8 week Immunizations... help...

Xiomara - posted on 02/09/2011

I was nervous when my baby was getting her 1st immunizations b/c of the research I did online. Then I thought to myself that every bby reacts differently to the shots. My Dr gave me a list of effects tht may occur while we were at home. The only thing tht happened to my bby was a mild fever & a small case of vomiting after eating. 2-3days later she was back to her normal self.

Michelle - posted on 02/09/2011

Maybe it's just because I just had my third, but the experience itself is not as bad as you think. But it was scary the first time. So first of all try to relax. They do not use mercury or Thimeresol in most vaccines these days. There has been a rise in illnesses that we vaccinate against (polio, whooping cough, measles, etc) in recent years because people are not vaccinating. My sons preschool had an outbreak of whooping cough a couple of months ago. The dangers are very real for contracting these illnesses for the first time in decades. These are not things I want my kids to get. You have to the research yourself and make a decision. Really for me I'd rather my baby be uncomfortable for a day or so then get polio, measles, whooping cough, dyptheria, etc). My grandma almost died as a child from dyptheria. Not pleasant. Not something I want my kids to go through. My husbands grandma was a polio nurse. She was also glad for vaccinations. You have to decide what it is that you want for your kids and how you can achieve that best.

Leandra - posted on 02/09/2011

You have to go with your instincts. I know I debated and reading all the stuff online really made me scared. One of the things I learned was that the sites that talk about the evils of vaccines make references to chemicals that are no longer used in vaccines. I went ahead and got the vaccines because I felt she was better off with them then without. You can do whatever makes you feel best, including, picking and choosing which vaccines to get and spreading them out so she only gets one at a time.

Nicole - posted on 02/09/2011

My daughter is 12 months and I have struggled with this very thing but ultimately decided against vaccination. I just feel like injecting my child with things like Mercury and Formaldehyde can't possibly keep her healthy. I agree with Alice whatever decision you make shouldn't be from pressure from either side.

Alice - posted on 02/08/2011

Unvaccinated children can obtain exemption forms from their health department and then their children can go to daycare and school. Public schools are not allowed to refuse children admission; they are public schools.

I have one question: if vaccines make your children immune to diseases, why would you be scared of an unvaccinated child? Odd, isn't it?

My younger two children are much more healthy than my older two (older two had vaccines) - my older two easily catch everything (they are otherwise healthy), while my third and fourth almost never get sick (my fourth has only been sick once) & when they do, they bounce back in hours or at max two days, not 7 or 10 days (that's the average time my oldest two are sick when they get sick).

I advocate educating yourself by reading from books and getting advice from people/books/websites that are not funded my pharmecutical companies. It is usually best to find unbiased information - which, usually doesn't exist. Go with your gut instinct and what research you find... don't let other people make you feel bad for whatever choice you make. It is your choice and your child is your responsibility, not the state's or your neighbor's or Pfizer's... he/she is your responsibility and you should do what you feel most comfortable with. :)

Amanda - posted on 02/07/2011

For people who refuse to have your child immunized, how are they going to go to school? They have to be up to date on their shots to go. Schools will not risk your child getting seriously sick from something caught at school then you suing them over it. Just a though. I know its scary to get them immunized, but a lot of babies have no problems with the shots.

Sarh - posted on 02/07/2011

The ONLY thing I will trust when it comes to this is the pediatrician and
http://www.aap.org/immunization/
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/
http://kidshealth.org/Search01.jsp
Those are the three sites that pediatricians trust, recommend and find creditable.
I find all immunizations important other then Varicella (chicken poxs), I think it should be something HEALTHY children get naturally. the other injections I am debating on having my son (8ms old on the 10th) get all future vaccines separate/one at a time. This is because he did fine with his first immunizations, but the 6m ones which he got all at once, he had a viral reaction... it didn't bother him, but it bothered me. After doing some research on vaccines, my partner and I have agreed that maybe it would be best to do them one at a time. Mainly because he has had a reaction to one of the many vaccines given at 6m which his pediatrician says is VERY RARE, also I'm severely allergic to more then enough antibiotics and my fiancee is deathly allergic to several antibiotics and there may only be a trace amount of antibiotics in the vaccines, but I don't want to take any risks.
What is he getting in his tiny little arm?!?!?! Never heard of an 8w old getting a vaccine in their arm!!!

Also, I absolutely REFUSE to allow my children or myself to EVER get the flu shot or the H1N1 vaccine. I have an auto immune disease which lowers my immune system and I've never had the flu! I was also on injections which lowered my immune system even more and my doctor tried to force me to get the flu shot, but I refused and walked out of her office. I never got the flu and I don't sit in my house and hibernate from the real world. You know. My children have never gotten a flu shot and as far as I'm concerned they never will.
I hear all the time about people getting the flu vaccine and then getting horribly sick and I know LOTS of people who never get the flu shot or got the flu shot the year before and then didn't get it the next year and never got sick.
I guess this is all my personal experience, but please take a look at those 3 links and DO vaccinate your child, but talk with his pediatrician about possibly customizing the schedule.

Anna Marie - posted on 02/06/2011

A book I found helpful to make my decision was The Vaccine Book by Dr. Sears. This was not anti-vaxing, or pro-vaxing, but rather gave information on what each vax does and offered ideas on how to spread the vaccines out over time rather than getting them all at once. Lots of good info to help make the decision on whether to vax completely, partially, or not at all. Good luck with a difficult decision. For what it's worth, we decided against it, so if you decide not to, you are not the only one to make this decision. If you decide to go ahead, that's fine, too. Do what feels best for you and your family!

Stifler's - posted on 02/06/2011

Don't listen to fear mongering anti-vaxers. Reactions aren't that common and the benefits definitely outweigh the risks.

Jesse - posted on 02/06/2011

Personally, I believe that the benefits of the vaccines outweigh any fears that I had. Of course I worried that she may have a negative reaction to the vaccines but, the health risks of her NOT getting them was a bigger fear to me. As for the autism buzz that surrounds vaccines, it was proved to be completely falsified by the doctor that published the studies. They information was manipulated and highly inaccurate. Ultimately, it is your decision whether or not to vaccinate your child but, if you would like I will post a link to the site with the information about vaccines and autism. http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/dear-...

Alice - posted on 02/05/2011

Go with your gut. I wish I had. My husband felt there was something wrong and my gut told me to avoid them. I didn't until a friend's baby (who was perfectly normal at 6 mos) got his first immunizations... then he started acting strange, siezures, etc. He now is diagnosed with autism and the specialist said it was because he has a problem handling some chemical in the vaccine. She said her gut told her to avoid them too... but she was pressured by everyone around her to just do it. Now I ignore everyone's pressure and don't let mine get vaccines. I don't preach it because it's my personal opinion. What I suggest to everyone is research and go with your gut. God tells us stuff sometimes as little heart feelings... we just have to listen.
Go with what your gut tells you. That's my best advice.
~hope this helps.