Moving to Buffalo area--seeking information

[AmandaInNYC]

Hi Mamas! We'll be moving to the Buffalo area(Amherst) in approx 6 weeks and I need some recommendations from you!!

Pediatrician--selective/delayed vax, intact penis friendly. Very conservative with abx use. I love a doc who will not give unsolicited advice on my parenting(co sleeping, bf'ing, etc.). Would be willing to travel for the right doctor.

Family Doc for DH and I.

Midwife who does well woman care--bonus if she does homebirths for the future.

How do I find a playgroup of like minded mamas? Is there a local message board that I could check out? I've had horrible luck finding non-cio mamas with similar aged babies in my current neighborhood. Are there any local babywearing groups?

Thanks in advance mamas! I'm kind of overwhelmed by this move!


Amanda
mom to Felix(8/23/09).

[AmandaInNYC]

Come on mamas! Help me out! I did a search and went through many pages of results and not that many were about Buffalo, NY. Lots of stuff on nutrition though.

[ishyfishie]

PMing you!

[MommaHeather]

I'm going to be a likeminded momma! :) Sorry I've been absent after a loss a couple years ago.

But, I am back, and due in June 2011.

I don't know any pediatrics... but I do know Eileen Stewart is a great midwife, does homebirths.

Eileen Stewart

289 Summer Street
Buffalo, NY 14222
[phone]

She also started Life Cycles / Does girl / woman empowerment, etc etc.. http://lifecyclescenter.org/about/boardofdirectors.html

In terms of doctors, I use Sally Williams, who is a homeopath.

http://www.sallywilliamshomeopath.com/index.html

Welcome to WNY!

[freyja137]

I could also use some suggestions for a pediatrician in the Buffalo area - I'm set for MW and homebirth, but am a bit late on finding a pediatrician, and a bit at a loss for where to look... any help would be most appreciated!

[phoenix78]

Hi Mommas, Welcome to WNY.  I highly recommend Darryl Ehlenfield at Allentown Pediatrics (you can google or fb them).  He meets all the requirements the OP asked for (I'd assume he'd have no issue not circumsing, but I only have girls so I can't speak to that personally with him).  We delay/selective vax, bf past first year, co-sleep, babywear, etc. He is very selective with anbiox.  We switched to him when DD#1 was 9 months (after leaving Delaware Peds - stay away from them!) because we chose chiro for treating ear infections, which he was supportive of so long as we brought DD in for re-examining to make sure the infection was in fact clearning up.  We've been going there now for 5 years and him and his staff are wonderful.  He is one of two docs in the practice.  Dr. Raiken, his partner, is OK.  I don't think she has the  bedside manner personally, but that may just be because he seems so great.  She has never said anythiing judgmental about our parenting choices but will push vax more than he does.  He takes a much more, "It's your choice, but here is what we recommend..." and then will absolutely respect our choices when we say "no thank you and here is why..."

I've also heard good things about Wheatfield Pediatrics if you will be in the Northern/Niagara suburbs.  In terms of like minded mamas, I just joined the group, Holistic Mamas of WNY.  Good first meeting - talked about everything from where to go to get raw milk, cloth diapers, to holistic care providers and CSAs.  PM me if you want the contact for that group.  Be well! Phoenix

[frenchkissed]

I second the recommendation of Eileen Stewart for homebirth after having an absolutely wonderful experience throughout my last pregnancy.  She does well-woman care and has a partner midwife who does only well-woman care, too.

Pediatricians are so much harder... Quaker Medical in Orchard Park was recommended to me by three separate people, so I nervously went there to meet with Dr. Poppenberg for our whole family's intake appointment. She was very polite if not enthusiastic about our homebirth plans and was fine with delaying vaccinations after I spoke with her about our long-term plan.  The nurses and receptionists, on the other hand...  Yikes.  Rude and judgmental.  But it's not like having to go to the doctor's office is ever fun anyway, right?  We're now in a new city once again and signed up with the recommended doctor until I can get in with the ones I really want!

[Sam*]

Eileen Stewart is my midwife and is amazing.  I love going there and have had exceptional care thru this pregnancy.  She also does well women care.  The birth classes there are amazing as well!

As for a pedi, thats been evry hard for us and we just switched to a family Dr and the verdict is still out on if we will like it there or not. 

[Sam*]

Welcome to Buffalo!

[Sam*]

Welcome to Buffalo!

[freyja137]

Wanted to third the rec for Eileen Stewart - had what ended up being a bit of a complicated pregnancy in the later stages and ended with a beautiful homebirth. She's wonderful, and her staff are, as well.

As for pediatricians, I *think* I like who we've picked thus far - "Doctor Bo" (Dr. Bohdan Dejneka) in Snyder, NY (716.446.1010). His nurse Cyndy is wonderful, and they don't seem terribly judgmental about homebirth (or the fact that I waited two months to take the kid to his first well visit, since Eileen saw him several times in that interim) or about an alternative vax schedule. So far, I'm quite pleased (and I was pretty nervous about finding someone compatible).

[lizhillericson]

Hi,

I just moved to Buffalo from near Toronto....Dr's seem much crazier her over vaccines and I am desperately trying to find one....is the Allentown Dr.  still around?  Any advice, suggestions would be great!!!

Liz

[ishyfishie]

Hi Liz, welcome to Buffalo! If you're in the Southtowns, I highly recommend Dr. Jennifer Miller and/or Dr. Gerald Lauria at WNY Pediatrics in Orchard Park (www.wnypediatrics.com). We're not super crazy about the ladies who schedule appointments over the phone (ie I wouldn't ask them questions about taking non-vaxing patients, etc), but we love both doctors and the nurses we've had. They're both very supportive and respectful of our "alternative" choices and very much trust "mommy instinct." They have sick visits available 7 days a week (not always with your choice of doctor, but even the doctor I don't care for was great for the two sick visits we've seen her at) and they also offer a walk-in sick clinic without appointment from 7-8 am on weekday mornings. We've been very happy there after trying a couple different practices when dd1 was a newborn.

[lizhillericson]

Thanks...we are in Hamburg so that is very close!!!  Hope it works out....who do you prefer out of the 2 you mentioned?

[ishyfishie]

I prefer Dr. Miller, but I always mention Dr. Lauria in case someone would prefer a male doctor. We really do like him as well, but Dr. Miller seems to take more time and is more focused on us. I always ask for Dr. Miller but we've been "squeezed in" with Dr. Lauria when necessary.

The biggest "problem" I've had with the office is getting attitude from the receptionists who make the appointments...I skipped certain well visits with both girls and they acted like it was a huge deal and we should get them in for that instead of waiting for the next one if I called to make it too early (ie if I called at 16 months to schedule the 18 month, after skipping the 15 month, they'd try to get me to come in right away...). Then we waited until a month before because I've never had a problem getting an appointment with one of the two doctors we like before, and they were booked solid! Dd1's "4 year visit" isn't until 3 months past her birthday, which is 4 months from when we called...but they did make sure they got her in with the nurse practitioner who they call their "asthma specialist" for an "asthma check" because I expressed some concern. They were able/willing to "squeeze in" the baby for her 18 month visit, but pushed off the daughter with asthma/allergies for 3 months. Now I know to call early enough to make the appointments when we want them!

[mothmama]

I know this is an old thread but I thought I'd add to it. I'm in the Buffalo area too. We like Dr. Bo (Holiday Pediatrics) a lot. He's very down to earth and great with the kids and I just love Cindy too. I feel like I can ask them anything and they don't ever try to push anything on us. I love coming to a smaller place where I know who is going to be seeing my kids. I definitely trust them.

My daughter was born in California, but Eileen Stewart attended the home birth of my son. I think she's amazing and I love the midwife model of care. I always felt relaxed in her space, and felt supported and safe during my birth. I know she is very busy these days because there are basically no other midwives certified or willing to do home births in this area. You may not always see *her* for your prenatal visits, but she has a great team of other midwives and nurses to back her up. I feel grateful I had the opportunity to get to know all of them.

I'm not so sure about play groups. I'm on here looking for part time child care myself. If anyone has any ideas, feel free to reply or send me a PM!