I have this overwhelming urge...

[Minaret]

To make copies of articles I find regarding vaccines to doctors....but I fear I would alienate myself more.

I left the first family doctor I had after DS was born (Oct 06) because of the conversation we had. At first I had no clue about vaccines until a nice woman who owned a thrift store for children told me she didn't vaccinate and that there was no requirement for school (amazing how many parents don't know this). My son received all the shots at his 2 and 4 month visit (almost didn't get the 4 mo shots because I was so upset with the doctor) but I was still basing everything on fear then.

I know so much now, after 2 years of researching, that I want to scream from the rooftops. I want to send articles anonymously to doctors in my community. I am so angry about the vaccines, especially the Hep B at birth, of which they didn't even ask me until after it was done. I'm pregnant again at 44 yrs old and due at the end of March. Over my dead body is this kid going to get a Hep B shot or any other. I must admit, the only one that scares me is WC in a baby under 6 months, but I'll be breastfeeding as long as I can while working (have to go back to work earlier this time). Other than that, my fears are gone, especially my fears about MMR and others. My kid is really strong. Now the only hard part is keeping him away from sugar!

I alienated myself from one mother who had a son the same time as we did. She's a co-worker at DH work. Once DH brought DS into work with him and the first thing she said was, "He's not sick is he?" (she knew we didn't vaccinate). Her kid got croop and all kinds of illnesses all the time and he was fully vaccinated. He spent three days in the hosptial for RSV. I had a brief conversation with her once over the phone when our babies were first born and I was beginning to research vaccines. It was a mild, calm conversation, but it was obvious she thought I was crazy by the end. She dropped all contact with me after that.

Another woman was in my birthing class and had her son the same time as mine, so we became acquaintances. Her first DS she did all the mainstream stuff, vaxed on schedule, put her kid in a crib, let him CIO, and refused to BF him because she was going back to work in a few weeks and didn't see the point. Besides, her DH felt "weird" about her BFing, like it was gross. Her DS proceeded to catch every illness imaginable, and she had to take a lot of time off work. He was even in the hospital for 12 days with pnenumonia when he was 6 mo old. Poor thing! Her second child is due very soon, and last time I bumped into her, she said she was considering BFing this time and quiting her job. I encouraged her and said I would offer help if she needed it. She always mentions her DS's "shots" and I never say a word. I have to bite my tongue every time I'm around her. Even though she is very different than me in how she raises her kids, she is so much nicer than the other mainstream Mom's around here. She is very young, but I believe could be convinced.

I'm not sure I want to go down that path, however. DH and I have had trouble meeting other parents since we moved here, and we're not sure why. Everyone is busy of course, but I do feel strongly about AP now and I want to tell as many people about it as I can. But I don't get much response when I do, so maybe I should shut up.

Have any of you ever sent anything to doctors? I did send the vaccine article from Mothering to my NP several months back, but I don't think it did any good. Np response, even though the NP discovered her son had a brain scar or bleed from an scan (discovered after he had a seisure).

Minaret

[Gitti]

Good for you for researching and coming to the right conclusion.

I must admit, the only one that scares me is WC in a baby under 6 months

I was worried about WC when my grandson was born 5 yr. ago since his mom had decided to not vaccinating him. But the more we read about it, the more we realized that there is little chance of that happening.

We did keep SA on hand plus some homeopathic meds, just in case.

Well, by now we have two unvaccinated grandsons and another on the way and we are no longer worried about wc or any other "VPD".

Pertussis is one of those infections that comes around about every 5 years and can potentially infect us repeatedly. Since there is no way to build life-long immunity, there is no way for any vaccine to do that either.

It is NOT a 'childhood disease'. Kids suffer worse with it then grown ups, who often consider it no more than an annoying cough that lasted "all winter".

I came back to say that I am absolutely convinced that the whooping cough vaccine DTaP is the cause of a lot of SIDS. Ever since I read the book by H. Coulter A Shot In The Dark.

Originally Posted by Minaret

To make copies of articles I find regarding vaccines to doctors....but I fear I would alienate myself more.

I would not attempt to 'educate' a doctor since they will immediately fall back on their 'education'.

...a nice woman who owned a thrift store for children told me she didn't vaccinate and that there was no requirement for school

Look at what that small amount of information did for you. Sometimes that's all it takes. Someone has to sort of 'open the door' to new information. A full lecture might have turned you off.

I know so much now, after 2 years of researching, that I want to scream from the rooftops.

You and a lot of other parents. Especially the ones whose children were damaged by vaccines. If we would all get together and do the shouting, we could make a huge difference. Many people are blogging and either starting or joining yahoo groups to inform more people. I like to give out brochures that I made. We each need to do something.

I want to send articles anonymously to doctors in my community.

You can. But don't expect a miracle. S/he may not even look at it.

Now the only hard part is keeping him away from sugar!

Keep it out of the house. Substitute Stevia.

It was a mild, calm conversation, but it was obvious she thought I was crazy by the end. She dropped all contact with me after that.

She was not worth it.

Another woman was in my birthing class and had her son the same time as mine, so we became acquaintances.

Give her lots of time and just be an example for a while. Tell her about how healthy your child is...
Give her links and sites so she can inform herself (with your help).

She always mentions her DS's "shots" and I never say a word. I have to bite my tongue every time I'm around her.

My dd generally just says, "Oh, we don't do shots!"
Don't try to convince her, just mention things here and there. And give her a chance to figure it out for herself. She only needs that 'door' to be opened for her.

DH and I have had trouble meeting other parents since we moved here, and we're not sure why.

You need 'like-minded' people. I would go on the tribal area here. Look for LLL groups, find the holistic moms network in your area, any natural foods cooking groups which can generally be found in your natural foods store...

These are people who are already more open minded. You can start making your own information pamphlets and post them in your hfs. I make enough to supply the hfs in our area.



I know a ped who vaccinates her kids. She lives next door to a chiropractor who does not vaccinate his kids and who has offered her lots of books/information about vaccines. Even though the ped's kids have allergies, asthma, are sickly altogether and on abx often, she refuses to even look at the vaccine information. What perturbs her, and she has said that openly, is that the unvaccinated neighbor kids are so super healthy.

Now if a person will not even look at some research/evidence on vaccines, when it is basically in their face, what do you think your information via mail and anonymously will do? Very little at best imo.

[Minaret]

Thanks Gitti. I love your responses on this forum. Very good suggestions.

I did have quite the bad cough that lasted for a month and I just got over it. My DS had a minor cough, I was almost wondering if it was WC, my ribs hurt so bad for a while. I had no "whoop", which I'm told you don't necessarily have to have to have it. I do have SA powder on hand, but I find it pretty distasteful, even in juice. Instead I've been taking some flavored chewable vitamin C that have half SA in them. My DS loves them and it seems the best way to get him to take SA.

I have been sick for a month with this pregnancy, and finally got over it last week. My new doctor, who I thought would be a little more "natural" on this subject, asked me (after I complained about my one month illness) if I had had a flu shot this year. I went into a rant about how its poison, etc, (lol), just couldn't control myself. She kept saying "ok, ok, I've dropped it."
She was quite nice about it actually, but I could see in her mind--thinking, "oh, she's one of those people."

This probably doesn't belong here--but just as a side note, DS had a slight fever last night and I rubbed this new concoction I got from the internet on him and it lowered his fever. I've tried it twice now and it worked both times--I don't know if it's concidence or not, but it was peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, sage, rosemary and a bit of olive oil mixed together. I put it on his feet and covered it with socks and on his chest. Have you heard of this remedy?

Minaret

[Gitti]

I had no "whoop",

Mostly little kids get the whoop since it has to do with the windpipe being to narrow when they try to get air back in.

Being pregnant might make you experience some things a little more severely? Some women do.

At least you'll have some waning immunity to wc, if that's what it was, for your new baby.

Ad for the SA. Where do you get it. There is some that tastes awful. Usually the one with bioflavanoids, since they use orange rinds in it and it tastes bitter. I get mine at Bronson's and it actually tastes good. #50B

My DS loves them and it seems the best way to get him to take SA.

Chewables can damage the enamel on teeth. Just a word of caution.

I went into a rant about how its poison, etc, (lol), just couldn't control myself. She kept saying "ok, ok, I've dropped it."

Sounds like me!

She was quite nice about it actually, but I could see in her mind--thinking, "oh, she's one of those people."

Who cares. It's funny how nice they can get when they see you are not to be jerked around.

new concoction

Since you put it on the feet, I don't see any harm in it. I've read about 'vinegar socks' to lower the fever. We actually never bother. The fever goes up and down until it has done the job.

[applejuice]

Being a person who has felt like a "cassandra" all of my life and been ignored regarding vaccinations, I suggest that you calm down and be glad that you know what you know and be glad your baby is healthy.

I have been lucky not to have been vaxed myself and my children also. We are healthy. I am blessed that my DH never insisted that I vax my children.

I am happy that in my middle age, people are starting to talk about not vaccinating. I am grateful for alot of things, but I am going to keep the information to myself, unless someone asks me.

Just today, I noticed that the Superintendent of the Burbank Unified Schools is going to retire. This jerk yelled at me on the phone when I called to ask if vaccines were required for children in the Mommy'n'Me Parenting Program. If I had the presence of mind, I would know that:

1. Vaccinations are recommended for admission to first grade and
2. The student in the parenting class is the parent, not the preschool child, so there is really no requirement/recommendation legally for any vaccination in that situation.

Anyway, that was 27 years ago. He yelled at me and said no child with any communicable disease would ever be permitted on any of the school grounds in Burbank while he was in charge. What jerk! My children and my nieces and nephews all attended BUSD schools unvaxed.

Anyway, I would smile and be glad that you have the choice. Meanwhile, while you are doing research, do you know the origin of the Raggedy Ann and Andy doll? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raggedy_Ann_and_Andy

[MamaVolpe]

If you want to tell people with out alienating them concider getting a gift subscription of Mothering to your friends, OB, or Peds office. They always leave those mags sitting around the waiting room and that way the information is out there but you don't have to worry about alienating people.