Hellobee Boards

There's an entire Jodi Piccoult novel about this topic (Handle With Care)......:)

I personally would use her as an informal sounding board, but would see someone else. To me, it's a conflict of interest. It also puts you in a tough position down the road - if she's seeing your LO as a patient, it may put her in a position where you can't ask her advice as a friend b/c she'd be violating HIPPA by talking to you wearing her professional "hat" (I'm thinking of when your LO is older).

My FIL is a surgeon, my MIL is a nurse, BIL/SIL are dentists, and SIL is a pharmacist. I sometimes run things by them, like medicine dosages, or ask them for a second opinion, or have them make product recommendations...but I don't specifically see any of them for treatment b/c I think it crosses a line a little bit.

Not exactly the same thing but a nurse at my clinic is the sister of a close fried. I loved seeing her because it was personal and I feel like I got better/faster help. As long as you line up with their philosophy I think you are good.

I wouldn't. Our pedi is a good friend, but I never ask medical things of her because I feel like it's a conflict of interest. But, ours is an unusual situation because she was our pedi first and then we became good friends! I would keep separate because you have to think if you don't like the advice she gives or something with her office practice, would you sever the friendship?

Also, I was surprised as a FTM how often (a) my boob/nipple were out and being examined in the pediatrician's office in the early days and (b) how many personal questions about my own health/delivery I was asked to answer. Maybe not a big deal, but do consider how comfortable you be with these things if the doctor is someone with whom you have a personal relationship.

I'd avoid it personally, maybe I'd consider seeing someone in her practice though knowing we might see her for a sick visit. I've had too many experiences with people having this gut feeling that there was an issue with their kids and having their ped brush it off, they really had to fight hard and in both cases in thinking of their child has a very rare diagnosis. In that situation I would far rather go head to head with someone else and recruit my friend to have my back. The odds of this coming up are obviously extremely low but I wouldn't want to risk a friendship over it.

I'm a doctor and would rather not take care of family or friends. There would be no hard feelings either way. I actually was taking my daughter to a clinic where the docs there ended up being my colleagues when I changed jobs and after a little while I switched her doctor because it was just a bit awkward and I feel much better getting to be just the mom at the visits!

@Silva: that's a r ally good point about the kids feeling comfortable with the doctor as they get older, if you see them socially too.

I have a good friend who is a pediatrician but lives far away, so we couldn't see her as our doc, though I have often wished I could. But I would be worried about overstepping and basically bugging her too much. I'll text her with questions about the kids health when I don't want to go right to our doctor. So I'd be worried about basically being unfair to her. But it's never been an option for me anyway.