vaccinations

[Devaya]

hi everyone. i havent been on this particular forum since i announced my baby's birth...u know how it is. anyway he's due for his first vaccinations next week and i' m in two minds about whether to take him for them or not. He's just starting to get more settled and sleeping better atnight, and i've heard vaccinations can upset all of that. i feel like i'm just on the edge of coping at the moment bc he is a 1-2 hourly feeder and its very intense, in terms of sleep deprivation, and my mom who's been staying with me helping out, is leaving next week so i know its gonna be tougher again...so i really dont want to mess with things u know??but at the same time i'd feel so bad if he got ill from not having the vaccinations. just wondered if you ladies have made decisions on this.

[Jenlaana]

We vaccinate but thats not a very popular choice here on MDC. We do choose to delay them a bit. DD1 got her first set and then did not get any for the rest of the year and started them back again at about 18 mos, and DD2 will be starting the "schedule" at 2 mos old, but did not get any at her first ped visit or at the hospital (we homebirthed). I've won a lot of "battles" regarding atatchment parenting, but this is one that DH just was not remotely comfortable with, so we compromised and delayed. I havent seen it interfere with bonding but thats just my experience, and neither of my 2 LO's had anything prior to their ped visits (no hospitals). My DD1 did have a reaction to one of them, I think it was the tetanus? (they did a lot of them at once so its hard to know) so I was going to have them skip that the next time. It only gets complicated when you try to put them into daycare/school because you have to file exemptions etc but with us, they'll be caught up by then.

Your best bet, if you're looking for reasons NOT to vax, is to go to the vax part of the board. Like any issue though, you can find a thousands reasons why you SHOULD and a thousand reasons why you SHOULDNT. Just go with your instincts and do your research.

[bygones75]

I think that if you're unsure, you should delay. I wish someone had told me that with my first one. Do some research. We don't vax anymore... I respect that others here do, of course. I just think the choice should be an informed one, and I learned that the hard way.

[HarperRose]

If you're in doubt, wait.

We stopped vaxing when my ds was 9 mos old. Neither of the other 2 have gotten shots.

[jennay]

Originally Posted by Justthatgirl

If you're in doubt, wait.

You can always have him vaccinated at any time. But you can't take a shot back once he's gotten it. Be firm about your choice so you don't have regrets.

Personally, we delay and selectively vax.

[IfMamaAintHappy]

we delayed and vaccinated selectively with my oldest, starting at 9 months, and she had a reaction to her second DTaP shot, received at 14 months. She has a seizure disorder as a result of it.

In my opinion, the recommended shots, especially at 2 months, are way too much for a tiny body to deal with.

So we had already done enough reserach to want to delay/selectively vax, and then after she had her reaction, we did more research.

My other 3 children have had no vaccinations. If they ever get any, it will be for Diptheria, Tetanus, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Polio. The same ones I got as a child (but no pertussis for my kids). I have no idea if/when I will feel comfortable giving any to them at all, and will check their titers first.

[gottaknit]

My DS also had a reaction after his second DTaP. He was paralyzed for 25 hours - the scariest day of my life.

There is no harm in delaying vaccinations while you do your research.

[Wildecat]

If you are confused then it is best to WAIT.
My husband and I have been doing so much research in the last couple of weeks. Our dd is 4 weeeks and we wanted to be fully educated befor making the decision. We have decided NOT to vax for various reasons. I will tell you some sources of info that really helped me to come to my decision:
1). MDC vaccination thread
2). Dr. Sherry Tenpenny's (3-hour) DVD titled "Vaccines: the Risks, the Benefits, the Choices."
3).Stephanie Cave's, What your doctor may not tell you about children's vaccinations
4).Aviva Jill Romm's, Vaccinations: A thoughtful parents guide.

These are just a few sources of info out there to help you make an informed decision. I recommend going to the vaccination thread here on MDC first and reading some posts from people in the same dilemma as you.
Good Luck!

[Devaya]

thanks everyone, i will check out the vaccination thread - there's so much on this website i hadnt realised there was one! thank u for sharing ur experiences and insights.