A little confused on which vaccines to get?

[dog groomer89]

hello all, I'm new here :)  I've been doing a lot of reading about the controversy of vaccinating children and I am a little overwhelmed with all the info I have found.  I have decided that I do want some vaccinations for by baby, but I'm not sure which ones I should do and I was thinking about doing a delayed-spread out vaccine schedule.  Does anyone have any suggestions, or a delayed schedule they could recommend?  I've decided not to give the newborn Hep B vaccine.  What vaccines did you opt in/out of and why? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Also, I have been unable to find a holistic pediatrician in my area, since my state does not provide licensing for homeopathic or naturopathic doctors.  :(   I've also read that it's very expensive to do a delayed schedule and that insurance will not cover or support it. Has anyone else had this experience?

Edited by dog groomer89 - 9/29/12 at 8:13am

[emmy526]

here is a post addressing your questions:

http://www.mothering.com/community/t/1364006/your-go-to-list-of-vaccine-research-questions

you should base your choices on what you think  your family needs and  educate yourself on what you are giving your family. 

[Turquesa]

To address the insurance question, that's proven false in my experience. Contact your insurance company and check.' For me, it just involved a walk-in, shot, and no co-pay or deductible.

I would also strongly suggest getting your hands on The Vaccine Book by Dr. Bob Sears. It's the only detailed book that I can find on the subject that doesn't talk down to parents. He covers every disease in question, every vaccine, every ingredient, and then concludes with his own bias/opinion. .

We didn't do all of the early childhood vaccines because my children have been breastfed and not in daycare. I probably would have done things differently under different circumstances. We're also not doing Hep Band, for now at least, we're forgoing the chicken pox vaccine.

Finally, research your state laws and find out from other like-minded parents what the exemption process is like or, barring that, consider whether you're open to homeschooling.

Good luck with your decision!

[dog groomer89]

Thank you, I will definitely call my insurance company and see!  I actually just bought that book last night on my Nook haha!  I've been researching a lot more today, and have found out that my state was one of the first to offer a philosophical exemption (yay!)  So I just have to fill out and submit one of these once a year before school starts, and we should be ok.  I think I've decided on a selective/delayed schedule pretty close to Dr. Sears, but a little tweaked for our own needs.  We are definitely declining Heb B, eye drops, and vitamin k at birth.  Still not sure if I want to do the Prevnar vaccine later though...
 

[anj_rn]

I would definitely contact the place you are planning to deliver, and discuss the declination prior to giving birth.  Hep B is easy to decline since it requires you to sign a consent, but Vit K and the eye goop do not require a separate consent, and some hospitals make it difficult to refuse, especially since some hospitals have an L&D nurse and a baby nurse (who you do not meet until you deliver).  Make sure they they do rooming in, or your SO follows the baby, or your request to avoid the Vit K and ointment could get lost in the transition.  My DH followed DS to the nursery to make sure no eye goop was given.

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[pammysue]

Yes, your baby needs to be wirth you or SO all the time in the hospital. My twins had to go to the nursery for about 1/2 hour after delivery. Dh went with them even though he really wanted to stay with me. Even though declining eye goop and vit k were in my birth plan and I discussed it with my L&D nurse and OB, the message was not passed on to the nursery staff. They were going to administer both before DH told them no. It is such a part of the routine they didn't even stop to check if we wanted them.

[dog groomer89]

Thank you so much for your responses! I had already planned on having my husband follow him around everywhere because I am so paranoid about it and do not trust them to follow my birth plan.  I do have another question though...I am also declining the Vitamin K shot, but I want to supplement it with the natural vitamin k oral drops instead, since they don't have the side effects that the shot does.  Has anyone done this instead of the shot? If so, does it matter what brand of drops I use? Can anyone recommend one?