Jeni asked for more info re: how we chose a pediatrician, and I decided to post the answer in a regular post in case other people were interested as well. Keep in mind, most of what I say about this is from googling around. We spent a lot of time looking for "questions to ask pediatrician" and "how to choose pediatrician" and then we moved on to actual doctors' websites. We did almost all of our research on the doctors' websites because pediatricians have gotten pretty used to the fact that people like to find out a lot about the people who might be caring for our little ones. But also, we do think it's important to interview them and the fact that the majority of them offer free initial meetings to assess whether they are the right doctor for you makes it easy to do that. That said, it's not that easy. Time is hard to come by, especially when I have doctors appointments of my own to go to every week, and considering that I spent "pediatrician interviewing" week on bedrest. So, PunkiePapa and I wanted to do the majority of research from the comfort of our living room, and we were able to do that without difficulty. The list below includes some questions that we found on the internet (http://www.babyresource.com/pediatrician-questions.htm) that I found helpful, but like I said, most of this can be found out from a website.

The purpose of going to the office was to get more of a feel for the place and the people. At the pediatrician's that we chose, the doctor and all of the staff were warm and friendly. They were laid back and seemed colleagial with eachother. We didn't have to wait very long in the waiting room (important when there are likely to be a lot of contagious kids around). The doctor was only fashionably late and he was happy to see us. He took our questions seriously and didn't pressure us to commit to using his office. He spent about 20 minutes with us and didn't seem in a hurry at all. He spoke comfortably about being a father of 4 himself and about how parenting is challenging. He didn't presume to know all the answers to every parenting question. He seemed to have a healthy respect for the difference between medical questions (which he is expert on) and parenting questions (which he says he can offer some insights on, but readily admits that he defers to parenting experts for non-medical questions). I should also say, we asked a lot of the people we know and think are really good parents who they use, and we got a lot of good advice about who is good, accessible, and caring in our area. There were a few names that popped up again and again, and we started our research with an emphasis on those (or rather, the ones our insurance covered and were not too far away).

Pediatrician Background, Credentials, Experience
They suggest that you ask "When and where did the pediatrician complete medical school and residency?" but I don't know why that is helpful. I don't know the difference between a good and a bad med school or residency. But some people might, so ask if you like.

Are they a member of the American Academy Of Pediatrics or any other specialty organization? Again, I don't really know how useful this is, but I do want to know that they are keeping up with the recommendations and research of the specialty organizations. We listened for references to those groups and we were delighted to hear several times that our doctor pays a lot of attention to what the most current practices are.

How long has the pediatrician been in practice? I care about this because I want to know that he's pretty experienced, but not stale.

Does the pediatrician have any areas of subspecialty? For our doctor, yes, preventative medicine. Hot dog! I like that.

What hospitals does the pediatrician have privileges at? Our doctor said that their practice has priviledges at UNC Hospitals, which is where our child will be delivered, but he also said that the peds people there are so good that they actually don't often go to the hospital, at least, not for a healthy new birth. That was fine with us.

How soon after the baby is born will the pediatrician come to see it at the hospital? Not at all, for the reasons I just explained, but they like to see a new baby within 3 days of coming home from the hospital.

How does the pediatrician feel about mothers calling in after hours over "little things"? This is important. Also, my husband and I are big e-mailers. We tend to e-mail unless we are really freaked out about something. So, it matters to us that our pediatrician is happy to communicate via e-mail. In the event that you are different from us and prefer the phone, then make sure to ask "Is there a specific time during the day that the doctor will take phone calls?"

Office Logistics
Is the office conveniently located for less travel time with a sick child? Does the practice have multiple offices you can visit?
What are the office hours and are there any early morning or late evening hours for working parents?
How long in advance must you book appointments?
Are there any diagnostic facilities on site such as X-rays, blood work, etc.?
What lab work can be performed at the pediatrician's office?
Is there a specific time during the day that the doctor will take phone calls, and how does the office handle your phone in questions?
How does the office deal with after hours emergencies?
Is there a 24 hour answering services that can connect you to a doctor?
Who covers for the doctor when they are on vacation?
Does the office mail out reminders for scheduled immunizations and checkups?

Fees, Methods of Payment
How much are the fees for standard office visits?
Are immunization shots extra, or are they included in the office visit charge?
Does the pediatrician accept your insurance?
How are insurance claims handled, and will the pediatrician bill your insurance company directly.
Do they accept checks and credit cards?
Is payment due at the time visit, or will the pediatrician bill you?
What happens if you miss a scheduled visit? Can you easily reschedule?

I really like our doctor on a gut level. I like everything I've learned about him and his practice, too, which affirms the opinion of my gut. I know that we can change if something changes and we don't like him anymore. (My own parents fired my first pediatrician when I was about 90 minutes old because they suddenly didn't think he was so great after all). But I don't think that's going to be an issue. I think that for us, this guy is tops. I hope this is helpful, and I hope everyone else out there trying to make this choice finds someone they like as much as I think we like ours.