Formula fed~ try and boost immune system or vax for certain things?

[dauphinette]

My daughter was breastfed for a brief period of time and after a period of trying everything I gave in a formula fed her until switching to raw milk for a year and then just regular (hormone free) milk now.
I am considering selectively vaxing her for tetanus, diphtheria, polio and hib.
She is almost three, weighs 38 lbs(she is in the 99% for height and weight for her age) and has never been vaxed.
Should I focus more on "fixing" her immune system/gut from the formula/lack of breast milk and if so what should I do?
Should I vax for the above things just in case?

What to do?

(Yes, I have researched for the past three years, but I still feel unsure, confused and just vaguely bad....)
Thanks

[WTHamI?]

If it was me I would just boost her immune system with vitamin D and probiotics and general healthy eating, i.e. vitamin rich whole foods and low sugar. Polio and Diphtheria are basically nonexistent in the U.S. (Assuming you are in the U.S.) They haven't really done studies to prove the efficacy of the tetanus vax, the best defense is proper wound care and if she ever did get a deep puncture wound where you had a legitimate cause for concern you can always get tetanus immune globulin.

The only one I would even give serious consideration to is HIB. Although I will say that after researching the side effects, its questionable efficacy and potential role in increasing the risk for other related and more severe forms of peneumonia and meningitis, and the fact that it still contains all the dangerous ingredients at the root of my decision not to vax, I've decided I'm not comfortable giving that one either, regardless of whether I'm able to breastfeed my kids as long as I would like to or not.

Just my two cents.

[just_lily]

Personally I wouldn't (and have not) vax just because of formula. And I really wouldn't do anything different at the age of 3 to "fix" formula feeding.

My DD was on formula since 3 weeks of age (not by choice, no judgment please), is completely unvaxed, and the healthiest kid I know. Last year I gave her an A-C-D multivitamin throughout the winter, and will probably do something similiar this year... but I would do that if she was formula fed or not.

Yes, breast milk would have provided her with more protection against certain diseases. But formula doesn't make vaccines any safer.

Is there a specific reason that you feel you need to heal her gut? If she is having some specific symptoms I would look into those for sure, but I don't think it should affect your vax decisions.

[Marnica]

I wouldn't vax just because of formula feeding. I believe Vaccines damage the immune system, this would be the case weather ther baby was breastfed or formula fed.

I do agree that you should be doing what you can to heal your LO's gut. Pre and probiotics (good quality ones) are a must. There are also many other things you can do to boost overall immunity. Do you have access to a ND? Also was your babe natural or c-section?

Just_lily - The gut flora of a formula fed baby is totally different that that of a breastfed baby. Formula fed babies that 1,000 times the number of gram negative bacteria (ecoli) than breastfed babies.

E. Coli is intrinsically toxic. The outer coating (lipopolysaccharide) is the toxic component, but the key to the toxicity level is the speed with which it can multiply, given the right circumstances, which include bottle feeding which results in fewer lactobacilli, and an acidity level favouring E Coli, stress, overheating, viruses, AND vaccines.

- Hilary Butler

[MountainMamaGC]

Originally Posted by Marnica

I wouldn't vax just because of formula feeding. I believe Vaccines damage the immune system, this would be the case weather ther baby was breastfed or formula fed.

I do agree that you should be doing what you can to heal your LO's gut. Pre and probiotics (good quality ones) are a must. There are also many other things you can do to boost overall immunity. Do you have access to a ND? Also was your babe natural or c-section?

Just_lily - The gut flora of a formula fed baby is totally different that that of a breastfed baby. Formula fed babies that 1,000 times the number of gram negative bacteria (ecoli) than breastfed babies. - Hilary Butler

That may be the case for the FF infant, but is it still the case when the infant becomes a child and is eating healthy food and not formula anymore. Wouldnt it correct itself over time after the child has been weaned from formula? Just a question that popped into my mind.

[MountainMamaGC]

To the OP. Whether you vax or not I would still support the childs immune system anyway.

Vitamin C and D, and probiotics is what we do.

Are you confident in her immune system? Does she recover ok when sick? Does she get sick often? If she is all good, I would say her immune system is just fine. Breastfeeding is great, but some kids have wonderful immune systems, even though they were FF. Even if they get sick often, it still doesnt mean their immune system is bad, they just have to build natural immunity to the things that breastfeeding didnt cover.

[heathergirl67]

I've never seen any studies that say that vaccinations damage a person's immune system. It makes sense that they would, temporarily, as that is it's purpose: introducing a weakened illness to the body, so that the body can mount a response. I'm not saying those studies aren't out there, I've just never seen them. Really the only people I've heard talk about that are people who dislike vaxes in general. But if anyone has that research I would love to see it.

[amnesiac]

Please remain focused on the vaccine issue in this forum. If you wish to further explore other ways of supporting immune function please start a new thread in Health & Healing.

[Marnica]

Originally Posted by heathergirl67

I've never seen any studies that say that vaccinations damage a person's immune system. It makes sense that they would, temporarily, as that is it's purpose: introducing a weakened illness to the body, so that the body can mount a response. I'm not saying those studies aren't out there, I've just never seen them. Really the only people I've heard talk about that are people who dislike vaxes in general. But if anyone has that research I would love to see it.

http://www.amazon.com/Vaccination-10.../dp/064615124X

there are dozens and dozens and dozens of citations in this book.

You may also want to look into th1 and th2 and how vaccines skew the immune system which left unmolested would develop a delicate balance.

[dauphinette]

I give her cod liver oil, a multi vitamin, yogurt and try to feed her well, although I will readily admit her diet could be better.
She does not get sick often and does recover well on her own. Last winter the Dr. wanted to give her antibiotics for a supposed ear infection and she did recover quite quickly without them.

I guess I just had read about the ff babies gut and assumed that it still would be a problem at 2 1/2, it never occured to me that it would have healed by now, but maybe so!

I have decided to get her the Tetanus because she is around horses all the time at my moms house in the country mucking and what not, sometimes even shoeless, we got the first one this week.

I have still not decided on the others although her Dr. said she is past the age for the Hib now.

[Yulia_R]

I don't have strong enough words to say just how much I would NOT vaccinate. Healthy diet (most food from scratch), NATURALLY occuring probiotics (coconut or raw milk kefir with no added sweateners (exept maybe for some raw honey or stevia), multi-vitamins (100% whole foods derived...Garden of Life has great RAW food derived vitamins) and lots of sun (about 20 mun daily) exposure in reasonable amounts that would not burn her skin (vit D) with no soap whole body wash afterwards for 48 hours is what she needs. The last thing her body needs is being poisoned with vaccines.

By the way, burdock root decoction (1-2 hours) contains inulin which is a great food for friendly bacteria, therefore, may be beneficial if you are trying to help her gut to heal.

[Otto]

Originally Posted by Marnica

http://www.amazon.com/Vaccination-10.../dp/064615124X

there are dozens and dozens and dozens of citations in this book.

Ah, yes, former geologist, AIDS repurposer, and SBS denialist Viera Scheibner. We'd never have known that smallpox hasn't actually been eradicated, or about brain-eating amoebas, without her.

[Marnica]

Originally Posted by Otto

Ah, yes, former geologist, AIDS repurposer, and SBS denialist Viera Scheibner. We'd never have known that smallpox hasn't actually been eradicated, or about brain-eating amoebas, without her.

Im so tired of this...I can't even muster up a response