Pediatricians supportive of attachment parenting in VA?
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
|
Can anyone recommend a pediatrician supportive of attachment parenting, breastfeeding, possible delayed vaccination schedule, with an office in decent driving distance from Arlington?
|
Anonymous
|
Dr Jasani at Capital Area pediatrics. She is wonderful!!!
We BF, coslept, wore the baby, etc and she always had words of encouragement. I didn't delay vax though because we traveled International during the first year. |
Anonymous
| Highly recommend Dr. Mary Ellen Gallagher in Arlington |
Anonymous
| Dr. Baldrate at NoVA Pediatrics in Falls Church has been wonderful. We still BF, co-sleep and wear our 1+yr old and she doesn't bat an eyelash. The practice does not support a delayed schedule, however they have been good about letting me space them a bit. For example, when DD got her MMR, I wouldn't let them give varicella and flu too (I just think 5 diseases at once is too much) but brought her back a few weeks later and there was no problem. |
Anonymous
| Murphy and Staats in Burke has been fine. They have a number of patients who practice AP. They don't tend to ask me about personal parenting choice type stuff. |
Anonymous
| Why would you need to discuss your personal parenting philosophy with your kid's pediatrician? |
Anonymous
| LOVE Dr. Baldrate. She's fantastic, kind, gentle with the kids and is super supportive of and knowlegeable about extended BFing and cosleeping. |
Anonymous
There are a lot of attachment parenting philosophies that directly relate to a child's health. Examples: natural/home birth, exclusive breastfeeding, extended breastfeeding, co-sleeping, anti-circumcision, a focus on natural health (local/organic/etc), possibly alternative/delayed vaccinations, positive disciple, etc. Hopefully that helps clarify the importance of having a care provider that is respectful of those choices. |
Anonymous
My DD sees her, and we love her! We also didn't delay vax, but last year when we had to return in a few weeks for the 2nd flu shot in the series, she suggested we break up the 2 scheduled vax from the current visit. I didn't ask; she suggested it. BTW, you need to get into the practice as a newborn. They aren't taking patients any other way now... they are that great. |
Anonymous
Thank for explaining! I do some of the things listed and have never discussed any of it much with my kids' doctor. I can see needing to discuss delayed vaccine though. I still wouldn't get too hung up this stuff though OP. You raise your kid, not the pediatrician. You don't meed their "seal of approval" for the majority of the things listed. |
Anonymous
| You don't need your ped's seal of approval, however this person should be a partner in caring for your child's health and wellness. Most people would freak out if a pediatrician told a parent who ferberized that they are heartless and cruel to make their child suffer, or that a mother is selfish and uncaring to give formula. Having a pediatrician that understands and is willing to work with your parenting choices, to the extent that they aren't dangerous to your child, is important no matter what your approach to parenting is. |
Anonymous
|
Dr Jasani was awesome to us and very supportive. I was getting drained because of cluster feeding and she suggested bed sharing.
To the PP who thinks it doesn't matter I wonder if you're not a mother yet... You and your Ped MUST be on the same page or the relationship won't work. |
Anonymous
PP here - mother of two 
I am not trying to be a PITA - but I just think some new mother's get wrapped around the axle on certain things and I am trying to offer a different perspective. Maybe I just have a different set of expectations though. I expect my kid's pediatrician to notice any developmental delays (physical and mental) as early as possible so we can seek treatment, diagnose illnesses, prescribe medicine for those illnessess when necessary, and make sure their vaccines are up-to-date. I don't seek parenting advice from my kid's doctor. However, I see your point and it is true that if I didn't like her or felt she was being condescending, I would seek out another doctor for my kids. As I said - the one real sticking point would be the vaccination issue. If you want to vaccinate on a delayed schedule or skip some - then you definitely have to make sure your pediatrician is on board. Good luck OP! |
Anonymous
I feel the same way. Honestly, this is such a new mom thing. You are at the ped a lot those first few months, but after that, we are hardly ever there. We go once a year for physicals for our 3 year old and very infrequently for more "acute" care like strep tests or something. Of course we will be getting ready to go more frequently with the new baby. Most peds are not prescriptive about things like sleep and I can't imagine any ped not supportive of BFing??? And if you are extending BFing, you likely aren't talking to the ped about it at that point. I got help with the LC at my ped for those first few weeks of BFing but haven't needed to bring it up since then. |
Anonymous
|
First PP quoted here.
It's a slippery slope because some of this aspects overlap. Why we choose an OB so carefully making sure they're on the same page re our birthing options and the same doesn't apply with pediatricians? During my child's first year we were there a lot and I can't imagine trying to get support and advice from a doctor who does not share (or at least respects and understand) my choices. We had to see other docs on occasion and I was shocked with some of their reactions. For example one doc was shocked because I was "still" BF at 9 months, another one tried to blame a misterious rash on the "pampers" we were using (we cloth diaper). When you're struggling to get a few more hours of sleep it doesn't help to hear from the pediatrician that your child "doens't need to eat at night anymore" - how do they know when MY child is hungry? When we were looking for a doctor I came on here asking for advice on an AP and cultural competent doctor. People all over this board laughed at me dismissing my concerns and I must say I'm pretty happy for sticking to my beliefs. Dr Jasani was wonderful in every single aspect of our relationship. She understands my concerns, respects our choices and offers invaluable advice in all concerns we have. I don't think OP's concerns should be dismissed. It makes sense to look for someone who will approve and support you. Being a FTM is not easy task and every tidy bit of encouragement you can get through those tough moths is a huge step towards self confidence and to help you go through the looooong lonely first months of parenthood. OP, go with your gut and pic a doc who'll be by your side and supporting YOUR decisions.
|