If you believe in vaxing, but have friends who don't...

[JennTheMomma]

As a non-vaxer (not anti-vax, I hate when people combine the two) I have never been asked if I vaccinate my kids. I'm sure it's assumed I do by many people, and I would be upfront if someone asked (I have nothing to hide as I don't feel my choices are wrong). My kids have only been sick once and we keep them home if they feel under the weather or we know they are sick (unless we have to go to the Doctors of course). I also do not ask people if they vax or not. I know that the kids in my family are vaccinated (through FB posts) and that about 80% of my friends (not all crunchy) are unvaccinated.

[EmilytheStrange]

it has never occured to me to avoid people who don't vax.

while I do happen to know a few that don't, I know far more people that I don't know whether they do or not. It's not exactly a hot topic in conversation unless you're on ds. So, I would have to take a census and then worry about groups, etc.. blah.. no thanks.

ETA: also, the only way that breastfeeding gives immunities is if the mom gets sick, makes antibodies and then the baby feeds on them. So, you could breastfeed until the child is 5, but if you don't get the flu, you're not really passing on immunities to them. The doctors say that if baby gets sick, you should try to catch it so your body will make antibodies for them.

that's how I understand it, anyways. Women's bodies don't magically have everything a child would need to avoid sickness. Women have to actually make the antibodies.

[cathplyr]

Originally Posted by bluedaisyma I don't vax, but I also don't have my kids walking around with measles, pertussis, polio, diptheria, etc, so they would be of no risk to your new baby or you. I find that to be true of everyone I know who does not vax.

same here, my LO is almost a year and never been sick. however there is a vaxed boy at church who is always sick. I let them interact and say hi and she is healthy and doesnt get his sickness. his mom is in the same situation as the poster but she doesnt mind cause mine cant make hers sick(er).

[shen7]

I am not friends with any anti vaxers. I had a few friends who were at some point confused by nonsense they read online, but eventually decided to vaccinate. Some delayed and/or spread out shots for family health history reasons. They are all educated enough to evaluate sources of information and realize that the anti vax position is not supported by science and evidence. I am a nerd and a scientist and many of my friends are too.

As far as acquaintances and such, I don't really care. It is more of a community level issue than an individual one. Non vaxers can free ride on herd immunity until the vaccination rate gets low enough for the diseases to come back, and then the whole community is at much higher risk. I obviously try to avoid sick people with a small baby, regardless of their vaccination status.

[Michelle_M]

I also wanted to point out that a high percentage of people who GET the vaccine still get Pertusis anyway. It's one of the least effective vaccines.

God bless!

[luvsviola]

I have no idea when I am at Target who is vaxed and who isn't. I also don't know about the kids in DDs class. I don't pay attention one way or the other to whether or not the kids my kids play with are or are not since I have no idea for most of the kids we come in contact with.


We have a whooping cough outbreak in our school district right now and every kid who has it was vaxed.

[november]

Autistic dogs.... I do believe I've heard it all.

Fwiw, none of my friends know we are a nonvax family. So, if they were to answer this question, I'm sure they would assume we vax. We don't advertise this to people. We've never even been asked!

Sent from my ADR6400L using DS Forum

[3 ladybugs]

Most of our friends don't vax and honestly if I get pregnant this winter I will be staying away from them MAINLY because I am not immune to Chicken Pox anymore. I have tried to make a few of them know this so if they hear about an outbreak of chicken pox they can tell me, but honestly I see myself staying home a lot this winter. I would get the vaccine myself for chicken pox but I can't because people with a history of lymphoma have been dying from it. So I got my son vaxxed a bit early to make sure he is good for that.

[songbird516]

Originally Posted by unfadingcolors I'm confused why some people are mentioning staying away from non vaxers during flu season. It is normal to get the flu and build immunity - do you only interact with people who get flu vaccines? It's not realistic if you do any normal activity like go to the grocery store. DS is non-vax but has never even had a cold or flu.. but it would be okay if he did. We did BF until he was over 18 months so I'm sure he got a bunch of immunities that way. Funny, most people I talk to that get sick a lot or have the flu actually get flu vaccines. I can't remember the last time DH or myself had a flu.

I agree. I have never gotten the flu or the flu vaccine. My best mom friend gets the flu vaccine and her kids do every year, and they have gotten the flu every year that I remember.

[mcpforever]

Originally Posted by newmommy13 Lol why didnt i think of that? If your kids are vaccinated it shouldn't matter right?

The OP specifically said pg/with a new baby. A new baby isn't fully vaccinated.