I agree it's too much to ask to expect our peds to be jack of all trades, knowing everything about anything having to do with our kids. Unfortunately, that's what they're expected to do every day by many parents who don't take the initiative or don't know where else to go to get info. I also agree many peds are still totally old school and giving parents iffy info advising them to allow their little babies to 'cry it out' and 'soothe themselves' and never ever to let a baby sleep in their bed. I haven't met a ped yet who said to stop breastfeeding and go on formula, shame on that one!! But that's why I felt it was so important to go to a ped who I know shared many of my views and would support me in decisions about my child, as long as I wasn't hurting him, of course! My ped knew I intended to bf as long as possible (it didn't work out that way, hormones suck and they dried me up boohoo
) and he encouraged me and gave me tips on how to be successful with it, he wasn't nearly as helpful as the lactation consultant at my ob/gyn's office, but he was helpful when I needed to know if the meds I was taking would affect my son. He knows my son shares my bed most of the time, and supports me in that, and he's never told me to let him cry it out, he's a firm believer, like I am, that in most milestones of life, kids will do them most willingly when they're really ready and not pushed ahead of time, including weaning from the breast, sleeping in their own bed, weaning off the bottle, going to sleep on their own, potty training, blah blah blah. It's not that I'm extolling his virtues (well, I am, I LOVE him, and I DO often go to him with anything having to do with my son b/c I respect his wisdom and his opinion) but more that it's important to have ped who agrees with and supports you, though that can be exerting to find.
I got lucky since he's gone to church with us since I was a young child so I know him and his family well and I was seen in his practice as a baby. Word of mouth is one of the best ways to find one that's like your ideas.
As far as having experts on hand, his office does direct to the CPST's at our Children's Mercy Hospital, as far as specific seats are concerned. General questions he can answer, though. I see what everyone is saying, though, and it's unfortunate so many peds feel the push to know everything and don't delegate to specialists. But then, I'm not a tech, but I'd feel confident (now anyways, not a few weeks ago!) advising someone on car seats, and have been ever since I was directed to this site and learned all the common mistakes and the best ways to keep 'em safe. I've also helped some of my friends during their breastfeeding times b/c I researched that so much, too, and I'm not a lactation consultant.
So many things I want to be...lol...lactation consultant, CPST.