Want to delay, but unsure

[red_firefox]

Before my baby was born, I read the Vaccine book. I decided I liked Dr. Series alternative schedule. However my baby was born sick, and I initially decided to go with the normal vaccine. I now regret it slightly and think I want to use the alternative schedule.

There are a few things that are stopping me from going with it.

First, I haven't talked it over with my doctor. Any idea on how to broach the subject?

Second, most likely at 9 months or so, he is going into day care for about 15 hours a week so I can keep working and DH can keep going to school...but my cousin who is currently watching the baby is planning on moving out at that point. Day cares around here make it mandatory that they have to have all of the vaccines as per the normal schedule. Is it even possible to use the alternate vaccine schedule with that?

Third, I don't know if I can deal with the crying right afterwords once a month. No, breastfeeding probably won't help (I've done it right before but he stilled cried, and he doesn't mind crying while he is eating either).

Thoughts? Advice?

[majormajor]

how old is your baby now? what has he had so far?

[missjessicajames]

I've done only some brief research and it seems you that illinois state law states that you can have a religious exemption for preschool. I don't know all the details of how this works, I have seen it in a few other threads where you would have to say that you are now part of that religion and weren't before (hence why you've gotten vax's in the past). Don't know if that helps at all.

GOOD LUCK!

[red_firefox]

MajorMajor - My son is 4 months and goes next week for his 4 month vax. He has had the 'standard' shots for a 2 month old (HepB, Polio, Rotovirus, DTaP and Pn).

Jessica - To my knowledge, my religion (I'm jewish) doesn't have any kind of exception. And I am planning on Vaxing him fully...I just want to do it on my schedule rather then on theirs.

[poppan]

This is my understanding of how it works -- if you don't follow the state's schedules (even if you plan on doing all the vax eventually, just not on their schedule) you are considered off-schedule and will need an exemption to attend a licensed day care facility that is checked on by the state.

Illinois only has medical and religious exemptions (no personal belief/philosophical exemption). So unless you can get your doctor to write a medical exemption, you will have to use the religious exemption. Even if you're Jewish and Judaism has no objections to vax, if you want to do the shots on your schedule *and* you want him to attend a licensed daycare, you will have to figure out a way to use the religious exemption.

[nwmamas]

A religious exemption is really easy to use. All daycares that receive state funding must take state exemptions. You don't need to join a church or state that you're part of a church or even tell them what religion you are. There are plenty of good threads in here telling you how to use it.

[alegna]

You don't have to belong to any specific religion to use a religious exemption.

-Angela

[boscopup]

In my state, you just say "I am religiously opposed to vaccinations", and they aren't allowed to ask you any further about why you're opposed or what religion you are or anything like that. You also don't need any kind of clergy signature. You just sign it yourself and state that you're religiously opposed.

You can be religiously opposed to something even if you aren't a member of a religion that believes that. Afterall, how many Jews do you know that believe the *exact* same thing about how to even practice the religion? Same goes for any Christian denomination or non-denomination, etc. Within my own church congregation, some of us have differing views about various Biblical topics. So it would make sense that two members of the same religious group could have differing views about vaccination being religiously acceptable.

[julieann199930]

http://www.exploringvaccines.com/
has some good information/resources that might help...