Oh yes, I just went there! One of the most controversial topics when it comes to babies: Vaccines. Yes, I heard all the facts that vaccines do not lead to autism. That information just leaves me wondering what Jenny McCarthy will do on her free time. I also know of all the dangers that surround delayed vaccines and choosing not to vaccinate your child. I did a ton of research before making my final decision. I read stories about pediatricians asking people to find another doctor because they didn’t believe in the same theories. My question is, if the only way you can get Hepatitis B is by having sex or sharing body fluids with someone that is infected, then WHY is my 2-hour old baby getting this shot!? Did my baby get it? YES! But before you go on to bash me about my beliefs, let me tell you how she ended up with that shot…
You see, my labor lasted a lot longer than I anticipated. I was in labor for 48 hours. HARD LABOR for 48 hours. Contractions every 4 minutes for 2 days. Hungry, dehydrated, worn out. I was not thinking clearly. I walked into the hospital believing I would wait to vaccinate my baby.Then the paperwork started flowing and the questions started being asked. Seriously? Was I in the right mindset to fill out this paperwork now? Don’t you think you could have given me this stuff to read over a week ago? I promise, I would have filled it out, signed it, and brought it back to the hospital with me.
The nurse asked me if I would give permission for my baby to get the Hep B vaccine. I told her no. I swear I heard sirens blaring and CPS was about to be called. “What do you mean? Do you know what can happen to your baby if she gets Hepatitis B? What if you have complications and your baby needs a blood transfusion? She can contract the disease and wouldn’t even be vaccinated!!” All I thought was OMG, she’s right. What if my baby needed a blood transfusion. It would all be my fault. She must get vaccinated NOW! The paperwork was signed and the next day all I thought was WTF did I do? I was annoyed. This wasn’t part of my plan. I was pressure into vaccinating my baby. The nurse knew all the right things to say, pushed all the right buttons, and got me during a time that I was unstable and not able to make an informed decision.
After speaking with our pediatrician, he came up with a plan for us. We weren’t opposed to vaccines, we just didn’t want to overload our new baby and her immune system with all these shots. Our pediatrician felt that although vaccines were necessary, they didn’t all have to be given at the same time. We delayed vaccines and gave them one at a time and skipped all the optional vaccines. We were fortunate to have a doctor on our side that was willing to work with us. When it came time to give that dreaded MMR shot, I felt sick to my stomach. Again, I wasn’t worried about Autism, I was more worried about 3 shots in 1. It also seemed that there were a lot of problems with the MMR shot that kept making headlines, but with so many people against vaccines, who do you believe anymore?
As of now, my toddler is all caught up on her vaccines. She never receives a flu shot and probably won’t ever get one. Last year alone, my daughter ended up with Roseola, two stomach viruses, and RSV. If I had vaccinated her against the flu, she STILL would have gotten sick. The flu vaccine is not a miracle vaccine that will keep you immune from everything. I had the flu MANY times. I’m still here. Oh, and just because you get the flu vaccine doesn’t mean you won’t get the flu. Something to think about.
When it comes to vaccines, do your research and know your sources. Only you can make the proper decision that works for you and your family. There are activists on either end of the debate and you have to find your comfort zone, along with finding a doctor that holds the same beliefs as you do.