If you’re pregnant and working through the list of things to handle before the baby comes, choosing a pediatrician in Charlotte is usually not at the top of it. It should be — and it’s a more manageable decision than it looks, once you know what to actually ask.

So I asked someone who has these conversations every day. Ensley Henderson is the Membership + Onboarding Specialist at Living Water Pediatrics, and a mom in the practice herself. She’s talked with hundreds of families searching for the right fit. Here’s what she wishes every expecting parent knew.

Choosing Your Baby’s Pediatrician: What I Wish Every Expecting Parent Knew

When you’re expecting a baby, it feels like there is SO much to do before their arrival. You’re preparing for labor and delivery, going to appointments, and researching what seems like endless amounts of baby gear. Somewhere in the middle of all that preparation, choosing your child’s pediatrician can easily get pushed to the bottom of the list.

As the Membership + Onboarding Specialist at Living Water Pediatrics (and a mom in the practice myself), the best part of my job is talking with families as they search for the pediatrician who is right for them.

After hundreds (yes, hundreds!) of conversations with families over the past few years, I’ve heard many of the same questions and concerns come up again and again. And when I talk with expectant first-time parents, many of them tell me they aren’t even sure what questions they should be asking yet. If that sounds familiar, you’re in the right place. Here are seven questions to help you think through what matters to your family and hopefully make your pediatrician search feel a little less overwhelming.

1. What Kind of Experience Are You Looking For?

Also known as the “vibe check.” This can be a hard question to answer if you’ve never needed a pediatrician before! We often talk to families who didn’t realize what mattered to them until they had an experience they didn’t like.

When I was pregnant with my first daughter, I met with two pediatric practices. At the first, the pediatrician doodled on a piece of paper throughout most of our “conversation,” which felt awkward and forced. Then I had a consultation at Living Water, and something immediately clicked. I felt at ease, I felt heard, and I walked out knowing this was the right place for our family.

Years later, I think that feeling still matters.

When parents tell me they’re looking for “personalized care,” they want to feel like their provider cares about their child and listens to them as a parent. They want to feel comfortable asking questions and bringing up concerns without feeling dismissed or rushed.

Of course, the experience you’re looking for may be completely different. A wise mom friend once told me, “Convenience is king,” and for some families, it absolutely is. Maybe having an office five minutes from home is more important than having longer appointments. Maybe you don’t mind seeing a different provider at each visit. Or maybe you’re willing to drive farther because having a strong relationship with one provider matters more to you.

There isn’t a right answer. The point is to think about what matters to your family before you start comparing practices.

2. Will My Child See the Same Provider?

This may not seem particularly important before your baby is born, but over time, it can make a huge difference.

My own girls have seen the same pediatric provider since birth. She knows their personalities, their histories, and our family so well. We don’t have to start from scratch every time we walk through the door. As my girls get older, that relationship means even more to me.

I hope they’ll always feel comfortable talking to me, but I’m also realistic enough to know there may be things during their teenage years that they don’t want to tell Mom. It gives me a lot of comfort knowing they have a trusted medical provider who they feel comfortable talking to.

When you’re choosing a pediatrician for your newborn, it’s worth thinking beyond the newborn stage. Ask how the practice handles continuity of care. Will you generally see the same provider for well visits? What about sick visits? Or will you see whoever happens to be available?

Again, there isn’t a right or wrong answer. What matters is knowing what’s important to you.

3. How Much Time Will We Have With Our Provider?

Those early years come with a LOT of questions.

Feeding. Sleep. Development. Behavior. Starting solids. Daycare. Potty training. And sometimes just, “Is this thing my kid is doing normal?”

Ask how long well visits are and how much of that appointment is actually spent with your child’s provider.

We frequently hear from families transferring to our practice that they felt rushed at their previous pediatric office. At Living Water, longer visits are an important part of how we practice because they give our providers time to listen, answer questions, and get to know the child and family.

You may not feel like you need a longer appointment, and that’s completely okay. But if having plenty of time to ask questions is important to you, it’s worth knowing what to expect before you establish care.

4. What Does a Well Visit Look Like?

When you’re researching practices, ask what well visits look like. Are they primarily focused on growth, developmental milestones, and vaccines, or is there time and space to talk about the whole child and what’s happening at home?

This is what we mean by providing holistic care at Living Water Pediatrics. We want children to thrive physically and emotionally, so our providers look at the whole child: how they’re eating, sleeping, developing, behaving, and interacting with the world around them.

5. What Happens When My Child Is Sick?

Knowing what kind of access and support you’ll have when your child is sick can bring a lot of peace of mind when that inevitable first fever hits.

Ask how the practice handles sick visits. Do they reserve appointments for children who become sick that day? How difficult is it to get on the schedule? If they can’t see your child, where will they send you?

We hear from families who have ended up at urgent care or even the emergency room for relatively routine illnesses simply because their pediatric office couldn’t get them in. That’s added time and stress when having a sick child is stressful enough.

No pediatric office is open all the time, so find out what happens when yours is closed. Who do you call at night or over the weekend? Is there a nurse triage service? Is there someone who can help you decide whether something can safely wait, needs an urgent care visit, or warrants a trip to the emergency room?

6. What Is the Practice’s Vaccine Policy?

Different pediatric practices have different policies regarding vaccines. Some require that families follow the recommended vaccine schedule, while others allow more flexibility. This is something you will want to understand before establishing care.

If vaccine flexibility is important to your family, ask about it early. Practices that offer more flexibility may have limited availability or waitlists, which is another reason to begin your pediatrician search well before your baby arrives.

It’s also worth asking what vaccine conversations look like. Will you have time to ask questions and discuss concerns with your child’s provider? Understanding a practice’s policies and approach upfront can help you decide whether it’s the right fit for your family.

7. How Can I Communicate With My Child’s Care Team?

Trust me, you’re going to have questions between appointments!

As a first-time mom, I would leave an hour-long well visit and somehow still think of something I wanted to ask our provider once I got home. Babies have a way of creating questions you didn’t even know you had.

For non-urgent questions, ask how the practice communicates with families between visits. Can you email or message your provider? Is there a patient portal? Will you speak with a nurse? How quickly can you typically expect a response? It’s also helpful to understand which concerns require an appointment rather than a message or phone call.

When to Start Choosing a Pediatrician in Charlotte

Once you have a better idea of what matters to you, it’s time to start researching. I always recommend starting earlier than you think you need to. Beginning your search toward the end of your second trimester gives you plenty of time to explore your options without feeling rushed.

Ask friends who they use and, more importantly, what they like about their pediatrician. Local parent groups on Facebook can also be a great resource for finding practices you may not have heard of. Once you have a few options, check out their websites, read provider bios, and reach out to the practices directly.

Some pediatric offices offer prenatal consultations or provider meet-and-greets, which can be a great way to get a feel for the practice and ask questions before your baby arrives. Keep in mind that some practices also have enrollment processes or waitlists, so don’t wait until you’re in the hospital to make that first phone call!

Most importantly, remember that you don’t have to find the pediatrician everyone else loves. You need to find the pediatrician who is right for your family.

My hope is that you find a provider who will be a part of your family’s life for many years. Someone who gets to know your child, helps you navigate each new stage, and cares for that tiny newborn all the way through their college years.

Take these questions with you.

I turned Ensley’s seven questions into a one-page checklist with room to write. Print it, tuck it in your bag, and fill it in as you tour practices — or just have it open on your phone during the call to help you with choosing a pediatrician in Charlotte.

[ Send me the checklist ]

If you’re deep in the third-trimester list right now, the maternity session is usually the thing that quietly slides to the bottom of it. That’s normal. It doesn’t have to be decided today — but when you’re ready, your spot is saved.

While you are choosing a pediatrician in Charlotte you may be thinking about all the things you might need now and after baby arrives check out the Momma Resources blog with all my recommended providers for pregnancy and new motherhood.