The way I see it....vaccines!

Recently, my very good friend Nina had a post about vaccines {her blog is linked on my sidebar, Baby Hancock}. In her post it linked to an article about how there was an out break of Measles in 15 US states. Here is the article...

http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN0943743120080709?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews&rpc=22&sp=true

After reading the article, thinking about what she wrote and researching vaccines for MYSELF; I figured that I would write a post about the way that I feel about vaccines. Side note: Brooklyn is selectively vaccinated, meaning that there are vaccines that we refuse all together and the vaccines that she does get are very much delayed. Just so everyone knows this is NOT a post to bash anyone. Every single parent is doing what they feel is the best for THEIR child and family. In the end what they do will only effect them, their child and their family. Who am I to tell them that they are doing something wrong. I just want to voice my opinion on the subject and maybe, in turn, clear up any confusion about vaccines that someone out there in blog land might have.

There is A Lot of information out there about vaccines...some that is true and some that it just crazy! In my opinion there are people out there who are extreme on both sides of the vaccine debate coin.

The majority of my research comes from The Vaccine Book by Dr. Sears in addition to other mothers who have been there, done that with vaccines. I think that the easiest way for me to explain my thoughts is to just go through each vaccine and explain why, why now, or when our child/children will be getting them.

But first, let me talk about some of the problems I have will vaccines and the rate that they are given.

- People will tell you that ~no~ vaccines contain mercury or thimerosal anymore...that is not true. Several vaccines still contain trace amounts of this toxin. In my opinion, if it is bad for you it just plan bad for you, no matter how much is in there. A lie is a lie is a lie, no matter how big or small it is still a lie.

- Doctors {some doctors, but not ours, feel the need to belittle or disrespect a parent for not vaccinating or selectively vaccinating their child. They can trust that all parents that do this are not looking for the easy way out, they have done the research and have come to a decision. Trust me when I say, it is a load easier to just trust what the doctors tell you. It is a lot harder to go out on your own and do the research.

- The ingredients. Some of the ingredients in vaccines are completely revolting...they range from formaldehyde to fetal cow blood and monkey kidney cells. Brooklyn eats mostly organic foods so why would I put monkey kidney cells in her little body.

- When I was young, (that comment makes me feel really old) we received 10 vaccines throughout our childhood. Now children are receiving more than 10 vaccines during the first year of there life. I ask why? Were we not safe back then...

- People assume that if they get the vaccine that they will be fine. That is just not true! All vaccines only offer up to a immunity 90% rate. That means that there will ~always~ be 10% of the population that will not be immune.

- The amount of Aluminum that some vaccines contain. The FDA states that the minimum amount of Aluminum a ~healthly~ (not preterm, premature) baby's body (at 2 months and 12 lbs.) can handle is 30 micrograms. 'A newborn who gets a hepatitis B injection on day one would get 250 micrograms of aluminum. When a baby gets there first big round of shots at two months, the total dose of aluminum can vary from 292 micrograms to a whopping 1225 micrograms is the highest aluminum brands are being used.' {Taken from Dr. Sears Book} Now remember that the FDA has already stated that they know that a limit of 25 micrograms is safe....but still have not required vaccines to change. 'To put this information in perspective, an average newborn has a blood volume of a third of a liter. So having more than 30 micrograms floating around in his bloodstream at once could be toxic if the baby's kidneys weren't working well.' {Taken from Dr. Sears Book}

The schedule that we are using comes from the Vaccine Book with only a few changes...

Birth - Hep B received before I was able to research fully...now am refusing until much older
2 months - DTaP refused Rotavirus
3 months - PC & HIB
4 months - DTaP refused Rotavirus
5 months - PC & HIB
6 months - DTaP refused Rotavirus
7 months - PC & HIB
9 months - Polio
12 months - refuse the MMR until after 3 years old
15 months - PC & HIB
18 months - DTaP refuse chicken pox
2 years - Polio
2 years, 6 months - refuse Hep A & Hep B
3 years, 6 months - MMR
4 years - DTaP, Polio
5 years - MMR booster
10 years - Blood test for hep A immunity. Consider vaccine IF NOT immune.
12 years - refuse HPV {not enough research yet, would like to see what happens to the girls that are taking the vaccine now.}
13 years - refuse Meningococcal, same as HPV

I hope that I didn't offend anyone with my post...like I said, It is up to every parent what to do for their child.

Hugs!