vaccine friendly, kinda crunchy docs in MO, IA or IL?

[carrieb26]

Looking for leads on a pediatritian or family doc in the IA/IL/MO tristate - Update: any where in the three states, but close to Quincy, Macomb, Hannibal, Kirksville, Burlington, Iowa City would be nice. Chicago, STL, KC are all options for us, - really anywhere in the three states.

We are non-vaxing, intact, bf, cosleeping, homebirthing, so someone who would be receptive to that would be great.

Edited by carrieb26 - 4/17/11 at 8:32pm

[carrieb26]

At this point I would take rec's for someone anywhere in mo il, ia who wouldn't freak out about us not vaxing, or call CPS because we've never been to a doctor before, and who is open to complementary/alternative care care. 

My son just isn't getting better, even though it doesn't seem to be urgent, I think we need to see someone in the next few weeks to help us out by running some tests and helping us find solutions.

We're willing to travel for the right doc.

[lucypch]

Home first in the Chicagoland area. I had an AP friendly dr. In Elmhurst Clinic but he was promoted. So far the other dr. In the practice haven't mentioned his lack off vaccines.

Lucy Coria CBrE
Brio Birth Childbirth Educator

[Mamatoto2]

The practice we go to in River Forest IL has two docs, both are family practice docs and both are very good IMO. Their names are Susan Locke and Robin Uchitelle. They were initially recommended to us by the midwives serving the Alternative Birthing Center at West Sub Hospital where we had or water birth because they were on-staff at the hospital and we were looking for a doctor to "assign" to our daughter in the hospital after she was born who would support our choices, or at least not give us grief about them. We live about 40 min. away from their practice but have stuck with them for 8 yrs+ because we've been very happy with their care. I will get occasional "There's been a recent outbreak of particular illness X in the area so you might want to consider the vax" type info from time to time, but never any pressure or negative response to our choices. I even took my daughter there once for a persistent post nasal drip/ cough issue (had been going on for months) and while she said that we could consider allergy meds, she didn't really recommend them. I went with homeopathy and when she saw her again a while later she said that we should keep up with the homeopathy because it was clearly working really well :o) I know that Dr. Uchitelle CDd her sons when they were babies. She always comments on our cute dipes.

That said, while they have been supportive of our choices, I wouldn't say that they've guided them. I'm not sure if you're looking for someone who's a really strong advocate for all of your values who will lead you down a health care path with the same compass as your own. If that's the case, homefirst may be a better option although I've heard mixed reviews from friends who have used them (we never went to Homefirst because they're out of network for our insurance).

[lucypch]

I received a bad response from Dr. Uchitelle. She was recommend to me but I didn't like her. As soon as I brought up no Vax she went told us that we were the ones bringing in illness to the office and that we're not scared because we've never been to Africa and seen children die of desiese. That was it for me I left very disappointed. I guess I had high hopes for her and was waiting for some AP wisdom.