When you’re pregnant, you are the focus of attention when you visit a doctor’s office.  All that changes once your baby arrives.  When the baby arrives, all of the focus shifts from you to the baby.  You’ll need to find a pediatrician - but which one?  Asking the right questions during an interview may help you choose the right doctor for your child.  The following questions, and why you want to ask them, may help you with your decision.

* If you plan to breastfeed your baby, be sure to ask a potential doctor how they feel about breastfeeding.  If they aren’t supportive of breastfeeding, you probably don’t want them as your child’s doctor.  Medical evidence has shown consistently how beneficial breastfeeding is for newborns and infants.  Finding a supportive doctor will make the task ahead of you that much simpler.

* Ask them which immunizations are necessary and which ones can be skipped.  Also, ask them which shots they would give their own children if they had them the same age.  This is a hot topic today with the mounting concerns about immunizations and the side effects caused by them.  Of course, most pediatricians may tell you that all shots are necessary.  However, you may find one that is open to not giving them on the same schedule. You won’t know if you don’t ask.

* If you have a boy, you’ll want to know if the pediatrician will perform a circumcision if your family chooses to go that route.  If they don’t do the circumcision themselves, find out who will do that procedure.  Don’t be shy about asking them why they don’t circumcise boys, if that is the case.

* You’ll also want to ask if the pediatrician has 24-hour phone service in case of emergencies.  Of course, you don’t want to ever need their help in an emergency, but it’s good to know that you can get in touch with them if they are needed outside of office hours.

* What time during business hours, if any, are they available to take telephone calls?  Obviously you won’t be calling them on a daily basis over the slightest sniffle or bump, but if you do have concerns or need clarifications, you want to know what time they will take a call or if they return a call to you.

* It is equally important to know ahead of time what expenses you’ll incur when you bring your child into the office.  However, money shouldn’t be the sole determination of whether to choose a doctor.  It would also be good to know what forms of payment they accept prior to your first visit.

No parent wants to think about their child being injured or sick. It may be inevitable, though.  When interviewing a pediatrician, asking the right questions will help you choose the doctor to care for your child.  It will also help you establish a relationship with them before the child is born, as well as help you avoid any surprises when payment is due.