We had a prenatal consultation with the Dr. who may become our baby’s pediatrician, Dr. Jana Dehovitz of Brooklyn Heights Pediatrics. I say “may,” because her practice is supposed to start participating with our insurance provider, but doesn’t at the moment. If they still don’t by late June, then we’ll be on the hunt for a new ped.
When I first set out in search of a pediatrician I Googled “vegetarian-friendly” Dr.’s in my neighborhood. They need not be veg themselves, but they at least need to be supportive and/or understanding of the lifestyle in which we’re choosing to raise the baby. Dr. Dehovitz came recommended to me by a parent on the Bococa parents listserve who called her “very alternative medicine/veggie friendly.”
It turns out Dr. Dehovitz was the original Brooklyn office of Tribeca Pediatrics before going solo, and carries their same philosophy. A plus. My friend Brooke uses Dr. Tholany from Tribeca Pediatrics and I have heard wonderful things about her, too.
Our first impression of Dr. Dehovitz was perhaps that she was a bit cold. She asked to see our list of questions, and while we had some, they were not on paper. What it came down to was, “would she support and guide us as we raised our child as a vegetarian, and what was her protocol for immunizations?”
We heard all the things we needed to hear and then some. I knew when she said that she doesn’t over-prescribe drugs and antibiotics, that she had my husband at hello… even if it were a bit cold.
Dr. Dehovitz’s practice is on Pierrepont Street just one block from the Brooklyn Heights promenade. The office is bright and welcoming, with shelves of books for children and parents alike. The waiting area is also outfitted with tons of toys for toddlers, while the examination rooms have windows that resemble that of a ship’s. If you don’t have children and it’s been decades since you were one yourself, you forget how traumatic of an experience visiting the Dr. can be. Seeing Dr. Dehovitz’s office makes me think that hopefully, the experience is a tad easier on the tykes.
Oh yea, and just as I was feeling all warm and fuzzy, I grabbed her business card on the way out. I said to J, isn’t it totally freaky that they have some little kid dressed in a devil suit representing their practice? “Definitely, but I kind of like it.”
What can I say, twisted senses of humor I guess!
