No-Vax friendly pediatrician in Chicago? - Page 2

[Carson]

Help, help, help!!!

We had our baby and Casaclang couldn't get us in for 3 weeks. Ettner is out of the office until after January.

I feel so hopeless. Our MW & nurse are pretty insistent he be seen within the first week, which is ticking by fast with the holiday. Has anyone heard of a 'ravenswood clinic'? Is that this place?

http://www.yelp.com/biz/advocate-fam...nswood-chicago

[incorrigible]

We went to Homefirst when we lived out there. They were AWESOME. I have rarely been treated with so much respect by a doc, and when the kids were the patients...they talked to the KIDS as the patients. Directly, like they were real people and everything. So love Homefirst, and SO miss them since moving. The billing dept also taught me some GREAT skills that have come in very handy since.

First, if they don't take your insurance (and state insurance won't cover Homefirst) talk to the office manager (for small practices) or billing dept (for large ones). Explain to them you are paying out of pocket and ask if they will give you a rate. They will almost always charge you a discounted rate for service. It's usually equal to whatever the cheapest rate they give any insurance. If they don't take any insurance, they will figure out what they're comfortable with. They would much rather make less off you than lose you completely...and if they're worth their rates, they will be horrified that your only other option is a someone willing to take state insurance (no kid could possibly need the amount of drugs state docs shell out).

Second, not every doc in a practice has the same rate. Find out what each doc's rates are. At Homefirst, it ranges from around $80 to around $150 per visit depending on the doc, if I remember correctly. Other offices we've been to often have quite a variance as well.

[mom0810]

Carson, You could go pretty much anywhere for your first week's visit. There are no vaccines given then, and even if there were, you could just say you aren't doing it right now.

You have until the 8 week appt to find someone to work with. Even longer, if you want. I still hadn't found a good doctor for my first little one at the 8 week mark. I think it took till 4 months. So you have time. Just refuse the vaccines they offer, and if they kick you out of the practice, who cares? Just find another one.

Good luck. I loved Dr. Minkus and would still go if he wasn't so darned far away. I have a doctor for the kids now who doesn't bother me about vaccines, even though he doesn't love that I don't vaccinate.

[Carson]

Thank you - I felt so lost (and hormonal ) when I posted, but your perspective is right.

Dr. Ettner's office was extremely accomodating and helped us put it in perspective too. She understood that we had a HB and we hadn't been seen by a doctor yet. The doc was out of the office this week, but they let us come in to see his resident, just to give him a quick once over and weight check. We'll go back there next week for a more formal visit.

[honeybunmom]

Carson, I'm a HB'er, too, and we see Dr. Lisa Winters-Smith. She is now located in U of C's hospital on the pediatric floor. Bummer of a location, but she's great. At 4, dd, has declared she is ready for a shot, so, we're finally going to selectively vax her. Today (at ds's 9 mos visit and he's no vax) we chatted about this and she only recommended MMR and DTP for our 4 year old. Even out of that dd won't be getting all of those and our dr. is fine with it.

She also is great with regard to co-sleeping (only ever asked if wanted help getting dd out of the bed and said nothing more when I said no) and breastfeeding. She totally acknowledged that dd's bought with colds last winter was due to her weaning at 34 mos (which was a few mos before the colds started). Lastly, she is a mama herself of a 4 year old and 8 year old.

[3cuties]

I highly recommend not discussing parenting styles with your ped. Docs are trained in medical stuff (official technical term) not parenting and thus the parenting stuff they espouse is just opinion. I have 4 kids - my oldest is 10 and I have just learned to answer the questions about eating and sleeping, "He eats everything" or "She is sleeping great. I have no complaints". Or as to where, "I have a co-sleeper attached to my bed she/he sleeps there." Those are not lies and usually end the conversation. If they ask, "any behavioral concerns or questions?" Nope!

I understanding vaxing is another issue, but if you find a ped that tolerates your delaying or no-vaxing -- there is no *need* to find a doc that agrees with everything you do. I do understand the desire though, I guess I have long given up the hope of finding that perfect doc.

I just have found having a doc local to me in case of illnesses and onstaff at a local hospital in case of emergencies very important -- and I can go to my support groups for the rest.

I wish you the best!

ETA: I have yet to find a ped that is not supportive of breastfeeding -- that is living in 4 different communities and going to 9 different pediatrician practices. But I am not one to care or listen if someone (anyone) criticizes breastfeeding. I find it very useful to belong to a local AP group for support or a local LLL group -- docs also do not learn about breastfeeding in school -- they need to learn on their own (e.g. a mom) or pick it up somewhere. So I just don't bother discussing breastfeeding successes or problems or concerns with them.

[Thalia]

We see Dr. Ettner and have been very happy with him. DD has seen him since birth, and DH switched to him from his GP. I see him for everything except midwife/OB stuff since I like having a female midwife for that stuff.

Initially we weren't sure whether we were going to do no-vax or delayed vax. He never once pressured us or even brought it up. But he did answer all our questions and took a lot of time to converse with us about it, which we really liked. Basically, whatever you decide, he'll honor your wishes and treat you with respect.

He's been great about fitting us on the weekends when waiting until Monday would have been difficult. He also coached us through fixing a paianful case of 'nursemaid's elbow' over the phone (very helpful). And he's good about offering natural alternatives ("Just squirt some breastmilk on that!"). And for what it's worth, he delivered four of my doula's kids back in the 70's when he was still doing homebirths. Just a great guy.

[LEAW]

When we were in the city we saw Brian Morse (near Foster/Pulaski) but his partner was icky, he was great, very parent-choice and supportive.

We LOVED http://uillinoismedcenter.org/Find_a...tillerman.html

She had homebirths, coslept with all of her kids, and EBF her youngest until after age 3.

She takes medicaid (for the OP) and never questioned not vaxing. She's in the James Jordan boys and girls club near the United Center.

[bella_stranger]

wow, she sounds like an awesome doc. thanks for the heads up!