Breastfeeding and Vaccines
I need to start out by saying I don’t mean to endorse any particular product or book. However, sometimes I come across a certain book or product that I do fall in love with and want to share. That being said, I just bought and am reading The Vaccine Book by Dr. Sears and I recommend reading it.
I grew up in NJ, a state that is saturated with drug companies. My oldest was born there and i never felt like I was given an option not to vaccinate. I moved to PA when my oldest was 10 months old and I always went ahead with the vaccine schedule even though I felt uncomfortable about it. I thought that we would have to get the kids vaccinated before they started school anyway so what was the point in not getting them?
My fiance and I were finally told the truth about the laws in this state and i feel so uninformed and a bit angry.
Every state is different but most allow religious beliefs as a reason not to vaccinate your children. I assumed that meant I needed to belong to a certain church and have a note from the clergy there. I don’t belong to a religion so I thought that wasn’t an option. However, certain states, including PA allow philosophical beliefs to fall under the religious belief category. Awesome! I can make decisions
again for my child!
So we started thinking, why do we vaccinate? I never believed in the chicken pox or flu vaccines but what about all the rest? I began to think that I needed to become better informed and look at each vaccine individually and decide on each one. I decided that I would learn what I needed to and decide if and when my child would get the vaccines.
I did some online research and came across a few sites. I read the recommendations for books to read and decided on Dr. Sears’ book. The reviews were good and he sounded rather neutral. I wanted the facts with little or no opinion. I have already discussed my lack of trust in doctors so if I was reading a book written by a dr with a strong stand point, it might not be effective.
I ordered my copy and received it a few days later. It came in the mail this weekend and in about an hour I had read almost the entire thing. I now believe that every adult should read it. It’s not just for parents- although that’s what it is geared towards. It is shocking to learn what was put into our own bodies before we were a year old. Things like formaldehyde and cow parts.
Mmm, sounds lovely right?
The book also tells about what shots adults should get boosters of. I can not remember the last time a Doctor asked me if I wanted a booster. I work in healthcare so I did make sure to keep up with my Hepatitis shots but there are some shots that are basically useless when we get them as infants. For example, before your baby even leaves the hospital, unless you refuse, your baby will receive its first hepatitis B shot. Hep B is a sexually transmitted disease. The only real ways to get it (except in some very very rare situations that are unexplained) is by sharing dirty drug needles, getting a tattoo with an unsterilized needle or having sex. Let me think, nope I don’t see my baby doing any of these activities. There is also a chance that your could could get Hep B through a blood transfusion but it is slim to none. I am going to skip this one for now and have my child get it later, perhaps to start high school.
Dr. Sears also impressed me with his breastfeeding support. During the chapter on Pneumococcal Disease and the PC vaccine, he is clear to point out that breastfeeding and avoiding daycares makes this and a couple of other vaccines, virtually unneeded for your baby. He makes it clear that if you decide not to vaccinate, you should breastfeed your baby for at least 1 year, although 2 years would be better. Dr. Sears also suggests that if you are going to vaccinate, you should try to nurse your baby during the shot to help comfort the baby.
This book was exactly what I needed to help me decide what was best for my child. He does bring up the point of vaccinating for the benefit of society but right now I need to concentrate on my child. Good luck with your choice!
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