Thirty years ago, as I hung out my first shingle, I was told there are three qualities a parent looks for in choosing a doctor for their baby: The doctor must be able, affable, and available. These three A's of doctor choosing haven't changed. Besides hospitals, other physicians, and medical societies, the best references are given by parents. If you are expecting your first baby or are new to a community, ask friends and neighbors about the qualifications of several doctors and interview them prenatally. Here's how to get the most out of your prenatal interview with the doctor:

• Take a written list of your most important concerns and parenting issues to determine whether your needs are in harmony with your doctor's philosophies.
• If you have a special need, such as "I want to continue breastfeeding even though I'm returning to work," ask if the doctor can help you with this.
• Avoid negative openers. Nothing is more unproductive than opening the interview with an "I don't want list—for example, "I don't want my baby to have any bottles in the hospital." It is more productive to ask, "What is your policy about giving bottles to breastfeeding babies in the hospital?" Remember, your purpose for the interview is to determine if you and the prospective pediatrician are on the same wavelength. Negative openers close your mind to the possibility that you may learn something from the doctor's response.
• Keep your interview brief and to the point. Most doctors do not charge for prenatal interviews, and five minutes is usually enough to make a doctor assessment. If you honestly feel you need more time, offer to make a regular appointment so you can pay for the time. Rambling about future behavior worries or trying to cover the whole field of pediatrics from bed-wetting to vitamins is not the purpose of your visit.
• Are you and the doctor of a similar mindset? For example, if you are committed to breastfeeding and your doctor is a charter member of the bottlefeeding set, he or she may be Dr. Wrong for you.
• Ask about the availability of special services in you doctor's practice. For example, if you are planning to breastfeed, does your doctor employ the services of a lactation consultant, and how does he or she use the consultant?
• Browse around the office. Either before or after your time with the doctor, here are some observations to consider as you make your reconnaissance. Sit in the waiting room awhile and observe the spirit of the office. Is there a child- considerate atmosphere, orderly but friendly and flexible? Is there child- considerate furniture that is practical and safe? Is the staff approachable over what may seem to you the silliest of questions?
• Observe the provision for separating sick possibly contagious children from those who are well. Separate "sick" and "well" waiting rooms, a favorite question on handout sheets at childbirth classes, are impractical. Nobody wants to use a sick waiting room. A more practical method for separating sick and well patients is to immediately shuttle potentially contagious children into an examining room, leaving the waiting room for children who are there for checkups and children who are not contagious.
• Ask the staff for other information: insurance plans, office hours, medical fees, hospital affiliations, availability, coverage when off call, and credentials of medical training. Ask how emergencies are handled, how the office handles phone calls, approximate waiting time, and who would answer your questions when doctor is not available.

Choosing Dr. Right—either a family practitioner or pediatrician—is an investment. Your baby's doctor becomes like another member of the family, an Uncle Harry or Aunt Nancy, who, as your child grows, also grows in the knowledge of your child and family. This is the doctor who examines your newborn fresh after delivery, gets you through those early feeding problems, turns off the runny nose, eases the pain of middle-of-the-night ear infections, counsels the bed-wetter, helps with school problems, and clears up teenage acne. Choose this long-term partner wisely.