Choosing Your Baby's Healthcare Provider

When you enter the hospital you will be asked who you want to care for your baby. Your baby will be examined by a healthcare provider within the first twenty-four hours or sooner if needed.

Finding a healthcare provider for your baby is one of the most important jobs you will do.

Here are examples of some healthcare providers:

• Pediatricians are physicians who have spent at least three years after medical school in training for the management of childhood and adolescent problems and illnesses.
• Family Practitioners are physicians who spent part of their formal medical training in the management of children’s problems, and who are educated to treat the whole family.
• Pediatric or Family Nurse Practitioners have a Registered Nurse’s degree and, in addition, have a master’s degree in pediatric or family nursing, including primary care health.

Getting Started
During your last trimester of pregnancy, before you have your baby, we recommend you choose your baby’s healthcare provider.

Right after your baby is born may not be the best time to make a thoughtful decision about who will provide care for your baby. It is a good idea to have both parents meet with the practitioner.

Two opinions are better than one, plus you will both have established a relationship with the practitioner and feel more comfortable when calling with questions or taking the baby for a visit.

The best way to find a healthcare provider is through people who use them most; other parents. Ask friends, relatives, neighbors and parent groups in the community for their recommendations.

Ask the healthcare provider who you are seeing for your prenatal care about this important decision. If your baby is admitted to the NICU, a neonatologist will care for your baby while in the hospital.

Before your baby is discharged, you will need to have a healthcare provider chosen to continue with your baby’s care after discharge. To help with a smooth transition of care, please contact your baby’s healthcare provider as soon as possible and let the NICU staff know who your baby’s healthcare provider will be after discharge from the NICU.

Things to Consider

• Where is the office located? Is it easy to get to? What are the office hours? Is it open evenings and weekends?
• What is the cost of a routine office visit? Can financial arrangements be made? Is there a charge for telephone advice?

Things to Look for
Find someone you are comfortable talking with. Does he or she:

• Listen and encourage you to ask questions? Inform and involve you in decisions regarding your baby?
• If you are planning to have your baby boy circumcised, does the healthcare provider
  do the procedure? When and where will this be done?
• If you are breastfeeding, is the healthcare provider supportive of breastfeeding?

If you are new to the area, you can call the Marion-Polk County Medical Society to ask about care providers. Their number is 503-362-9674, or visit their Web site at www.mpmedsociety.org.