Pediatrician Help - Saint Paul,MN

We love Dr. Deb Swendrowski at HeathEast Mac/Groveland. She's supportive of breastfeeding. cosleeping, and alternative/limited immunization.

Tim Johanson from Metropolitan Pediatric Specialists is awesome. I've seen his name mentioned quite a bit in past postings. I've been with him for nine years and he always spends lots of time with the kids, chit chats with them etc. My son used to love going to the doctor so he could show his latest hot wheel with the doctor who always OOOhd and Ahhd over it! He has solved many health problems for us over the years. He is in Shakopee but also works out of the new Southdale building.

I take my kids to Dr Sharon Jaeger at Central Peds, they have an office in St Paul near the state fair grounds and another in Woodbury. All the doctors there that I have come into contact with are great and spend the time you need. Their phone # is ###-###-####

K.,
I really love Dr. Laurel Cederberg in the Como Health Partners clinic. She is great with kids, very capable and understanding and treats us as smart partners in the care of our child's health. She helped us prioritize the immunizations we gave and doesn't care that we even delayed and skipped some. We really love her.
S.

We have really liked Dr. Arnold London (Aspen clinics; we see him at Bandana Square, but he may be at other locations, too). He has always been respectful and helpful, starting from the first time we met him in the hospital when our girls were born. Unrelated to the pregnancy directly, I needed to be on blood thinners for three months after delivering. Dr. London worked with us to find a solution that meant I could breastfeed my twins as I'd intended. To this day, the girls really like going to see him. We recommend him highly.

We see a Nurse Practitioner and I really like her. She is also a lactation consultant, which was great when my boys were babies (and since I'm expecting #3 in Nov.). I've done my kids immunizations as recommended, but they may be open, it's worth calling I think.

She is out of the Como Ave. Health Partners clinic :

Mary Jane Turnbull
###-###-####
2500 Como Ave.
St. Paul MN 55108

I've also seen Dr. Hubble on a few occasions, and really liked her as well.

Good luck!
J.

we also see dr jeager with central peds. we've seen probly all of their drs, they're all great but she is our favorite! don't really know her stand on spacing of the shots since we just do ours "as scheduled", but with all other concerns she has definitely not made me feel crazy or paranoid (even when i was =) )

I highly recommend Dr. Maxwell at the Wabasha Street HealthPartners in St. Paul. He relates to the kids and he takes a lot of time explaining things to parents. Not just what is going on but why they think it is happening. He is always using these really descriptive analogies that help make doctor-talk totally clear. He greets patients by name, remembers past visits, and follows up personally with results, etc.

Dr. John Simon at Health Partners in Woodbury. He is so friendly and good with the babies/kids. Also asks if you are doing ok too, anything going on that needs addressing. He gives your appt plenty of time, and allows you to ask as many questions as you want. He will definitely put your mind at ease and would not think you are being paranoid. Also his wife, Wendy is also a ped at the same clinic.
We are no longer with him only cuz my husband changed jobs which meant a new ins co with a new clinic. I was very sad to leave there.

My baby hasn't arrived yet, but I did some ped. interviews the other week. Dr. Fagre at Aspen in Highland Park was very open to my desire for a dealyed vaccination schedule. I have decided to see her once my little girl arrives.

Dr. Sharon Jaeger! Central Peds.

Love Love Love Dr Thomas Seifferman at Pediatric and YOung Adults in St. Paul. They also have offices in Eagan, Maple Grove, Lake Elmo/Woodbury, etc. Loved that he didn't think it was strange to space out my kids shots either. Love the fact that at that clinic, when you call to speak to your dr, you really speak to your dr, not a nurse. Dr is big on keeping abreast of asthma and allergy issues. My kid is 3.5 yrs old. When he was just 8 weeks old, a study came out from Denmark about the benefits of eating yogurt for babies. Dr was already aware of it and okayed it for my baby.Wow, this was revolutionary at the time! Several teachers, other drs and moms were really shocked about the recommendation. I even looked up the study to satisfy myself before starting my kid on yogurt at 8 weeks. He's also done this before whenever I've brought up anything, he just really keeps up on that type of stuff. Love him!

Dr. James Hocks, who is located at PACE Pediactrics in WSP is AWESOME. He was named one of the best peds. doc in the MPLS/St. Paul issue this past year. The phone # is ###-###-####. He lets you call the shots and is supportive and very informative. Good Luck!

I have used the peds at the Cedar Riverside People's Center (West Bank U of M) for over 20 years. They are thorough, and don't flinch when you space out immunizations or don't get them at all (neither of my kids have been immunized). They also support the home birth community. Ask for Dr. Steve Vincent - although they are all wonderful.

This is a community clinic so there is a broad immigrant community that uses its services. It's really a treat to sit in a waiting area with moms, dads and kids from every culture that lands here - speaking as many languages.

Okay, this may not help because it is in Maple Grove...but our doctor was perfectly fine with us spacing out the immunizations and gave us a window of time that he needed to have them in and told us we could space them out as much as we wanted within that window of time. My son was getting a shot every two weeks...we never did more then one at a time. She spends as much time as you need and is great...we love her.

Her name is Dr. Batchelor and is at South Lake Pediatrics in Maple Grove.

I LOVE Dr. Cress in Stillwater.

I highly recommend the nurse-practitioner that we go to...

Laura Bennike
###-###-####
Woodwinds - Woodbury HealthEast

She is amazing, and never rushes the appointments. We also are being selective about immunizations, and she has never pressured us or made me feel weird about it. She is very knowledgable, and she is so good with my daughter (i.e. tries to make a game out of getting her ears checked, lets her get the shots she does need on my lap, etc)... I can almost always get my daughter in to see her the same day I call if she is sick. Once again, I highly recommend her!

K.,

I'm sorry this response is so late, but working and having a toddler doesn't leave much room for checking emails. Anyway, I take my son to Dr Christina Anderson at the Health East Roselawn clinic (located at 35E and Roselawn). She is awesome! I have not vaccinated my son at all and she is very open to altered vaccination schedules etc. I do know that she will be on Maternity leave coming up here soon, but I do strongly recommend her. She was recommended to me by my Bradley instructor.

K.

Dr. Carrie Petty, Children's in St. Paul: ###-###-####

We see Dr. Heggie at Fairview Children's Clinic. She was very helpful when I wanted to space out my daughter's immunizations. She took time to talk with me about what each shot was for and which ones were ok to wait on etc... It can get a little confusing, but she is always very supportive and respectful. She also encourages co-sleeping etc... We've liked all of the Doctors we've seen at that clinic as well. They are near the U of M.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my pediatrician! Her name is Tami Plotnik, with Peds and Young Adult Medicine. She calms me about everything! I haven't discussed the immunizations yet, as my son has gotten the reg ones, but I'm sure she'd be good about it! They have offices in St. Paul, Mpwd, Woodbury, Hudson.....

My son is 7 weeks old and we go to Central Pediatrics (Snelling & Larpenteur). We use Dr. Jaeger and I have found her to be very practical and very easy to work with. We chose not to have the Hepatitis B vaccination in the hospital and to just wait until the 2 month check up and she was supportive of that. Good luck!