Excellent article, really loved it!

A list really does the trick… Though I seldom has the time to do one for urgent matters, keeping everything in mind gives me headaches with some items totally forgotten.

Good luck with accomplishing what you have set up to do.

Great blog I hope we can work to build a better health care system as we are in a major crisis and health insurance is a major aspect to many.

The only thing that seems to help is to make lists.  My To Do list is getting out of hand lately and last night my lungs alerted me to the fact that it’s time I wrote some stuff down too.

Beth,

Thanks for the pediatrician and car seat info. I still need to install the bases for our car seats. I read the manaul and fumbled around with the base in my car, but still don’t have it installed properly. I think I’m going to stop by one of the inspection stations and get help.

With the carseats: as long as the base doesn’t move more than an an inch front to back or side to side, it’s tight enough. Put lots of weight on it and have another person pull the belt tight (assuming you have locking seat belts--some you have to pull all the way out to turn them into locking belts, where you’ll hear it ratcheting back in, and others will have the locking mechanism in the latchplate itself). Just pay attention to any labels stitched onto your seatbelts, instructions in your owner’s manual, and the carseat manual. And remember the new law that went into effect July 1--no rear-facing carseats allowed EVER in a front seat with an airbag. If you need HELP!, call--I do the low-income carseat classes at the HD, and know way too much for my own good about carseats from personal experience. If you send an address, I’ll send some brochures!

Many hospitals will give you a discount on your hospital delivery co-pay if you pre-register before you come in for delivery. If baby has to be readmitted for jaundice, feeding issues, etc.--that’s where it gets expensive!

I absolutely love Dr. Chris’s (AKA Dr. Christine Privitera, but she’s Dr. Chris to the kids) at Lee-Davis Pediatrics in Mechanicsville (near LD High). She has been Carys’s dr. from the beginning, and I moved Jake to her shortly thereafter. She is considerate, understanding, and has all the connections in the world. She has been so helpful to us with Jake’s issues, and some of Carys’s, too. I know it would be a short drive, but a good dr. is worth it (we drive from Tappahannock to go to her!). I have also heard good things about Richmond Pediatrics in Mechanicsville (beside Cracker Barrell). Many drs. associated with VCU are going to be worth checking out, too--you’d have everything you could possibly need at your fingertips with the newest information available at all times. Start looking now; sometimes you can find online reviews of drs., too. Oh, and I know Dr. Chris’s office offers a “New Parents” night to meet the docs; I bet other offices do, too.