Not vaccinating, and need support from someone...

[mamakah]

I have decided not to vaccinate my 7 month old son. As of today he not received one single shot. He has a cold right now, and I have felt completely comfortable with it and confident that his body will work it out. That is until my mother (who is a bit concerned about him not being vaccinated) sent me an article from our local paper about an outbreak of Pertussis a few towns away.
I feel really irritated with my mother about this. I have tried to pretty much tune out any (and there is a lot) of negative comments about my choice not to vaccinate. We live in such a fear controlled society. My instincts have told me that he is fine not being vaccinated. My mother sending me this email makes me question myself.
I'm just looking for some support from fellow non vaccinaters. I hate how, now when ever my son is sick SOMEONE is going to put the thought in my head that it is the scary disease he is not vaccinated for.
Does anyone else deal with this kind of stuff also? How do you overcome it and handle it? Any advice and support is greatly appreciated.

[alegna]

Just keep reading and you'll become more comfortable.

Neither of my kids are vaxed.

-Angela

[ians_mommy]

First, your son is over 6mo, so although a pain in the bum pertussis is not "scarey".
Second, try to reminf yourselfof all the choices you have made to make him healthy (i.e. breastfeeding, not smoking, no daycare) etc etc.
Third, there are alot "scarier" diseases that we dont have vaxes for (think RSV)
Finally, pertusis would be 100 days of hell...but vaxes can cause a lifetime of damage.

[taterbug1999]

Momma,
You in KY? Cause my mom just called tonight to tell me the same thing except it's one case IN my town!! My ds is almost 4. The heeby-jeebies get easier and you do learn to shrug off the uneducated comments. Keep your head up. You will get stronger.

One easy point to look at is that your child could still get many if not all the bugs kids are vaxed for and you might not worry til it was too late because the vaxes should save us all, right? Think how many docs and parents dismiss ear infections, pertussis, even early signs of meningitis because a kid is vaxed.

You will learn, I believe, over time that these diseases have been built into monsters that they most often are not. And will begin to trust your instincts more that you can get through them if they come.

I worried alot more early on. Now as my son is getting older and can help me with his symptoms I feel better. It is good to learn the symptoms of all the common vax preventable diseases just so you can catch them early if you suspect one.

As for your mom, just tell her this decision has been one of soul searching and educating and you need her support not scare tactics. She's your mom, if she wants to love you she should lift you up. Tell her that. ( I know my mom probably thought I was crazy at first, but now she is at least at peace with our choice- she helped us through dd's severe reaction to her first shots years ago so she kind of gets it.) Now when she calls to tell me somebody has a bug it's more like a head's up to boost Vit. C or what not.

It will get easier. Stay here and stay learning. The mommas on this forum have saved my sanity often.

[PaigeC]

This makes me feel better:

Children who get the pertussis vaccine are like 5 times more likely to get asthma. That may be a vaccine side effect or just the result of never having the immune boosting (and lung strengthening) cough of pertussis.

"Vaccinated children were over five times more likely to suffer from asthma and twice as likely to have had ear infection than unvaccinated ones. In 1997 another retrospective study of 1934 patients born between 1975 and 1984 from one general practice in Oxfordshire showed that children vaccinated against pertussis were 75% more likely to develop asthma, hayfever and eczema later in life."

Odent MR. Culpin EE, Kiinel T. Pertussis vaccination and asthma: is there a link’ JAMA 1994;272:592-3

Verrall M, Pertussis vaccine linked to atopy. Pulse 1/5/99

[Emmeline II]

The solution? More reading.

And take some Sodium Ascorbate for your ds, or you can mix it with bm and put it under his tongue with a dropper.

[Ophelia]

Welcome And yes, keep reading. The more you know about the vaccines and the diseases/viruses themselves, the more comfortable you will be. I have more info on my website, I suggest reading the archives here, and:

-Dr. Gordon's Vaccination DVD
-Aviva Jill Romm's Vaccination book (there are other great books also)
http://www.insidevaccines.com/wordpress

[Marnica]

I have an unvaxed 7 month old son as well. As all the PP's have said, just hang in there and read read read and read some more. the more you learn the better you will feel. Come here for support whenever you need to!

[Arduinna]

My dd is 19 unvaxed and never got any of the VPD. Does that help at all?

[yoda]

sage, when my kids were young and they had a cold i actually think one
did have whooping cough when he was just 6 mths old my kids do
go to chiropractors since birth we believe it just helps the immune
system be stronger and they totally support our choice,also
dr mendelson books helped me alot my favorite one is :How to raise
a healthy child in spite of my doctor: also have your mother educate herself
there is another side she should read this book too he was a leading
ped in chicago for 30 yrs .

also i learned not to discuss my choices with people including our
inlaws. my parents did support me.

good luck
do not give in.

[yoda]

sage, when my kids were young and they had a cold i actually think one
did have whooping cough when he was just 6 mths old my kids do
go to chiropractors since birth we believe it just helps the immune
system be stronger and they totally support our choice,also
dr mendelson books helped me alot my favorite one is :How to raise
a healthy child in spite of my doctor: also have your mother educate herself
there is another side she should read this book too he was a leading
ped in chicago for 30 yrs .

also i learned not to discuss my choices with people including our
inlaws. my parents did support me.

good luck
do not give in.

[ramama]

My mother supports me in my decision to no longer vaccinate, but I don't think she approves. If that makes sense. In other words, I don't often have to defend my choice. If I do, I usually say on of two things. I'll say that none of the diseases vaccinated against are deadly, and if worse comes to worse simply being an attentive parent will ensure quick treatment and a speedy recovery. I also, usually at the doctor's office, just state emphatically that this was not an easy decision for us to make, and we did not take it lightly, so please respect our decision.

[mommy2jonah]

Remember that even if you do vaccinate it does not mean your LO won't get it. That helps me in a time of self doubt.

[MountainMamaGC]

Reading helps. The more I read, the more I think "Over my dead body"

[leila1213]

I would also stop discussing your decision or your son's vax status, or even his illnesses, with anyone until you are more comfortable with the information you have. I still don't really discuss it with anyone unless I feel "safe" with them -- ie, they won't hang it over my head or judge me.