Your bundle of joy has just arrived and you are over the moon about the new addition to the family. While you have many reasons to celebrate about, you also have some worries and concerns, especially those that come along when your little one falls sick. In such cases, it is the pediatrician, a doctor who specializes in treating babies and children, that you go to. If this is your first baby, you may well have concerns about how to find the right Gaithersburg MD pediatrician for your new born baby. Don’t worry. Here are some tips that can help you.

# 1 – Begin with research

You can find about pediatricians in Gaithersburg, MD by searching for such specialists online. This is the simplest and quickest way to find multiple doctors in your locality, including ones that have an independent practice, clinics, or those who are attached to a hospital. When doing so, see for online reviews to know what patients, or rather their parents, have to say as feedback about these practitioners. You can also ask your friends, family, or neighbors who have had a baby recently or who have young children that need pediatric care. These people can give you first-hand feedback about the doctors.

# 2 – Consider qualifications and experience

Pediatrics is a specialization where the doctor essentially spends extra years at medical school getting trained to provide care for newborn babies, kids, and to an extent, teenagers. Whoever you choose to visit, ensure that they are well-qualified and have the necessary license to practice. Many practitioners choose to get certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. See if your child’s doctor has such certifications. Also, see how long they have been in practice and in what settings. Having experience working with a team of specialists can help widen their knowledge and credentials.

# 3 – Assess how the pediatrician attends to your child

The way the pediatricians attend to your child has a huge bearing on how comfortable he or she feels around the doctor. Your newborn can’t yet speak and the only way to assess his/her comfort levels is by seeing how the baby responds to the doctor and how attentive and patient the practitioner is with the child. Most pediatricians choose speciality because of their love for kids. However, it is ok to be double sure that fit with your child is right. Only then will your child be able to make the maximum of the visits as he or she grows up and develops.

# 4 – See if your philosophies match

Many pediatricians in Gaithersburg offer free visits that help parents decide if they are a good fit. During such sessions, you can evaluate the doctor about his communication styles – how open he/she is to listen to your problems and giving you a patient response. There can sometimes be a clash of ideologies or care philosophies. Like vaccination choices, sleep and food habits, and so on. Doctors know a great deal about children and they can often find parents fretting unnecessarily over their babies problems. But that’s no reason to not lend an ear, because parents know their kids best.

# 5 – See if you have options for advanced care

New born babies can fall sick often, and in some rare cases, these might be acute illnesses or critical cases that need specialized care and treatment. Check if the pediatrician you choose has facilities within the clinic or practice. It helps to have specialists who can attend on call. If not, he/she should be able to refer you and your baby to a hospital that can provide the necessary care. Because in such critical moments, you do not want to waste time looking for another doctor who can provide the right treatment to your precious bundle of joy.

Choosing a pediatrician in Gaithersburg, MD is something you need to do with care. Make sure to prepare your questions in advance and discuss them openly with your doctor. Take time to assess the practitioner well because this is one bond that will continue for a long time. So, let it be a good one.