Thought I would give my 2p or 2cents on vaccinations for babies! I was prompted as Judy from 'itsjudytime/itsjudyslife' posted a picture on Facebook saying her 2 month old twin girls received five jabs yesterday. This drew very negative statements and pseudo Doctors came out of the woodwork condemning her decision. I thought I'd share my approach to it with Seb.
In the Uk 2012, they introduced the mandatory 'whooping cough' & Flu jab vaccinations for pregnant women. I decided against it, just following my 'gut' instinct as I knew i'd vaccinate the baby once he was out at some point.
While I was pregnant I stumbled across a very heated thread on 'netmums' about a lady who had 'done her research' and decided not to vaccinate her child. I read her stance impartially, but many others didn't! She was labelled irresponsible, selfish, putting her child at risk and already failing as a parent!
What I gleaned from the thread is this issue is totally up to the parent's discretion.
The thread made me reconsider the mandatory Vitamin K vaccination they give at birth. Instead, I opted for him to have it orally over a course of a month. I felt it was gentler than whacking a big ol needle in an hours old baby who would be acclimatising to life on the outside! I was given a screwface by my midwife, but I held firm!
At 7weeks old, Seb had an operation to fix his inguinal hernia and his first vaccinations were the next week. I cancelled that appointment as he needed time to heal. A week slipped into FIVE months later when I finally got round to giving him his second set.
What took me so long? Partial vaccination scepticism, partial over protection. I was so conscious of Seb's weight (he was born small at 5llb 7oz and his weight plummeted before his op) that I didn't think his body was 'ready' for the vaccination. It wasn't until I was satisfied that he looked healthy, that I felt confident to vaccinate him for the second time at 9months old.
His third set came just a month ago- the nurse went crazy at me, but again I held my nerve as over Xmas he was ill a few times and just wanted him to ride through it. He had those jabs in his little thighs and took them like a man. So proud.
He's due in two weeks (thought it was today :-/) the controversial MMR jab. Now the others for polio, etc I thought were ok. If I'm honest, I don't think i'll let him get the MMR. Links to autism have been found, especially in boys. There's talk of single vaccinations being better for boys, than combined but that has to be done privately with costs of up to £300...I wish I were middle class enough to spend that money on some jabs and not on household bills.
The window of autism being 'uncovered' in babies is apparently between 15&18months. Perhaps I may wait it out until the Summer before I think about MMR again.
Anywhooooooo, Parents it's ultimately your choice and don't lose sight of that because of pressure by friends or health professionals. As much as I admire docs, nurses etc, they tend to be at risk of seeing patients as bodies rather than people.
On that note, I need to get Seb's umbilical hernia looked at. It keeps gurgling :-/
Love Mama x
Vaccination gossip :
http://www.netmums.com/coffeehouse/advice-support-40/new-mums-support-262/1104858-10-week-old-immunisations-tomorrow-scared-advice-needed.html
http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/vaccinations/a1761810-Whooping-cough-vaccine-while-pregnant-worrying
