You know....I'm completely non-vaxing, non-circing, homebirthing, etc etc, and I felt those things were very important before I even conceived my children.....but I will say this:
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I think you are remiss in your mothering if you only ever read things that sound good to you or fit with your beliefs...and I'm not saying that anyone is doing that or telling anyone else to do that.....but I am saying that I would read Dr. Sears' book and really think about what he's saying. I always make sure to read the well presented material that is thoughtful and "balanced"....but that advocates an alternative position to my own. I've read enough about how bad vax is, etc, to fill a library! But I have also read a LOT of books, articles, etc written by people who take a moderate view toward vaccines and advocate for delayed schedules and all of that. I have found over the last few years, that it goes a long way toward my being able to educate other people and defend my own position with people who try and nay say me to my face, that I know what they have read, where they are coming from and the ways in which their arguments are (in MY opinion) flawed.
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I'm not saying that I spend a lot of time trying to educate myself to do battle with mamas who nay say, I don't like battling mamas at all....what I mean is, I believe vaccination TRULY IS bad for babies...so I educate myself on all sides of the "argument", so that when someone has hard questions or feels like they want to challenge my viewpoint, I can turn what could be a nasty or uncomfortable encounter into a positive sharing of information and an intelligent explanation of my choices. Nothing makes me feel better than to have a mama start with "Um, you don't vax at ALL....isn't that sort of irresponsible!? Should I even let my kids around your kids??" - and after a calm and intelligent conversation, ends with "wow, I really didn't know all of that....I see how it should be left up to parents to decide" - seriously, it's very rewarding to turn someones opinion from "What a freak" to "Wow, she really knows her stuff". ..and the way I see it, every mama I touch with my information, who softens her stance and gains some perspective on the issue of vax, is the mother of children who will grow up to be adults who might be more willing to listen to MY kids when they explain why they don't want to vax their kids...and maybe my kids will talk to them before they have kids, and set them on the path to finding a better way to achieve health in their families. That's how positive change happens, you know, level heads coming together in understanding to seek truth and better ways for living.
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I never want my self-education as a parent to take place in an echo-chamber.....the decisions we have to make are too important for that. To truly research, to TRULY educate ourselves, we must see a thing from all angles, before we decide what to call it. If I choose not to vaccinate....and cannot answer some simple to moderately difficult questions that a stranger in a grocery store might ask me...well, then I don't know that I've researched enough?
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By the way, OP, CONGRATULATIONS!! You are going to love being a mama, it's the BEST!
