Preparing for a new baby comes with a seemingly endless list of decisions. Some are exciting, some are practical, and some are easy to postpone until your due date suddenly feels much closer than it used to.
Choosing a pediatrician is one decision that is worth making before your baby arrives.
Your pediatrician may become one of your family’s most important healthcare partners throughout childhood. During the newborn period alone, parents often have questions about feeding, sleep, weight gain, development, illness, vaccines, crying, behavior and the countless surprises that come with caring for a new baby.
Finding a pediatrician during pregnancy gives you time to compare practices, understand their philosophies, confirm insurance coverage and decide where you feel most comfortable before you are simultaneously recovering from delivery and learning how to care for a newborn.
For Denver-area families, a little preparation now can make those first days at home much easier.
When Should You Choose a Pediatrician During Pregnancy?
There is no single perfect week to choose your baby’s pediatrician, but the second or third trimester is a good time to begin researching practices.
Starting early gives you time to gather recommendations, compare providers, verify insurance participation, explore different approaches to pediatric care and ask questions without feeling rushed.
There is also a practical reason to make the decision before delivery. Newborns usually need pediatric follow-up very soon after leaving the hospital. Having a practice selected ahead of time means that when your baby arrives, you already know whom to call and how that first appointment will work.
You certainly do not need to have every detail of your child’s future medical care figured out before birth. You are simply choosing a team you feel comfortable beginning that journey with.
Start by Asking People You Trust
Personal recommendations are still one of the best places to begin.
Ask friends, family members, neighbors and other parents about their experiences with local pediatric practices. Your obstetrician, midwife or other prenatal healthcare provider may also have helpful recommendations based on their experience with pediatricians in your community.
But think of a recommendation as the beginning of your research rather than the end.
A pediatrician who is perfect for your best friend may not necessarily be the right fit for your family. Once you have several possibilities, spend some time researching the practices themselves.
Look at their provider team, philosophy, locations, policies, reviews, accessibility and approach to care.
For many expectant parents, the decision-making process looks something like this:
Recommendation → online research → provider comparison → questions or prenatal conversation → decision
Each step can tell you something different.
Think About What Matters Most to Your Family
Before comparing individual pediatricians, it can help to think about what you actually want from a pediatric practice.
For some families, convenience and same-day access are major priorities. Others place particular importance on continuity with one provider, feeding support, preventive care, behavioral health, an integrative approach or strong communication between appointments.
You may care about several of these things at once.
There is no universal ranking of what makes one pediatric practice “best.” The goal is to understand your own priorities so you can recognize a practice that fits them.
Does the Practice’s Philosophy Fit Your Family?
Credentials and medical expertise are essential, but choosing a pediatrician is also about choosing a relationship that could last for many years.
Some families prefer a very traditional pediatric model. Others appreciate an approach that considers nutrition, development, behavior, emotional wellbeing, family circumstances and lifestyle alongside conventional medical care.
As you research practices, consider questions such as:
- Does the practice welcome questions from parents?
- Are recommendations explained clearly?
- Are parents encouraged to participate in decisions?
- Does the practice emphasize preventive care?
- How does it approach nutrition, sleep, development and emotional health?
- Would you feel comfortable expressing a concern or asking for clarification?
At Partners In Pediatrics, this broader perspective is reflected in our philosophy of Whole Child Health, which recognizes physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing as interconnected parts of a child’s health.
Whatever practice you ultimately choose, its philosophy should make sense to your family.
Look at the Entire Pediatric Team – Not Just One Doctor
Parents often begin their search with one particular pediatrician in mind, but it is worth evaluating the entire practice.
Look at the physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and other clinicians. Review their training, professional interests and backgrounds. Provider biographies can also give you a sense of how different clinicians approach working with children and families.
Then ask an important practical question:
What happens when my preferred pediatrician is not available?
Babies and children have an impressive ability to become sick on days when schedules are already full.
In a group pediatric practice, the strength of the broader team matters. You may build a particularly strong relationship with one provider while still occasionally seeing someone else for an urgent or same-day need.
Understanding how the practice balances continuity and availability can help prevent surprises later.
Consider Training, Experience and Credentials
You should feel comfortable asking about a pediatrician’s training and professional background.
You may want to learn where providers completed their medical education and pediatric training, whether they are board certified when applicable, how long they have been practicing and whether they have particular clinical interests.
Credentials alone will not tell you whether someone is the right pediatrician for your family, but they are an important part of the overall picture.
Confirm Your Insurance Coverage
Before becoming attached to a particular practice, verify that it participates with your health insurance.
Insurance networks can change, and coverage may vary between plans even within the same insurance company. It is generally wise to confirm participation with both the pediatric practice and your insurance provider.
You may also want to ask how billing questions are handled and whether there are services that commonly fall outside routine insurance coverage.
It is not the most exciting part of choosing your baby’s pediatrician, but finding out about an insurance problem after your baby arrives is considerably less exciting.
Consider Location and Everyday Convenience
A pediatric practice can look perfect online and feel less perfect when you are trying to get there with a newborn, a diaper bag and very little sleep.
Think realistically about location.
How far is the office from home, work or childcare? Is parking straightforward? Does the practice have more than one location? Are appointment times compatible with your family’s schedule?
Convenience should not necessarily outweigh excellent medical care, but it becomes surprisingly important over years of well-child visits, sick appointments and unexpected concerns.
Ask About Same-Day and After-Hours Care
It is easy to evaluate a pediatric practice based on routine checkups. It is equally important to understand what happens when your child becomes sick unexpectedly.
Ask how the practice handles same-day appointments and what happens when your usual provider is unavailable.
You may also want to know:
- What should parents do when the office is closed?
- Is there an after-hours advice service?
- Are weekend appointments available?
- When should families use urgent care?
- How are truly urgent or emergency situations handled?
Knowing the answers before you need them can make a stressful situation much easier to navigate.
Ask How Newborn Care Works
Every pediatric practice handles the transition from hospital care to outpatient newborn care somewhat differently.
Before choosing a pediatrician, find out what happens after delivery.
Depending on where you give birth, your newborn may initially be cared for by a hospital pediatrician or neonatologist before transitioning to the pediatric practice you selected.
Useful questions include:
- When should we contact the pediatric office after our baby is born?
- How soon after hospital discharge will our baby be seen?
- How is the first newborn appointment scheduled?
- What should we bring to the first visit?
- How are feeding or weight concerns handled?
- Who should we call if we have a concern before the appointment?
The first newborn visit generally includes a physical examination, review of weight and feeding, discussion of relevant hospital and screening information, and plenty of time for questions.
Understanding the process beforehand can remove one significant source of uncertainty from the first few days at home.
Ask About Feeding Support
Few subjects generate as many questions for new parents as feeding.
Whether your baby receives breast milk, formula or a combination, you want a pediatric team that can assess feeding, hydration, weight gain and overall health while helping you find an approach that works safely for your baby and family.
If breastfeeding is important to you, ask whether the practice provides lactation support directly or works with trusted lactation professionals.
You can also ask how the pediatric team handles formula questions, supplementation, feeding difficulties and newborns who are not gaining weight as expected.
A good pediatric relationship should help you feel supported rather than judged during a period that can already feel overwhelming.
Understand the Practice’s Vaccination Policy
Vaccination policies can differ among pediatric practices, so it is helpful to understand a practice’s approach before establishing care.
Look for a clearly stated vaccination policy. If you have questions about the recommendations or expectations, pregnancy gives you time to ask them thoughtfully rather than encountering an unexpected disagreement later.
A pediatric team should be able to explain its recommendations clearly, discuss the reasoning and evidence behind them, and help parents understand what the practice expects from families.
The most important thing at this stage is clarity.
Learn How Communication Works Between Appointments
New parents have questions.
Lots of them.
That is completely normal.
Before choosing a pediatrician, find out how families communicate with the practice when they are not sitting in an exam room.
Can parents call with routine questions? Is there a patient portal? How are messages handled? Who responds to medical questions? What happens after hours?
You may rarely need urgent assistance, but knowing where to turn when something worries you can provide enormous reassurance.
Look Beyond Sick Visits
A pediatrician is not simply someone you call when your child has an ear infection.
Much of pediatric care happens when children are healthy.
Regular well-child visits allow the pediatric team to follow growth, development, nutrition, sleep, behavior, emotional health, safety and preventive care over time.
The pediatrician you choose during pregnancy may eventually become someone you talk with about:
sleep problems,
starting solid foods,
speech and developmental milestones,
school readiness,
behavior,
anxiety,
nutrition,
sports,
puberty,
friendships,
mental health,
and the transition toward young adulthood.
That long-term relationship is one reason choosing thoughtfully matters.
Consider the Resources Available Outside the Exam Room
Parents spend far more time caring for their children at home than they do inside a pediatric office.
For that reason, it can be useful to look at the educational support a practice provides between appointments.
Does the practice offer reliable information about common illnesses? Developmental guidance? Practical advice about when home care may be appropriate and when a pediatrician should be called?
High-quality resources can make parents feel more confident navigating the ordinary illnesses, questions and developmental changes that occur throughout childhood.
Read Pediatrician Reviews – But Put Them in Context
Online reviews can provide useful insight into other families’ experiences, particularly when a practice has enough recent reviews for meaningful patterns to emerge.
Try not to make your decision based on one exceptionally enthusiastic review or one unusually unhappy one.
Instead, look for themes.
Do families frequently mention that providers listen?
Do parents describe clear communication?
Is scheduling consistently praised or criticized?
Do families feel respected?
Do children seem comfortable with the clinicians?
Consider reviews alongside credentials, recommendations, accessibility, philosophy and your own experience with the practice.
Reviews are one useful source of information. They do not have to make the decision for you.
If You Choose Partners in Pediatrics, What Happens After Your Baby Is Born?
If PIP feels like the right fit for your family, the transition into care is designed to be simple.
You do not need to navigate a complicated enrollment process before your baby arrives. Once your baby is born, let PIP know when you leave the hospital, or contact the practice the following business day if you are discharged over a weekend.
The team will arrange your baby’s first appointment, generally 1-2 days after hospital discharge, at the PIP location that works best for your family.
PIP has offices in Denver and Englewood, and our providers work together as a team. Families can request a preferred provider for appointments scheduled in advance while still having the flexibility to see another PIP provider when a same-day need arises.
PIP families also receive Naturally Healthy Kids, our A-to-Z handbook covering common childhood illnesses, home care, prevention, wellness and guidance about when to contact a healthcare provider. It can be especially useful for first-time parents navigating all the unfamiliar questions that come with a new baby.
From the first newborn appointment forward, the goal is simple: to give families excellent pediatric care, useful information and a team they feel comfortable turning to as their child grows.
Your Pediatrician Should Feel Like a Partner
Ultimately, choosing a pediatrician means choosing people you may trust with your child’s health for many years.
You should feel comfortable asking questions, raising concerns and participating in decisions. You do not have to agree about every small detail, but you should feel respected and confident that recommendations are being made thoughtfully and with your child’s wellbeing in mind.
At Partners In Pediatrics, that idea is at the heart of our philosophy:
Partnering with Families for Whole Child Health.
For Denver-area parents preparing to welcome a baby, choosing your pediatrician before delivery can provide one small but meaningful piece of certainty during a season filled with change.
And when your baby finally arrives, it is nice to know that one important decision has already been made.
(Meg: I will insert a call to action to link people to the Prenatal page at this point – Ben)
Frequently Asked Questions About Choosing a Pediatrician Before Baby Arrives
When should I choose a pediatrician during pregnancy?
The second or third trimester is a good time to begin researching pediatricians. Choosing a practice before delivery gives you time to compare providers, confirm insurance coverage, understand office procedures and ask questions without feeling rushed.
Do I need to choose a pediatrician before giving birth?
It may not always be formally required, but choosing a pediatrician before your baby is born is very helpful. Newborn follow-up occurs soon after hospital discharge, so having a practice selected ahead of time makes those first appointments easier to arrange.
How do I find a good pediatrician in Denver?
Start by asking trusted parents and your prenatal healthcare provider for recommendations. Then compare each practice’s providers, philosophy, location, insurance participation, appointment availability, reviews, newborn-care procedures and communication systems. The best choice is a practice that combines excellent medical care with a relationship and approach that feel right for your family.
What questions should I ask a pediatrician before my baby is born?
Ask about newborn appointments, feeding support, vaccinations, office hours, same-day care, after-hours support, insurance, provider availability, communication and the practice’s philosophy. You may also want to ask what happens when your preferred provider is unavailable.
When will my newborn first see a pediatrician?
Most newborns need pediatric follow-up within the first few days after leaving the hospital. The exact timing depends on your baby’s health, feeding, weight and circumstances at discharge. PIP generally schedules a new baby’s first office visit 1-2 days after hospital discharge.
What happens at the first newborn pediatrician visit?
Your pediatric team will typically examine your baby, check weight and growth, discuss feeding and hydration, review relevant hospital and newborn-screening information and answer questions about caring for your newborn.
Is a group pediatric practice better than having one pediatrician?
Neither model is inherently better. A group practice can offer additional scheduling flexibility and access to another trusted clinician when your preferred provider is unavailable. Families should consider both their relationship with an individual provider and their comfort with the broader pediatric team.
What is Whole Child Health?
Whole Child Health considers a child’s physical health together with development, mental and emotional wellbeing, family life, nutrition, sleep and other factors that influence how children grow and thrive. At PIP, this broader perspective complements evidence-based pediatric medical care.
Should online reviews influence which pediatrician I choose?
Reviews can be helpful, particularly when a practice has enough recent reviews to reveal consistent patterns. Look for recurring comments about provider communication, accessibility, bedside manner, scheduling and whether families feel heard and respected. Reviews are best considered alongside credentials, recommendations, philosophy and your own experience.
How do I become a PIP patient after my baby is born?
Let PIP know when you leave the hospital, or contact the practice on the following business day after a weekend discharge. The team will arrange your newborn’s first appointment, generally 1-2 days after hospital discharge, at the PIP location that works best for your family.