2 month checkup stats anyone?

[esokitty]

Julian had his 2 month check up today. He got his pentacil (DTaP, HIB, Polio) shot and his first oral rotavirus. Can you believe little man screamed bloody murder while drinking the liquid, but didn't make a peep when he got stuck? He was nursing at the time tho...

He's been a little fussy, and spitting up a TON more than normal tonight. I have given him two doses of tylenol because he has seemed in pain, but that could be from his TOOTH!

Stats:
14 lbs 2 oz
24.5 inches

[goodmomma76]

Miss K had her 2 month check up on Tuesday.

She was 7 pounds 15 ounces.
20.25 inches.

She got the oral Rotovirus, and gagged and choked the whole time, then threw it up on me an hour later. But hasn't spit up since then. And she got the DTaP shot and screamed. It was awful. We are doing a delayed schedule, the Dr Sears one, so she won't get the other 2 until next month.

[esokitty]

we're doing the dr sears schedule also, but on his website he says that the pentacil is an acceptible option for parents who want to reduce the number of needle sticks. It has a lower aluminum content than the 3 shots combined also

Did your ped give you any trouble or pushback when you requested this schedule?

[inky leeuhhh]

g had her two month on tuesday. she got all her shots and i will not be having that many done at one time again. she was feverish all day, and hardly even woke up to nurse. i was worried about her, but they told me it was normal. blegh. maybe ill check out the dr sears vax schedule. otherwise she was great. shes 14 lbs almost exactly and the ped told me everything looked wonderful. loved her cloth diapers and was happy that i was planning to bf at least a year (actually im hoping to go at least twice that long). oh, and i took her to see a new ped who i had heard wonderful things about. she's awesome! the only ped in this practice though so getting appts wont be as easy. still, im super happy!

[Sasharna]

Leah, that sounds awful. I'd have been scared, too. Glad you have a nice pediatrician though.

DS1 had a major developmental regression in toddlerhood immediately after one of his shots (lost his entire vocabulary, among other things) and I'm so worried about taking this baby in for his. I haven't even made a two month appointment because I'm stalling for time, trying to decide what to do.

[inky leeuhhh]

Originally Posted by Sasharna

Leah, that sounds awful. I'd have been scared, too. Glad you have a nice pediatrician though.

DS1 had a major developmental regression in toddlerhood immediately after one of his shots (lost his entire vocabulary, among other things) and I'm so worried about taking this baby in for his. I haven't even made a two month appointment because I'm stalling for time, trying to decide what to do.

honestly, if it wasnt for dh pressuring me to take her in for the appt, i would have skipped it and moved everything back another two months. dd1 is on the spectrum, which made me more nervous about the shots, even though there was no correlation of her losing skills after her getting her shots. she was always a bit delayed, and there is a heavy family history of autism on her fathers side of the family (and i think some of us on my side are "spectrumy"... including myself). i have a friend though with a son who lost tons of development within 48 hrs of getting his shots, and now has autism. makes you wonder.

[daisyem]

Can someone tell me what Dr. Sears delayed schedule is? I looked at his website and I see him talking about his delayed vax schedule but I can't actually FIND the SCHEDULE??

I'm not sure what I'll be doing but I will either selective/delayed (like my dd) or none at all (like my ds). DS's 2 mo is in a couple weeks and I need a plan.

[ms.shell]

I cancelled the 2 month appt because i am not ready to do shots. when i mentioned delayed schedule in the hospital, the doc told me id have to find another pediatrician. But then he talked to us and totally convinced dp that he needs the shots and that he really wants this doc. i dont want to do it- my older ds had a terrible reaction at 5 mos and hasnt had any more, and if I could have my way, this babe wouldnt get any. dp is sold tho. i didnt tell him i cancelled the appt and i hope he doesnt ask soon about taking him back to the doctor!

he is darn near 15 lbs, i am sure. and probably 24 inches, maybe not quite.

[laurilj]

Dr Sears schedule

I found it here: http://thedailyhammond.blogspot.com/...-schedule.html

I guess Dr Sears wants you to buy his book, I didn't see it on his site either.

[BethSLP]

my son's 2 month appt is next week. he won't get any shots. his sister had one. I read more and never did anymore. I'd recommend the book "Vaccinations: A Thoughtful Parent's Guide" by Aviva Jill Romm to all of you (and your husbands). Its a very balanced book that both me and my best friend (who selectively and delayed vaxes) liked. If your husband won't read, then I think they get no say in the decision honestly.

Any pediatrician that makes threats of dropping you from their practice is completely unethical IMO. If I knew my pediatrician did that, I'd drop them first (even if I vaxed on schedule) simply on principle.

One of our neighbors is expecting and they have a nephew who is on the spectrum (after a very clear vaccine reaction). Their ped said they would be OK unless they chose to do no vaccines in which case they would need to find a new ped because the ped "wouldn't know how to treat them." They came away feeling like that was fair and reasonable. THAT MAKES NO SENSE WHATSOEVER. There was no specific vaccine she pushed or felt was key. So if they do polio they are OK? or what? Basically its a scare tactic and it gives you a sneak preview into what you're gonna get at each well child visit (pressure!). How would their child being unvaccinated make them not know how to treat them? Esp. if the vaccine isn't even specified.

My pediatrician is in favor of vaccination, but acknowledges that I'm the parent and I'm ultimately responsible for my children's health. He would never EVER threaten me.

The more I read, the less scared I am about the diseases. The only ones that scare me are pertussis and tetanus. Pertussis can be deadly under the age of 6 months and is still prevalent in society. However, it takes FIVE doses to get 66% effectiveness...which puts you well outside the "danger zone" of 6 months. It is also a highly reactive shot. The acellular pertussis was supposed to be less reactive than the DTP but reports are that it is still having issues. Tetanus is so incredibly rare and no one I know is up to date on their tetanus shot, but no one gets tetanus. And the stats on the tetanus shot are also pretty pitiful. If one of my kids ever gets a deep puncture wound that concerns me, I'll take them to the hospital for the immunoglobulin....which is the only thing that would stop tetanus in a short period of time. Yet, our protocol is giving the vaccine which is not short acting...and still tetanus is as rare as it is. So I'm not losing sleep over that.

FWIW, autism is not even my main motivating factor in making this choice, but rather the documented effects of vaccines on our immune system and health. The vaccine industry does not deny that the shots have increased allergies, asthma, arthritis, and so on. Kids today are just plain SICK. Chronic lifelong illness is not something I want to chance for my children to protect them from mild self limiting childhood diseases that do not scare me.

If you are hesitant, wait. You can't undo them, but you can read more. There is no "scientific reason" for the schedule as it is now. Peds will say this, but I'd ask for what that reason is. The blood brain barrier is not closed until 6 months, so science would seem to dictate that waiting until after 6 months is "scientific" yet they are giving shots for STDs (hep B) to newborns in the hospital. If you choose to wait, make a firm decision that you are not going to be pressured on the spot. I think pretty much all pediatrician offices allow you to come in whenever for "just a shot." You don't have to feel like its now or never. Its not a decision to be pushed into on the fly.

XOXO
B

[BethSLP]

not to freak anyone out, but I'd be very leery of the newer vaccine they are giving (the oral rotavirus).

you may not be aware, but this vaccine was just approved last year. the one before it killed many babies causing twisting of the intestines (intussusception) and was pulled from the market in 1999.

this article talks about both the old and the new vaccine.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...040401966.html

It does say that they've watched for intussusception in the studies and its safe, but I consider all new vaccines to be "experimental" until proven otherwise. The first Rotavirus vaccine was tested and considered safe also, until it killed babies.

They did see increased rates of convulsions and pneumonia related deaths. Other studies done by the manufacturer did not show this.

I don't know about you, but I'd like to see studies NOT done by the manufacturer. KWIM?

XOXO
B

[MelW]

The delayed/selective section of the vaccine forum has the Sears schedule and some other links.

I'm curious to have Nora weighed again she's gaining weight so much slower than Neela did. Even with cloth diapers a lot of the newborn clothes still fit.

[liseux]

Originally Posted by BethSLP

FWIW, autism is not even my main motivating factor in making this choice, but rather the documented effects of vaccines on our immune system and health. The vaccine industry does not deny that the shots have increased allergies, asthma, arthritis, and so on. Kids today are just plain SICK. Chronic lifelong illness is not something I want to chance for my children to protect them from mild self limiting childhood diseases that do not scare me.

If you are hesitant, wait. You can't undo them, but you can read more. There is no "scientific reason" for the schedule as it is now. Peds will say this, but I'd ask for what that reason is. The blood brain barrier is not closed until 6 months, so science would seem to dictate that waiting until after 6 months is "scientific" yet they are giving shots for STDs (hep B) to newborns in the hospital. If you choose to wait, make a firm decision that you are not going to be pressured on the spot. I think pretty much all pediatrician offices allow you to come in whenever for "just a shot." You don't have to feel like its now or never. Its not a decision to be pushed into on the fly.

XOXO
B

I agree completely. A long time ago Mothering had an article about anthroposophical (sp?) medicine that convinced me not to vax. It talked about the benefits of an intact immune system. Although I don't vax, I really don't judge people who do, b/c I feel its a VERY difficult choice either way & both options are scary IMO. My boys had pertussis last year and it was a living Nightmare. They are all Ok now, but some of these diseases are still really terrifying. It wasn't even my youngest (under 2) who was sickest, it was my 5 yr old, who got skinnier and skinnier and scared everyone who saw him. But.. that shot is scary too, so I understand the dilemma!

[momtokimari]

At Mathias' 2 month appt last month (May 5th) he was 9lbs and 21inches long. I stood on the scale at my dr's office today (and Mathias is exactly 3 months) and clothed with a wet goodmama on (I changed him when we got back to the car, btw) he weighed 12lbs 8oz. A GM weighs 7oz dry... so he's somewhere between 11.5-12lbs ish.

[goodmomma76]

Originally Posted by esokitty

Did your ped give you any trouble or pushback when you requested this schedule?

No! He said that comes up all of the time, and he really reccommends that kids get their shots on schedule, but respected whatever I wanted to do. The nurse who did the shots told me her daughter was doing the same delayed schedule.

The Dr. Sears schedule is sticky'd in the Vaccine forum.

For me, and this is just my feeling...I feel like if I have the opportunity to vax, and didn't, and then my children got one of the diseases I could have prevented and if affects their quality of life, I will have enormous guilt over that. I would have enormous guilt if a vaccine caused damage too, but I think the weight of not doing something that was reccommended to me would have been more so...just my feelings...

[BethSLP]

Originally Posted by goodmomma76

I feel like if I have the opportunity to vax, and didn't, and then my children got one of the diseases I could have prevented and if affects their quality of life, I will have enormous guilt over that.

which diseases are you thinking of here? just curious. I know a lot of parents feel this way, but I honestly don't know which disease they are scared of.

Mumps and rubella are often so benign you don't know you've had them. Measles is not fun but its 2 weeks and then you are immune for life and give that immunity to your baby via breastfeeding. Polio has been eradicated in the western world for over 10 years. Its debatable that the vaccine did anything as the criteria for polio vs. aseptic meninigitis changed at the same time as the vaccine making what qualified as polio much more narrow. Also, something like 90% of polio is so mild you don't know you had it. Diptheria is a disease that is only prevalent in areas with crummy sanitation and lack of access to healthcare. I talked about tetanus and pertussis in a previous post. Chicken pox (we all know) is nothing to worry about, but the vaccine is because no one knows how long it lasts meaning your child could be vulnerable at an older age when CP IS a big deal (adolescence and adulthood).

The other vaccines like HIB and Prevnar have issues associated with them as well. I don't view these as protective since they leave the body more vulnerable to other strains of bacteria. They are also very much experimental at this point in time. Although Prevnar has not been approved to prevent otitis media, it is marketed as such. The trials for prevnar were disturbing to me. Here's just one quote "Prevnar had four times more seizures, four times more gastritis than the control group, significantly more developed asthma, one death in the Prevnar group. Strangely, there were twice as many SIDS in the control group." Most ear infections are caused by viruses, not bacteria. Serotype replacement is very experimental. There are many doctors who believe this vaccine is acting much in the same way as overuse of antibiotics and will backfire on us.

I think most parents would be shocked at how crude a science vaccination is. Many of these were rushed to market during "epidemics" with little or no safety testing. Now the drug companies have no incentive to re-examine their formulation and make them "safer" because they risk not being approved again. One of the famous safety tests is the mouse test. If the mouse grows bigger, the vaccine is safe. How many kids with autism do you know that are big for their age? How in the world can we trust this type of "safety testing"?

Again, I don't want you to feel disrespected as every parent has to make their own decision, but I honestly wonder what disease you think will affect your child's quality of life? Ear infections? Chicken pox? Because that seems to be the only vaccine preventable disease they are at risk for getting. With the exception of tetanus, all of these diseases are self limiting in childhood. Unfortunately, our culture of fear has scared the daylights out of parents. I was surprised when I started researching this issue about how little I knew about VPDs.

XOXO
B

[goodmomma76]

Originally Posted by BethSLP

which diseases are you thinking of here?

Well, a lot of different ones, Measles, Mumps, a lot of things I've read. The instances of side effects or death is low, but could I forgive myself if my child was one of the 'statistics?' I don't think so. It's just me, and how I would feel. I totally respect everyone's decisions.

[secondimpression]

Originally Posted by BethSLP

If you are hesitant, wait. You can't undo them, but you can read more. There is no "scientific reason" for the schedule as it is now. Peds will say this, but I'd ask for what that reason is. The blood brain barrier is not closed until 6 months, so science would seem to dictate that waiting until after 6 months is "scientific" yet they are giving shots for STDs (hep B) to newborns in the hospital. If you choose to wait, make a firm decision that you are not going to be pressured on the spot. I think pretty much all pediatrician offices allow you to come in whenever for "just a shot." You don't have to feel like its now or never. Its not a decision to be pushed into on the fly.

XOXO
B

:

For that exact reason, we're skipping the 2 month. I haven't had enough time to really read into the vaccines (I was leaning towards no vaxs anyhow). And like you said, he can always get them later.

He's a bit over 12lbs right now (was 6lb5oz at birth) and knocking out all the social and physical development milestones

[BethSLP]

Originally Posted by goodmomma76

The instances of side effects or death is low, but could I forgive myself if my child was one of the 'statistics?' I don't think so. It's just me, and how I would feel. I totally respect everyone's decisions.

I totally respect your decision too, mama. But also wanted to add that many of the "statistics" are children with compromised immune systems, lack of healthcare, and other disorders. Also, please consider how Chicken Pox is being portrayed now. Was anyone scared of dying from CP when we were kids? No, because there was no vaccine. It was considered a normal PITA of childhood. Now they trot out obscure cases of immune compromised kids who die from CP. In another generation, people will be phobic of CP just like people of our generation view measles.

These decisions aren't easy, for sure, but mostly I think its because the information/scare tactics out there are so hard to piece apart fact from fiction and hype. Again, I wanna give props to the Aviva Romm book, because she does such a good job of laying out the facts and explaining how our immune system works, how vaccines work, history of vaccines, etc. There are a lot of other books I like, but they are definetly more anti-vaccine. This book is very neutral and should give you more strength of conviction about your decisions in the end (no matter what they are). Information is power and peace of mind.

XOXO
B

[honeybunmom]

Gian had his on Friday. He's 14 lb 7 oz and 23.5" long. He's chirping like a bird, which is so fun to hear!

No shots here. Our pedi is great about it but frowned that I was not giving him vitamin D supplements. I told her we get out regularly - walking - and sitting in the park thanks to his older ds, so, I don't see it as necessary.