Vaccines « Back to Group Discussions

[Sol_y_Paz]

I researched subject beforehand but found it overwhelming.  I did however determine selective and/or delayed works for us better rather than no vaccines.

What did you you ladies decide for your LO's? 

[LilyTiger]

I spoke with my doc last week about this and we decided on a middle ground between delayed vax and the CDC version.  We'll be doing the three most important ones at the two month visit (of course I can't remember them offhand) but delaying polio, hep B, and rotovirus until later.  My doc's theory is that the babe is highly unlikely to come into contact with hep B or polio in her first year and rotovirus is rare (when not in daycare) and usually not serious in EBF babies.  So we're delaying those but getting the rest.  We decided against the Sears delayed route because I don't think spreading them out to come in each month is terribly good either.  My doc thinks it's a little traumatic for probably pretty small gains.  We both acknowledged however that most of our conclusions were based off of gut feelings rather than anything supported by empirical evidence. 

I agree with you  that there's just too much conflicting evidence.  I found it so overwhelming that I just laid out my gut feelings with my doc and trusted her conclusions. 

[sallyrae17]

I don't do any vaccines until my kids are 2 years old. I read a bunch of articles about the brain-blood barrier, which doesn't form completely until your kid is two. I don't believe that vaccines *cause* autism, but that they can bring a latent autism to light. In other words, it can act as the trigger. Anyway, I breastfed my son until he was 3 and he stayed at home with me until last week when he started preschool. So he wasn't in contact with a ton of daycare germs. Thankfully, though, he has a super strong immune system and has had maybe 2 colds his whole life and a bout of the stomach flu...and he eats dirt and rarely washes his hands. So it's not like he's avoiding germs. :)

I also read the Dr. Sears Vaccine book and it basically convinced me that most of the diseases we vaccinate against either aren't prevalent or rarely cause bad reactions. My partner, on the other hand, wanted to vaccinate more than we did. The end result was that he just didn't fight me on it. Once I started vaccinating, I only chose to do the DTap and polio vaccines. 

[Ninetales]

We don't do any here. It's an ongoing process for me, I'm always reading and researching and rethinking. At this point I've not been convinced to do them. Looking at the risks and unknowns of the vaccines and comparing those risks to that of the diseases, I would rather my kids get the diseases. With the exception of pertussis, but that particular formula is one I find to be of questionable efficacy. If it were a better vaccine I'd do it.

[justchanti]

We won't be vaccinating for now.  Like ninetales, I imagine it will be an ongoing process for us too; constantly go back over the pros and cons.  Since E is at home with me breastfeeding the risks seem minimal.  If she were to go to daycare, we'd probably reevaluate.  For me, the main reason it's important to vaccinate is from a public health standpoint and sometimes I feel bad that we won't be "doing our part," but my desire to do my best to keep my daughter well seems to be winning out at the moment.  I know that we are taking advantage of herd immunity, but there really are only a few diseases that I wouldn't be okay with her catching (like polio).  For now,  I'm okay with the risk because we live in a part of the world where I doubt she will come into contact with those.  My only main concern is about pertussis.  If it weren't given with two other vaccines (that an infant, in my opinion does not need) and it did a better job of being effective I would probably get her vaccinated.  

Edited by justchanti - 9/22/12 at 6:14pm

[CCoello]

I personally believe vaccines are one of the greatest health related advances in the history of medicine. We will be vaccinating Armie. I held off on the Hep vax at birth, but he got it at his 1 month appt. We will do the rest on schedule.

The formulas that they give contain far fewer microbes/etc than a kid would get licking the floor - what matters is that they are the right ones. I think it's distressing to see a baby cry from a shot, but it's over very quickly. I don't want to take a risk on the diseases, and I want to join the herd!

Finally, while the autism scare is, IMO, not only false but damaging from a public health standpoint, one silver lining is that it has inspired some intense scrutiny of vaccine formulations, ingredients, and safety - which ultimately gives me more confidence in the product.

[Veritas Vitae]

I'm pretty torn on the vaccine issue simply because I am going to have to put Q in childcare starting at 6 months, and I just don't think that I could find daycare that would take her without vaccines.  I'd like to do some and skip the others, it is frustrating that pertussis is only given with two other vaccines that I don't think she needs.  And it also seems ridiculous to me that my newborn daughter needs a Hep B vaccine...  I'm just not sure what I could do to avoid having the vaccines.  Don't most schools require that kids have been vaccinated?  Also, since she will be going to daycare, I feel like just doing a delayed vax schedule would work for us.  Although I'd still like to avoid Hep B and Chicken Pox...

[Tizzy]

FWIW My oldest went to daycare part time as a 7mo old while I did training for work and vaccination was never an issue. They were more concerned about cloth diapers and glass bottles.

[Ninetales]

Every state except Mississippi and West Virginia has religious exemptions, and some (including mine) allow philosophical exemptions.  Some states have more rigorous requirementss than others.  For me, I have to have a written document on file at the school stating which ones I have declined.  A lot of people don't know this, though.

[mtngirl81]

This has also been a huge discussion (more so me trying to get the DH to help make a decision :-P) between DH and I.  I just don't like the idea of my kid having countless vaccinations at such a young age... and I think some are unnecessary such as the chicken pox one.  K won't be going to daycare either as I'm going to stay home with her and we're also moving to a remote area (yay for no @#$%$% neighbours!) in the sticks.  I don't know though... I  mean the chances are there...I actually did get meningitis when I was 23 months old and lost most of my hearing due to the drug cocktail they used. I don't think a vaccine could have stopped it as it was the 'bad' meningitis (i can't remember if it was bacterial or viral - sue me, i have baby brain!)  I wonder if our lifestyle doesn't require a stringent vaccination schedule  as we live, eat and breathe the outdoors and backcountry... I even work in the backcountry and hardly ever in the office. 

And kids DO remember shots. I certainly do. I even remember being in the hospital for 10 days when I had meningitis. I described the room layout to my mom as proof that I remembered. This was when I was 23 months old and I'm 31 now. *shrugs*

[monkeyscience]

We're still discussing, but it's looking like selective/delayed. dh is decidedly not okay with non-vaxing, so that's definitely out. There are a few things I'm pretty adamantly against (or at least against having them on schedule), so we'll probably meet in the middle. Our pediatrician will easily do the Dr. Sears delayed schedule, from what she's said, so we're making decisions about DTaP and rotovirus right now. I've decided to go ahead with the DTaP because I am concerned about pertussis. I hate that I have to give my baby vaccinations for two things there's basically zero chance of him getting, and that the pertussis component is both less effective and more reactive than other vaccines, but I am worried enough about pertussis to go forward with it. Jury's still out on rotovirus, and I'm having trouble finding good information on it.

[Sol_y_Paz]

We did those two monkey.  The roto seems too new to me and has had quality control issues in the past.  

http://children.webmd.com/vaccines/news/20100322/pig-virus-found-in-gsk-rotavirus-vaccine

I am considering never giving it again.

Plus, I have no idea what is in it.  Probably lots of sugar.  He has nothing but BM but ate up the roto stuff eagerly.  

I decided not to do the Sears spacing of the vaccines since vax are stressful enough, I didn't want to make that many trips.