite essentials after baby was born? Have any questions about items on this list? Leave a comment below!

Favorite Kitchen Tools for Parents

Please note: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small compensation if you choose to purchase any products linked below at no extra charge to you! Click here to view our disclosure policy.

The best kitchen tools for new parents

Kitchen gadgets to get you through the first three years

The Best Kitchen Tools for New Parents - Top Kitchen Registry Picks

Registering for baby gifts is hard, right? Knowing which products really work, which ones may break or even which ones will end up in a cabinet, never to be used. Not to mention the sheer number of items there are out there.

Here I’m laying out all the best kitchen tools to get you through the first three years of being a parent, from newborn to three year olds! You’ll find my favorite tools for both parents to use and a few bonus tools that your child can use once they’re a toddler.

Looking for more of my favorite kitchen gadgets and tools? This is the first in a series of my favorites for use for meal prep and beyond! I’ll be linking the rest of the posts as they come out here. So come back soon!

P.S., scroll to the bottom of this post for a super easy recap and links to each item!

Kitchen tools for the first year

Ah, new parenthood. Full of limitless time and resources. Ha! Just kidding. It’s a time of pure chaos, between endless feedings, adjusting to the new normal as parents, and everything in between. From bottle warmers the first few months to baby food makers and storage, here are my favorite baby kitchen tools.

Bottle warmers

There are SO many options for bottle warmers today. Some are relatively low-tech, while others even have digital displays, timers, and other clever functions.

Personally, I exclusively breastfed and had high lipase, so we didn’t freeze and reheat breastmilk; however, I would often pump and store in the fridge for others to feed my kiddo when he was a newborn.

Dr Browns Bottle Warmer - Best Kitchen Tools for New ParentsSince we didn’t use our bottle warmer every day, we went with a more basic model like this from Munchkin.

So far, it has lasted four years – we used it when I would babysit my niece, too! – and shows no signs of stopping. It comes with a few accessories to make things easier depending on the size of the bottle. Also, it’s currently on sale for under $20 on Amazon, it’s hard to beat!

This bottle warmer from Dr. Brown’s is a more advanced and high-tech bottle warmer and is amazing. It has an LCD display, one-touch start, and will remember your favorite warming settings. A bonus is you don’t have to fill up this warmer after every single use.

Baby food makers + Storage

While I would love to link several different brands of baby food makers, I was so incredibly impressed with my Beaba Babycook, I can’t recommend anything else.

This baby food maker does it all: Steams, purees, defrosts, and reheats. All in less than 15 minutes! And all of the pieces besides the base are dishwasher safe, so cleanup is always a breeze.

From when my son started purees until he could chew more solid food, I used this several times a week. I would prep several frozen fruits, veggies and even meats at a time to freeze and use later.

In the beginning, I would use the full steam and puree functions, but as he got a little older, I used the steam or defrost/reheat functions for small pieces of food.

The Beaba Babycook comes in two versions: A 4.7 ounce container (in on-trend rose gold and other colors!) and a 5.5 ounce glass container version, which comes in chic colors like midnight blue with gold accents, silver, turquoise, and matte black.Beaba Baby Food Maker - Best Kitchen Tools for New Parents

When I finished making his baby food, I used these handy storage containers from OXO. They’re the perfect serving size and freezable, too!

Baby food tips

Pick up these silicone freezer storage containers and once they’re frozen, you can pop the servings into a resealable bag for even easier storage!

Bonus tip: Make puree prep a snap, I recommend buying pre-chopped, frozen vegetables. They’re frozen at their peak freshness and all you have to do is pour the bag into your baby food maker!

Or, if you prefer fresh produce, pick up one of these handy produce choppers from Mueller. With its multiple attachments, you can chop fresh produce in seconds that’s the perfect size to place into your baby food maker! It’s also one of my FAVORITE kitchen tools for parents with arthritis!

Kitchen tools for the toddler age

Everything changes when your kids start eating real food with minimal prep; however, that doesn’t mean you don’t need special tools to help make their meals easier!

Chopping and dicing kitchen tools

The key, especially once children transition into solid foods, is cutting and chopping foods into manageable sizes to reduce choking hazards.

One of my first favorite tools in this transition period was a pair or three of these kid-friendly kitchen shears. Kitchen Shears for Babies and Toddlers - Best Kitchen Tools for New ParentsThey’re smaller than your typical shears, but just as powerful. Be sure to keep these out of reach of children. These kitchen scissors are great for cutting smaller fruits and even larger foods like pizza!

Next, if you’re old school and prefer a knife and cutting board, these cutting boards are my favorite. They’re lightweight, dishwasher-friendly, and don’t get food stuck or stained after they’ve been cleaned. Plus, the color-coding is a handy plus and helps older toddlers with color recognition!

Lastly, in terms of food prep, the Mueller vegetable chopper is my absolute favorite. Especially great for folks with arthritis, as you simply pull the handle down and boom, diced food in mere seconds.

This chopper is great for fruits and vegetables, whether they’re raw like blueberries and grapes, or lightly cooked like carrots. Just be careful with foods that are super soft!

Another kitchen tool I absolutely love are these fun “cookie” cutters. They can be used on ALL sorts of foods. Toddler Cookie Cutters for fruit, vegetables and other foods for picky eaters and mealtime engagement brendadalton.com

Toddlers can be a little… picky at times, but using these shapes to cut their food into makes 1) food prep engaging and 2) kids more willing to try new foods.

Without fail, my toddler is almost always willing to eat foods he wouldn’t normally eat, like cheese, certain fruits and vegetables, when we prep together and I let him cut the food into fun shapes like hearts, bears, and stars.

Engaging toddlers in the kitchen

Engage your child in food preparation once they’re able to stand and follow directions. Well, as much as a toddler will follow directions.

One of my favorite kitchen items I have ever bought has nothing to do with food. Crazy, right?Kitchen Tower Stool for Toddlers - Best Kitchen Tools for Toddler Parents

It’s this kitchen tower. Oh, I love it. It was my son’s “big” birthday gift when he turned two. He likely would have loved this about 20 months and older, too.

The kids’ kitchen tower keeps them safe (with supervision), engages them in the cooking process, and by doing so, makes them more willing to try out new foods. We bring the tower up to our kitchen island and to let my son bring a few small toys to play with while I prepare food.

There are a few versions of kitchen towers out there, but this one from Guidecraft had more features we were looking for, including a few more safety aspects.

P.S., if you’re visiting and haven’t created your baby registry yet, you can create a registry through my link and receive a free baby box filled with lots of goodies after your first $35 is purchased through your registry! If you’re past the baby registry phase, click here to get a free one-month trial of Amazon Prime on me! Ahem, free two-day shipping, anyone?

I’d love to hear some of your favorite kitchen gadgets you use with your babies and toddlers to make life a little bit easier. Leave me a comment below or let’s chat on Instagram!

Easy Links to Favorite Kitchen Tools!

First Trimester Pregnancy Essentials

Please note: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small compensation if you choose to purchase any products linked below at no extra charge to you! Click here to view our disclosure policy.


First Trimester Pregnancy Essentials

First Trimester Pregnancy Essentials

Wait, why would I be an expert on first trimester goodies for pregnant women? That’s right: surprise! We’re expecting our first child in early 2018. We’re over the moon!

However, it didn’t matter how prepared I thought I was for pregnancy and all of its symptoms… It still surprised me the severity of some, especially while dealing with autoimmune disease like arthritis and thyroid disorder. Here are some of my favorite tips and items that made things go a little bit smoother those first 13 weeks!

Rest, nap, sleep, breathe… When you need it

The hardest thing for me to cope with during my first trimester was my guilt surrounding my need to nap… every single day. Even when my rheumatoid arthritis was at its worst, I had never felt more exhausted by simply waking up once I was pregnant.

It was a definite shock, but after I came to terms with the fact that is is more than okay to not only need a nap, but schedule one into each day, the easier things became. A sleep mask doesn’t hurt for those mid-day slumbers either.

Keep your doctors in the loop

If you’re like me and have chronic illnesses — most specifically autoimmune diseases — that you are currently on medication for, always make sure your doctors are in the loop. Personally, I have four specialist doctors who communicate between one another and decide the best treatment for my rheumatoid arthritis during my pregnancy.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t one of the women who goes into remission during pregnancy, so I’ve remained on injections during pregnancy. In fact, my doctors were second to know (outside of my husband and I!) that I was pregnant so we could decide the best course of action. Always make sure your medications are approved by all your doctors, especially your obstetrician(s). And don’t be afraid to do your own research and ask questions. It’s now about you and your baby when it comes to your treatment!

A wedge pillow

You’ll see so many people tout how wonderful maternity pillows are, but if you’re early in your pregnancy, it may be a little too soon to jump into the full body pillow. I’m a lifelong stomach-sleeper, so to get myself prepared to sleep on my sides, I dipped my toe in the water: I bought a pregnancy wedge pillow.

And you guys, the hiccapop wedge has changed my life! Not only is it great for pregnancy, but it is awesome for arthritis, too. It’s primarily marketed mostly for sleeping at night, but I use it when driving as a back support (hello, tailbone pain), when I’m at my desk, on the couch… everywhere! There are so many ways to use it, too: between the legs, elevating your feet, behind your neck to sit up comfortably in bed. This is definitely my favorite first trimester purchase, hands down.

Belly band

I genuinely didn’t think I would need a belly band until well into my pregnancy. You can imagine my surprise when, at 11 weeks, I would pull on a pair of shorts or jeans like usual and when I would attempt to button them… no dice. Ingrid & Isabel belly bands have been my favorite so far and they come in a variety of colors.

Early in pregnancy, you can fold the band down (in half) for a little extra support for your tiny growing bump. As it gets bigger, simply unroll it to cover your whole stomach!

Pregnancy bath salts and thermometer

These two little babies go hand in hand. Experts say no hot tubs during pregnancy due to how hot the water can get, but I absolutely love taking baths, especially for my arthritis. I invested – ha! – in an incredibly affordable bath thermometer I found off Amazon. Works quickly, is accurate and gives me peace of mind when I take a bath.

My other favorite pregnancy bath product is Pink Stork Flakes. I originally picked these up because they claimed they could ease morning sickness… and it helps! Salts are a great way to relax your muscles and ease pain in your joints, whether you’re an arthritis warrior like me or dealing with regular pregnancy pains.

Preggie Pops

I admire and I’m a little jealous of women who go through pregnancy without any sort of morning sickness. Luckily for me, vomiting didn’t come around too often, but the nausea was almost debilitating for the first 10 weeks. While I was given prescription medication, I would still pop a Preggie Pop if I was having a particularly nauseating afternoon or driving somewhere… anywhere (oh yes, I had pregnancy car sickness!).

Now that I’m off the medication, I use these every now and then to combat the errant nausea. They last a long time and are easy to keep in your purse or pocket!


What are your favorite tips on getting through the first trimester of pregnancy?