Expect Too Much from Pediatrician?

I cannot say any one pediatrician is going to have all the answers you want to hear. We've had 3 already and I'm with one I like ok. We use him when we have to for check-ups and illness that requires medicating. The person that will look out for your child above and beyond anyone is yourself and you have to learn to trust yourself and your own research. Doctors contradict each other and research all the time. Go with your gut and find one you "like" for when its medically necessary. Maybe I'm jaded, but this outlook works just fine for my family now that I've learned to trust my own judgement and not put complete faith in any one doc.

I think my pediatrician said that starting cereal and other solids was a more developmental step than getting extra calories. They are learning how to swallow bigger chunks of food, learning hand-eye coordination, and the experiences of new tastes and textures and such. Usually by 6 months or so when they are sitting on your lap, they are reaching for whatever you may be eating, so they are definately interested in your food to try.
As far as not trusting your doctor, you have to realize that the doctor sees your child for 15 minutes and you tell them what is going on. The doctor is trained to look for certain things that may be wrong, but you are with your child everyday...you know your child and everything about him. I think it may be unreasonable to expect any doctor to give you perfect information, but it is a valuable source that deserves consideration, along with all the other research you have done.

Most importantly, you need to find a pediatrician you're comfortable with. Being informed is so important but you also need to recognize that the pediatrician is who she is because of extensive medical training - training that non-medical-professionals do not have. That doesn't mean they aren't ever wrong. It just means that sometimes they know better than we do. I would NEVER blindly trust my pediatrician, but if I need to make a medical decision, I definitely seek him out for counsel and sound advice.

It sounds like you are very smart and probably did your research on this pediatrician before you selected her. If this is the first time you've disagreed, I'd say give her another 6 months or so (you'll have a lot of appt's in that time) and see how it goes. This might be the only issue on which you two disagree.

Bottom line: I think you need to figure out if this is a big enough issue to go through switching pediatricians. No one can judge that except you - you know what/how much you can let slide and what's a sticking point. I think you should give her another chance over the next 6 months but be guarded and observant. In the mean time, you can be looking in case you need to switch, but you'll still have her to attend to your childs' medical needs should an emergency arise.

I do feel that, sometimes, doctors forget the families and emotions behind the
patients. Sometimes I feel like the doctors (not just pediatricians) look at us like a chart of issues and not a person who needs help, and they forget to listen to us and have compassion - they are just interested in solving the medical problem and moving on. If you find a doctor who can listen and be compassionate, I think they would likely be open to any parenting style/choice (anything that's safe, that is!).

My only rec: have you considered a D.O.? Their medical philosophy is just a little bit different than an M.D. and they have all the same training and credentials.

I can't recommend my pediatrician... I like him a lot but he kinda pushes pharmacology too much for my taste. I'm more of a less-is-more kind of gal. But his office staff is awesome and I never wait in the waiting room more than 10 minutes. I LOVE that part! :-) GOOD LUCK!

Hi, M.. If you aren't happy with your pediatrician over this, you might want to find someone you'll be more comfortable with. Otherwise, you will wonder every time she tells you something. I went to see a new pediatrician after my first one retired, and that office staff stuck us in an exam room (rather abruptly) and forgot about us for nearly an hour. I was livid. I have friends who use this pediatrician and love her, but there was no way I was going back there. They apologized, offered free visits, etc., but that wasn't the kind of care and attention I expected from my baby's pediatrician (and staff). We switched doctors.

I will say in your pediatrician's defense that when my baby was 4 months old, the medical research said to start the cereals! Maybe she's just a bit out of date. Good luck to you and your family. I hope you find the perfect pediatrician for you. :)