Going to places with international travelers- Need Advice

[BellaRose0212]

We have chosen not to vaccinate our daughter who is six-months-old. Still, we want to take precautions to ensure her health. My sister is performing a concert at Disney next week and we were invited to go. I worry that with lots of germs and international travelers, she might contract a disease.

What do you think?

Do you take your kids to airports, theme parks, etc?

[japonica]

I have travelled to Europe and Australia with my two unvaxed kids. They've been in some of the busiest, germ-ridden airports around, spent hours breathing the recirculated air on planes. I don't even give it a second thought.

Do some reading on the diseases you're concerned about. Once you know all about them, the stats on occurrence, etc. you won't be as panicked. I also think you'll find how rare many of them are, how difficult to catch...it's pretty unlikely she'll get polio from a theme park...

[BellaRose0212]

Thanks!

Thanks Japonica,

I am still worried but you have put me more at ease. I have been doing research since DD was a tiny embryo but I find it to be highly conflicting. For every bit of research that seems to point in one direction there is just as much pointing in the other. Not to mention scary stories on both sides (kids being killed by disease and kids being severely injured by vaccines). I think I am going to go, but I know I will be worried. I will have lots of germ wipes on hand, lol. Plus, she will be in a carrier strapped to my chest and I think people dare to touch babies strapped to their mothers much less than in carseats or strollers.

Really, thank you. By the way, I love your little marquee of icons about yourself and your family, so adorable.

[lauradbg]

Are you breastfeeding your daughter? Whatever germs you are exposed to, and therefore your daughter is also exposed to them as well, your immune system will make antibodies that go into your breastmilk and then into your daughter!

:

Go have fun and don't worry!

[BellaRose0212]

Thanks

Yes, I am breastfeeding.

I cannot make a cute little signature thing yet. I think my account is limited because I just signed up.

[kiwiva]

We go everywhere. I'm really more concerned with picking up icky GI bugs in those sorts of places.

When she was tiny, I did have my times of fear but I have gotten much more confident as she has gotten bigger.

[fascha]

We are travelling to Aruba with DS when he is 14mo and I didn't even think twice about it!

[ammiga]

I've never worried about taking dd anywhere. I'm really not worried about her catching things. If she does, her immune system will get stronger. If she doesn't, I figure it's partly because of her kick-butt immune system!

[veganfox]

Thank you for starting this thread. I subscribed.
I expect my first baby next month and because I'm Greek and I want to travel back home when DS will be 5 months, I was worried about traveling while he is not vax. Thank you for sharing your experiences!

[BellaRose0212]

Thanks and Your Welcome

Thanks everyone, you have given me more confidence.

Veganfox: No problem. Coincidentally, I am a vegan too. Are you on the vegan forums?

[alegna]

We go everywhere and do everything- and we don't use any anti-germ-stuff

No worries. 2 healthy and unvaxed kids.

-Angela

[mommy2jonah]

We have traveled to Central America three times with our unvaxed DS. We were in Honduras and Guatemala for 5 weeks total this last time and he was fine. We were concerned with a GI virus and he never got one.

[EVC]

We live in a multiculteral, international community and no worries here! In fact, both dh and dd were born abroad (Eastern Europe), and dd has several (pre-school) classmates and teachers from other countries (China, India, Africa, Middle East). We just enjoy the diversity

[veganfox]

Originally Posted by BellaRose0212

Veganfox: No problem. Coincidentally, I am a vegan too. Are you on the vegan forums?

Yep yep. I'll see you there. Nice to meet you!
:

[AllyRae]

Honestly, at 6 months old, most babies aren't finished with vax series anyhow, so little/no immunity is likely to happen. Take precautions you would take for ANY young infant in public places.

My thoughts are that you can't keep you kids in a bubble. If not vaxing will cause you so much anxiety that you keep your kids from experiencing the world, then it's just not worth it. Most who don't vax or who selectively vax do so because they think it is SAFER to not vax or selectively vax, and then take alternative precautions (frequent hand washing, natural protection, etc.). You have to do what you think will keep your kids the safest without having to keep them in a bubble. We took our partially vaxed DS to Vietnam when he was 3. He was vaxed for those conditions I was extremely worried about and for the rest, we took other precautions. But in no way did we leave him home just because he *could* catch something.