Partnering with your baby's doctor: Trust, questions & calls

A trusting, working relationship

Health care professionals serve as an important resource that makes parenting much easier and safer, but only if you trust and can work well with them.

You should now have developed a partnership with a clinic of health care professionals. This working relationship will allow you to get the medical care and information needed to keep your infant healthy.

If you do not think this partnership is meeting your and your baby's needs, you should discuss this with clinic personnel and resolve the issues. Alternatively, you should find another clinic.

Bring a list of questions

Parents often forget the important questions they want to ask their child's doctor or nurse practitioner. They will be on the top of your mind before the provider comes into the examining room. As soon as you begin discussing other matters the burning question is forgotten. After the clinic visit concludes, you remember the questions, but must phone or schedule another appointment to get answers. So before you take your child to the clinic write down your questions and keep them handy.

When to call

Call your baby's clinic if your infant...

has a worsening or persistent cough that lasts more than about 10 days
refuses to eat
vomits blood, yellow or green material
has a fever (rectal temperature greater than 101 F)
is irritable or inconsolable, especially if a fever is present
seems unusually sleepy and hard to awaken
has difficulty breathing
passes several diarrheal stools, especially if there is blood in them
has any other conditions that worry you.