Pediatrician?

[brewso.livejournal.com]

I apologize if this has been discussed before, but I am apparently not very adept at searching the archives.

I am 20 weeks pregnant, and my doctor recommended today that I start thinking about a pediatrician. It seems early to me, but I guess it's never too early to research. So, does anyone have a local doctor that they love? I am pretty crunchy as mamas go, and really want someone who will respect the following: delayed vaccing, exclusive breastfeeding, co-sleeping (in a bassinet or co-sleeper, not directly in the bed). I'm not big into medicine, either, (although I do respect its necessity with big illnesses) so someone who at least entertains alternative remedies and doesn't just immediately grab the prescription pen would be great.

Thanks! 

Comments

[masswich.livejournal.com]

Its a fairly mainstream solution but we've been fairly happy with Harvard Vanguard's Cambridge office, specifically Dr. Kruger. He's good with kids and he's pretty mellow about most things. I don't know how he'd feel about vaccinations being delayed but he was certainly sympathetic to our concerns and allowed us to avoid doing too many at one time.

I also like the connection to Children's Hospital (they do great stitches, which most kids will need at some point) and the fact that their urgent care center on weekends is the Davis Square building.

[brewso.livejournal.com]

Re: Delayed Vaccinating

I should clarify what I meant when I mentioned this as a criteria. First and foremost, we are only just in the beginning stages of learning what all of this means for our baby to be. We may very well follow a standard vaccination schedule.

I do not believe in NOT vaccinating my child. To do so would be reckless with not only her life, but potentially with the lives of others who come in contact with her. That said, I do believe in informed vaccinating, in which I know what is going into my child and why it is recommended, as well as the risks involved. I also believe in spacing out vaccinations to watch for any potential complications/side effects. To do so may very well mean that some vaccinations get delayed beyond their normal recommended time frame. I am not looking to be a maverick mom and make my own rules. I am looking to be informed, fueled by my healthy dose of skepticism that all of these dead viruses we are pumping into tiny babies may not be 100% necessary. Sweeping medical recommendations for pregnant women and infants have been wrong in the past, and I see no reason why they couldn't be making mistakes now, too. This doesn't mean that I will blindly follow the Jenny McCarthys of the world, though.

I certainly have some research to do before I make any decisions. I guess that, when I said I was looking for a pediatrician who would delay vaccing, I really meant that I was looking for someone who had scientifically-based thought-out reasons for their recommendations, rather than just following some arbitrarily set timetable. I plan on following the rules, most likely, but I am not comfortable doing so simply because "the doctor/FDA/government said so."