To Delay or Not To Delay: The Vaccine Question

Today was V day. I've been dreading it since I got two lines back in October. I did the research from the beginning. Part of me felt like 'ok let's just not.' First I should say that it had nothing to do with autism. You may or may not know that Dr. Wakefield who made claims that the MMR vaccine was linked to autism has been debunked and lost his license to practice medicine. Turns out he was working on his own MMR vaccine and wanted to scare people away from it. I guess what bothered me is just the fact of putting so many things into her body.

On the other hand there are people who rely on heard immunity for their own safety. Most of these people cannot have vaccines because of allergies in them. So when the country just stops vaxing heard immunity goes out the window. You can see why this would be a horrible thing. So not vaxing was also out of the question.

I don't feel strongly one way or the other. If you want to that is great! If you don't, just do your research. However if you are just saying 'Jenny McCarthy says my kid will have autism' then you're an idiot. I can't really put that nicely. So our question was to delay or not. I went back and forth the whole nine months and continued in her two whole months of life. For me it was like why not? It couldn't hurt anything, right?

Dr. Sears's Alternative Vaccine Schedule

• 2 months: DTaP, Rotavirus
• 3 months*: Pc, HIB
• 4 months: DTaP, Rotavirus
• 5 months*: Pc, HIB
• 6 months: DTaP, Rotavirus
• 7 months*: Pc, HIB
• 9 months: Polio (IPV)
• 12 months: Mumps, Polio (IPV) (See 3rd UPDATE)
• 15 months: Pc, HIB
• 18 months: DTaP, Chickenpox
• 2 years: Rubella, Polio (IPV) (See 3rd UPDATE)
• 2 1/2 years*: Hep B, Hep A (start Hep B at birth if any close relatives or caregivers have Hep B)
• 3 years: Hep B, Measles (See 3rd UPDATE)
• 3 1/2 years*: Hep B, Hep A
• 4 years: DTaP, Polio (IPV)
• 5 years: MMR
• 6 years: Chickenpox
• 12 years: Tdap, HPV
• 12 years, 2 months*: HPV
• 13 years: HPV, Meningococcal (once Meningococcal vaccine is approved for age 2, Dr. Sears will move it there and delay Hep B by 6 months)

Last night all I could do was toss, turn, and nurse. I woke up this morning set that we would do a delayed schedule. I wanted to make it as easy for M as possible. I felt like I had finally come to the right decision for our family. So all this morning I checked her temp like every hour. I watched for signs that she didn't feel well. I remember reading in one of the millions of baby magazines that I got while pregnant that you should wait to vax if there are signs of fever. Nothing. She was her usual half fussy half super smiley self.

So we got ourselves ready and went to the health dept. I got there a little early to talk to them about how I wanted her to be on a delayed schedule. Well, turns out they don't do them. So that was that, and my months of research and worry were decided by a policy. I stood there crushed and full of worry. What about Dr. Sears? What about my M? My choice was decided for me. Maybe it was better that way. Maybe I just made my first parenting mistake by not going elsewhere. Either way I've accepted it.

It was awful. M had her first real tear after those three shots. Her poor little thighs had three Winnie the Pooh stickers. Three! I cried. She cried. Her dad held her and stayed strong for the three of us. She got a book and we got some pamphlets. That was that. We go back in two months. Right now she is sleeping it off. She hasn't been crabby and her temp is regular. Here in a bit we are getting in the shower to hang out and sooth her little legs. We've been doing the bicycle leg motions to help her muscles. I hate to think that she may be sore right now. Her second diaper change since I took off her band aids. There was blood on them. Little specks. My little defenseless baby bled. It broke my heart. As much as it hurt to see her hurt I really feel like in the long run this was best for us. If it's not best for you then I just hope you stick to your guns. You know what's best and that's the best we can do.

Here are some articles on delaying your child's vaccine schedule:

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/ColdandFluNews/story?id=6531763&page=1

http://saramcgrath.suite101.com/alternative-vaccination-schedules-a63111

http://www.lewrockwell.com/miller/miller15.html

Here are some articles on Dr. Wakefield (from both sides):

http://www.naturalnews.com/033425_BMJ_Andrew_Wakefield.html

http://news.discovery.com/human/vaccine-autism-doctor-accused-of-deliberate-fraud.html

http://childrenshospitalblog.org/british-medical-journal-further-discredits-doctor-who-claims-autism-linked-to-mmr-vaccination/