Incredibly Covid-cautious pediatrician
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Anonymous
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I am due with my third child in 8 weeks. My older two children are 2 and 4 and currently attend full day daycare and have throughout the pandemic since my DH and I work in roles that required in person attendance. I was at my 4 year old’s well visit last week and our pediatrician who we have used since her birth asked when we were removing the kids from a congregate care setting to “quarantine” before the baby’s birth. She then advised they don’t return until after flu season/ possible covid rise in the winter to protect the baby due to the lack of pediatric vaccines.
We have loved this doctor but over the past year she seems to practice more out of paranoia then realizing many of us take calculated risks because we have to support our family. I hate to think of finding a new doctor as we hit the homestretch of pregnancy, but I really don’t want to get a guilt trip/ lecture at every visit. I told her at the appointment that we planned on keeping our other girls in daycare to keep them on a schedule and give them a sense of normalcy. She replied that she disagreed with my decision and I was placing my soon to be born baby at risk. She also advises that the girls be masked around the baby and no outside help (my parents) even if they have been (and are!) vaccinated. Before I start looking for a different doctor, are other DMV pediatricians suggesting the same thing? |
Anonymous
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Actually, yes. Even pre-covid, our pediatrician recommended keeping older child out of daycare for a couple months. Colds for newborns are potentially dangerous. Covid aside, flu season is going to be bad this year, too.
My in-laws are Iranian and a 40 day “quarantine” after the birth of a new baby is fairly common. |
Anonymous
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I received the same advice about daycare for our other children as did my sister in Chicago. We are both planning to do that. But definitely having vaccinated parents come to help especially with the other kids at home. For us it is just a risk assessment. While our daycare has been open I do feel like with a newborn the risk of them bringing something home makes me feel uneasy.
That said, ours will be going back to daycare in the fall. I think you may need a new pediatrician regardless. If you don't see eye to eye or feel supported that may not be the best doctor for your family. |
Anonymous
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When are you due, OP?
Would it really be a hardship to keep your older girls home during your maternity leave? Does DH have leave too? Is your doctor being super cautious because of covid or the flu/colds? |
Anonymous
Op here. Im due mid August and have maternity leave through Thanksgiving. At that point I planned to put all three in the same center. The new baby is expected to have a spot open mid November. Keeping the kids in care this summer seems to be lower risk than the one I will need to take in November (and was fine with until the doctor spoke up) with regard to flu. My DH plans to take 2 weeks off then will head back to work. Since this is number three I was feeling confident being home alone with the girls in daycare. Actually sounds easier than wrangling the other two!! We would need to keep paying for the older girls too at daycare to hold their spot. While they are at a federal center that is cheaper, losing $9k just during maternity leave is hard to swallow. My impression was that my doctor was being very covid cautious as my 2 year old was born during flu season and I was never told to keep the older one home. |
Anonymous
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Do your own research, and then determine what is best for your family.
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Anonymous
Ultimately, you and dh will make a decision which is best for your family. If you like this doctor and want to keep her, politely assert your plans. You and dh aren't making decisions lightly and by kid #3, you can be more confident in your decisions. If Dr doesn't respond well, kick her to the curb. |
Anonymous
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Newborns and small kids aren't really getting COvid.
Is our doctor expecting you and your husband to stay home from work until cold/flu season passes too and not see anyone order all your groceries in? What does she think he colleagues with children have been doing? I hate to be that person, but she must be young and doesn't have kids. |
Anonymous
This part, but I'd say the same to the new parents reading too. It's easy to go along with the pediatrician because they're doctors. They are just that doctors, not always right or infallible. Do your own research and do what you feel is right for your child and your family. And if your pediatrician catches an attitude give them their papers. Als, a friend of mind always demanded they walk her through the data that confirmed their stance ( she's a scientist) it's shocking how many doctors conclude the wrong thing or make a weak argument on weak evidence. |
Anonymous
| Yikes. I wouldn’t put my baby in a center this winter. You are definitely risking some hospital runs. I think your dr may be on the cautious side, but some young kids do get very ill from COVID and the variants that will dominate this winter are aggressive. If it were me I’d get a nanny rather than risk losing a kid or giving them long term health issues. Even those with mild or no symptoms have brain changes months later. My friends who work ICU are all VERY cautious after this year, I think the reality is we don’t understand enough about it or how to treat if it becomes severe. |
Anonymous
| I don’t think your pediatrician is being ridiculously cautious, OP. But if you can’t keep your older kids home, you can’t keep your older kids home. September could be bad with both new mutations of covid and flu/colds as everyone heads back indoors. Or it could be perfectly normal. Stay flexible but don’t switch doctors. She isn’t lying. |
Anonymous
| Do you have a practice with several docs? Could you book your next prenatal with a different one of the docs and ask for a second opinion? |
Anonymous
| I’ve never heard this advice from a pediatrician. Covid is making people irrational. |
Anonymous
| This seems crazy to me. Cases in the DMV are almost zero and certainly don’t impact kids. Pre-covid, but I had a baby in January and none of the pediatricians we saw suggested keeping my older kids out of school (K and preschool). Covid is less dangerous than the flu or strep. I have three siblings who are doctors, two in the ER and another is a surgeon. They all kept their kids in in person daycares. If you have otherwise been happy with your doctor, just disregard this. But if I were you, I would start looking into a new Dr. |
Anonymous
I wouldn’t look for a new doctor, but I would take her advice with a grain of salt. Nod and smile 
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