for those of you who don't vax

[vintageadore]

when did you stop vaxing your kids and why?
I started rejecting ALL vaxes at my dd 6 month appt
and I really regret not doing it sooner and I feel terrible
I think about it everyday and it makes me sad that I have to carry this guilt
even thought i knew i had my doubts i still did it.
but i did my research and i really regret it now.
and how do you face people who ask.
my family doesn't know that I stop vaxing because I know they would not support me at all, but after all she's my daughter and they can forced me.

[pinkflamingos77]

the last vaccinations my daughter had was back in Oct and I never went back in after that. She was around 9 months. I have not gone to the well child clinic appointments either. She is very healthy and happy and there is nothing wrong with her. I see no point in taking her right now. I need to get my letter ready to go into her file saying she will not be vaccinated....after that I will probably make an appointment to just get her checked out. I hate dealing with the military hospital.

[Kimmomy2dom]

My girls have never been vaxed. The only IRL person that knows is my mom. She cautiously agrees with me. For now we're just saying we're delaying. I'll never mention it to my sister, etc. she gets her kids every vax available and I know she'd treat me like an idiot, LOL

[Tiffer23]

DS had all his two month shots (I didn't want him to, but gave in because of DH-mostly- and the Ped's pressure) but that was it.

I felt horrible about it, but now I don't. Yes, I should have stuck to my guns, but I didn't. Nothing I can do now, no reason to beat myself up.

I honestly believe that DS should not be vaxed at all right now! I KNOW that is the rigth decision. But, I may re-think it all once he's older. I think he may benefit from a very limited few before going to school.

My mom knows, friends know, etc. DH's family doesn't but I'm itching to tell them. I know they'll have issues with it and I kind of like annoying them. :laugh:

[jenn5388]

I never vaccinated my daughter. To me it was ABnormal to Vax though (having never been vaccinated myself) After much research I've decided not to vaccinate my children. Just about everyone I talk to knows.. Just a few of my friends at playgroup don't know, simply because alot of people don't understand and think my child will somehow Get thier child sick. lol I don't want miranda to be Excluded from things because of something as dumb as her Vax Status. :)

Try not to dwell on what has been injected and try to think of all that has been Avoided. :)

For a very long time I held much guilt about not Breastfeeding (or not continuing, anyway) And it was very hard to even see the little breastfeeding smilies on message boards, ETC... The guilt has passed now, and I know that I did my best, and that's all I could do. You did your best too. You Did what you thought was best.. ETC. That's all you can do. Try to look forward and think about all the things she won't be having in her body.. Think about all the good things you do... The guilt will pass, I promise. :) You won't always feel this way. :)

[tararaboomdeea]

My 2 oldest were vax'd on schedule. My daughter did not receive her boosters for school and my 3 yr old won't either.

My youngest has not ever had any vax's and the new baby won't either. :thumbsup:

[iris0110]

I stopped vaxing when my oldest was 18 months old. That is to say his 18 month shots were his last. I did refuse Varicella cause that just sounded stupid to me. We stopped because Kearnan had a reaction. I wish we would have stopped sooner. I know I have told this story before, but it is worth repeating. Kearnan was a normal, verbally advanced toddler until the day he recieved his 18 month vax's. After that he totally shut down. He lost his ability to speak, or really communicate at all and just started screaming all the time. By 3 he was diagnosed with PDD NOS, SPD and a speech delay. He has recieved alot of treatment, both mainstream therapy and alternative treatments. And he is doing much better now, but he still isn't normal. Unfortunately it took him reacting for us to start researching. Now we don't vax at all. Not just because I think vaccines are dangerous, but because from what I have learned I don't believe they are effective. They just aren't worth the risks. Tharen is totally vax free, and any future children we have will be as well. I will tell this story as often as I have to if it can protect just one other family from going through what we have been through. :cry:

ETA: as for how I respond to other people, I just don't let it be an issue. I am the parent and they don't get a say. My MIL is totally on board, my parents just don't say anything. The only person who tries to make it an issue is my SIL who is a nurse, but honestly she is such a poor parent I don't listen to a single word she says anyway. I am happy to inform any one who actually wants information, but if they just want to try and make me feel bad, well that's their problem not mine.

[urchin_grey]

We stopped vaxing after DS's 9 month shots, after we learned "the truth". I wish I could take them all back but I can't. :( I wouldn't vax anyway, but DS has a brain malformation and even the CDC recommends that children with neurological disorders should not be vax'd (not ONE doctor told me this, mind you). So that's another reason...

As for telling your family, I can't help ya there - my mom has basically disowned me because its just too much for her to have a grandson that's not vax'd and has a natural penis. :banghead:

[waddlewades]

We stopped vaxing after DS's 9 month shots, after we learned "the truth". I wish I could take them all back but I can't. :( I wouldn't vax anyway, but DS has a brain malformation and even the CDC recommends that children with neurological disorders should not be vax'd (not ONE doctor told me this, mind you). So that's another reason...



That's one of the many reasons I stopped vaxing my dd at 7 mos. Not only should a child with neurological problems NOT be vaxed but vaxes can CAUSE a normal child to have neurological problems.
FYI: also, a child who has had a blood transfusion, shouldn't be vaxed either.

[urchin_grey]

Yup... I so wish I would have known that before. :( But not one person in the hospital, peds, neurologist, NO one told us. And he's never had a seizure, but he's at great risk for them because of his condition so that makes it even worse. :sadno:

Doctors just keep failing him/us over and over. What do they even go to school for, seriously??

That's one of the many reasons I stopped vaxing my dd at 7 mos. Not only should a child with neurological problems NOT be vaxed but vaxes can CAUSE a normal child to have neurological problems.
FYI: also, a child who has had a blood transfusion, shouldn't be vaxed either.

[aschrimp]

DS got 2 HIB vaccines at 2 months and 4 months. Our plan at that time was to selectively vax/delay vax. I was leaning more towards not vaxing, dh wanted to do everything on schedule, so it was an attempt at compromise.

He got so sick after each of those two shots. He got RSV/bronchiolitis a day or so after the first vax. He was sick for the next two months, and had FINALLY gotten better right before his 4 month appt. So I figured we could continue on with our original plan. Immediately after that appt he was sick again, his breathing was AWFUL, and he ended up with bacterial bronchitis (had to have antibiotics) which led to a yeast rash that took us almost 3 months to get rid of completely.

I laid awake in bed that night after the vax, listening to his chest rattle and heave next to me, and thinking of all the SIDS deaths that occurr right after receiving vaxes. I didn't sleep a wink all night, I was terrified that he'd just stop breathing all together.

After that, dh was on board with delaying vaxes pretty much indefinately. We will likely reevaluate before school. It's a good thing that he felt the same way, though, because there was no way anyone was going to inject another vax into my baby boy at that point!

[nmb]

My DS is 2 mos yesterday, his appt is on the 12th (because that is the earliest he could get in to see his dr. and I refuse to bring him in to an alternate... he's had no shots yet, we refused the Hep B at birth, ... and I plan on refusing shots still... but I do want him to go to all well-baby visits, I feel it helps to establish a relationship between him & the dr. so if he is sick, the dr. will know a little what he's like at least.
My DH works in the prison though, and wants him to get the Hep B since it's very common among the prisoners and DH may be called upon to clean up blood, etc, at any time. DH and I are both fully vaxed... I'm undecided on this one... thinking, if the vax is effective, DH should not be able to get it to bring it home, right? But then again ... what if he does?
It's so confusing.
Of course, everyone I've mentioned it to, that I don't think we'll be giving him his shots, thinks I'm nuts... the automatic response is that it's much worse to get the disease. Which was my initial reaction to, when someone first mentioned it to me while I was pregnant. Of course, I also thought all those no-circ people were nuts too... and now have an intact son. Live & learn, right?

[KnottyLDSMama]

My son has never been vaxed. Most of our families know about it. My MIL is worried about him being around children who ARE vaxed and catching things from them, but other than that, she's ok with it I guess. She's one of those people who's very "I may not agree with you, but it's your child, so it really doesn't matter what I think". (I LOVE my MIL, lol). Everybody else pretty much thinks we're nuts and we're going to kill our son because he's gonna die of chicken pox or something *rolls eyes*

[qtpies7]

Our families already know we are totally crazy and out there in everything we do, so they generally just let it go. I think the only thing they fight about now is courtship, lol.
http://www.lewrockwell.com/miller/miller15.html Here is a very child friendly vaccination schedule by a doctor. I dont' and won't vax because of one child's reaction. But if you feel the need, follow this guy, he is very smart and honest.

Also, for those of you who have kids who've had reactions, there is an incredible supplement that draws out the toxins from the brain and has brought my brain injured child from 4 f's to 1 in one grading period! This is a child who couldnt' read until 5th grade! He brought home his first report card ever with no F's this year! Chiropractic helps with violence and learning disability too. But Chlorella, from www.mercola.com or www.puritanspride.com is the best supplement ever. Its just seaweed, but its a natural detoxifier. It is worth every single penny you would spend on this.
I vaxed my first 3 kids, and my 4th and 5ht got a set, but then I stopped. Then I found out that my third child had an injury from a vax and I stopped, so my last 2 have had nothing! And they are incredibly healthier than my first 3 kids were.
I don't care what others think. I'm the momma, and I won't live with the fact that I knowingly caused this again, I can live with them getting a disease, because for me, its up to God. choose what YOU can live with, and tell others that you are glad its a free country so you can both feel free to choose and to speak freely about your choice.

If your child gets Hep B, you probably won't even KNOW it. They get basically a cold and are immunized for life. Get the shot, and you have to keep getting it, and if you get the disease as an adult, the symptoms are very bad. Rubella is NOT dangerous to boys ever, and only dangerous to immunocompromised individuals and fetuses if the mother gets it. So the only people who should be immunized are women of child bearing years who haven't gotten it, and people who would likely die from it.

Off my soap box! LOL

[nikkiof5]

I know how you feel. My 1st 4 kids are fully vaxed :blush: . :banghead: With Annabel, I decide to get proactive. Well, kinda. She had all her shots up to 6mos. Then I discovered the delay/non vaxing. My DR was NOT pleased. So again, I started having mixed feelings. So if I vax her and she has a reaction, I feel horrible. I f I dont vax and she gets something that a vax couldve prevented, I feel horrible. It feels like a no-win situation. My Dr then goes on to tell me that we just had a case of Pertussis in our area a few months ago. :headscratch: Im reading Stephanie Caves book, Everything your Dr. didnt tell you about vax or something like that. Its WONDERFUL book. I have learned so much. But I am still so worried. She is almost 11 mos and I havent vaxed her yet (other than what she already had) but I am so worried that she will get something, yet I also feel giulty for ever vaxing her at all, all at the same time! I do feel like I won the lottery with my other 4 kids though. Thankfully they all came through the vax's just fine. So I try not to beat myself up over it and just get as mcuh knowledge as I can about them now, but like I said, Im still stressing/obsessing over it. Luckily, both DH and my family is very supportive. :mrgreen:

[ndunn]

My dd is never been vaxed at all.

A good book is Robert Mendehlsons "How to raise a health child in spite of your doctor".

[nikkiof5]

ANd another thing, kinda OT but not really, what about when you have school aged kids? What if they bring something home and the baby gets it? Is that possible?

[iris0110]

Well we intend to homeschool, but I don't really worry about it much. My oldest is incredibly hardy, he never gets sick, and the youngest seems about the same. My nephew is sick constantly, so I can pretty much count on him bringing just about everything around to my boys. So far they haven't caught a thing. But if they did I would treat it and be happy that they now have natural immunity. I hope that they will get Measels, Mumps, Rubella, and Chickenpox at the very least.

[elijahsmama]

Our families already know we are totally crazy and out there in everything we do, so they generally just let it go. I think the only thing they fight about now is courtship, lol.
http://www.lewrockwell.com/miller/miller15.html Here is a very child friendly vaccination schedule by a doctor. I dont' and won't vax because of one child's reaction. But if you feel the need, follow this guy, he is very smart and honest.



Thanks so much for this...I've printed it out and am going to check it out...My DS hasn't been vaxed since his 6mo appt and we will do a selective and delayed on any (if any) that we do decide to do. I'm always so glad to get some new info and opinions on this topic...Sorry to hijak kinda:goodvibes:

[Mommy2JJ]

My ds hasn't had any vax's since his 6 month.....he almost got his 9 month by pressure from our pedi, BUT he ended up being a bit sick so she said we could wait and reschedule and we didn't even go back to her again. I feel bad that I never even researched, but to me it was just something everyone did and I had no idea about what could happen.

I have found the book "Just a Little Prick" by a mom who posts on MDC a lot to be very helpful. Also finding a doctor who is okay with not vaxing or delayed makes a huge difference. I don't think we will be vaxing in the future at least for the majority the shots, still a couple I am not sure about.

As far as family, well I really think the best way is to not bring it up at all. My SIL use to give me heck for it, but finally has quit telling "You know I really think you are doing the wrong thing and it's just crazy to not vax".....My mom and grandma I think I have told, but I don't know if they really know or not.

[moonphishers]

ANd another thing, kinda OT but not really, what about when you have school aged kids? What if they bring something home and the baby gets it? Is that possible?

One of the things that has to change in order to feel more confident in the nonvaxing decision is to figure out what you're afraid of them bringing home?! KWIM? Once I learned how to care for the different diseases the vaxes "prevent" I felt more secure in that step. Then at least for us, to figure out how much of a chance there is to even get said disease.