Should I skip or delay MMR?

[brandie1127]

lismom - You bring up great points and I'm glad to hear someone's educated opinion it sounds like you did your research. Kudos to you.

I'm all for letting the immune system fight. I won't be giving her antibiotics unless I HAVE too. I don't believe in anti-bacterial soap or keeping my 3 month old away from children or pets either. I have a tough immune system and I think its because I didn't have health insurance as a kid so I never saw a doctor other than physicals and shots.

My problem with letting a childs immune system fight chicken pox is that once you have had chicken pox as a child you can get shingles as an adult. Shingles are very painful and can be dangerous depending on your age. If I can prevent my daughter from experiencing that I gladly will. My issue with HPV is that as much educating as we parents do our children will still be children. Short of jumping out from under the bed and handing the little boy a condom we can't be sure that our teachings with come to fruition when she's being told that she's loved for the first time ever from a boy, and oops they don't have any condoms but the parents are away and now is the only time they can sneak to do this particular deed. Theres a reason they call them children. HPV causes cervical cancer, 2 of my friends had cervical cancer and neither one can carry a baby, they both have had numerous miscarriages. I don't want her to have to pay in her adult life by not being able to have children because she made a mistake and let a boy talk her into not using a condom when she was 17.

I guess with certain things you have to outway the benefits vs the risks. The known vs the unknown. The unknown is pretty scarry but I think what we KNOW can happen if you don't is pretty scarry too!

[leneth]

appreciate the concern which is been rose. The things need to be sorted out because it’s not about the individual but it can be with everyone.
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leneth
Baby Bedding

[bellbe]

Kudos to you for all of the research you are doing. You need to be a well informed mom before you do ANYTHING! I am all for vaccinating my child because it freaks me out if I did not but on the other hand the 30 plus vaccines they get now scares me as well...I have delayed vax for a while now. I also only had my little one have the measles component of the mmr and we still need the rubella and mumps portion that she is due for soon. I am spreading them out annually so she still gets everything she needs but at a much more drawn out length. I am very comfortable with this so if you can find a doc that will separate them (i found 1 out of 36) i recommend that. Good luck to you!

[randianddan]

I am a nurse, so am educated on the subject. But I am a mom first. I feel you should vaccinate your children because there is an increase in those diseases we vaccinate against, and there was a reason they created those vaccines against those diseases. Prevention is key. We try to prevent illness by keeping our children away from others with an illness (cold, flu, etc.). We try to prevent low self-esteem with encouragement and teaching to look beyond physical appearance. We can prevent these diseases. And at this point, there is no clear evidence that links autism and vaccines. If there was a clear link, they would have to say so and would most likely reformulate the vaccines so the autism risk is completely eradicated. My son has not had any reactions to any vaccines (he is 19 months). We just gave his 2nd MMR (early, yes) because there has been a case of measles reported recently in our area. My sister had cervical cancer and miraculously is fine now, but I would get the HPV vaccine in a heartbeat if we weren't trying for more children right now. And I completely agree about the chicken pox. Not so bad when you get it, but the shingles later in life is not good. And with all of the diseases, best case scenario is if your child gets it, you will have it treated right away and treat symptoms and your child would coast through without complications. But in reality, complications can and do happen a lot. And the contagiousness of most of the diseases (measles included) is a particular threat to everyone not vaccinated because you can get it and spread it and not know it til the disease is full-blown and now you have been around a young child or an older person whose immune systems are not fully protecting them and you risk putting them in worst-case scenario.

[best4future]

Bellbe: how did you get your child vaccinated with seperate shoots of measles rubella and mumps? Did you get them in the doctor's office or local health department? Which brand did you use? Thanks!

[lismom2]

best4- did you find info on splitting the MMR?

[best4future]

Lismom2: I read a book saying splitting the MMR may let the baby have more shots, but is safer. I got this suggestion from Dr. Sears' "the vaccine book". But I cannot find the seperate shots of MMR.

[lismom2]

rumor mill says it won't be available until 2010....which isn't that far away really. I don't know what state you live in, but it is also rumored that you can search by state here and see if any is available
http://www.passporthealthusa.com/locations/
you also might try this forum board...many discussions specifically related to MMR and delayed/splitting
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...play.php?f=373
HTH!

[chefjessica]

I am thinking about this as I am am six months pregnant. The way I look at it is vaccines are not all bad but they tell you to eat healthy, not take medications, don't eat fish more than twice a week, etc....all the these precautions when you are pregnant. And then the baby comes out and a month and a half later they inject him with half a dozen vaccines that are made of all sorts of things. It doesn't seem logical to me. I feel like splitting and spacing them out is a better option. The main reason they do it all at once is not for the health of the baby it is to ensure all of them are given and it is cheaper for the doctors. I mean they give the Hep B vaccine at birth. The reason for this is so the CDC can control the rise in cases. How many infants do you know that have sex or share needles? I believe in being cautious and informed and not blindly following the government and doctors. Babies have different strength and immune systems just like adults and they will all have different reactions from the vaccines. Some will be absolutely fine and others can have problems INCLUDING autism. There are proven cases where autism has been caused by vaccines. It is not the only cause but it can be a contributer. Also, my friend just had a baby who was born with pnemonia b/c of the meconium and after the baby's vaccines she developed seizures. The neurologist said they are probably caused by the vaccines. I am not saying they are all bad, it is just better to be informed and take it on a case by case basis based on your child and their development.

[AMom29]

NO! (Sorry for the shouting.)

Do it later - that is what I did with my LO. He's fine. The other suggestion that I have is to contact Hopewell Pharmacy (Google it). That is who my ped recommended to order the MMR in three separate vaccines - where I live, she could not order it herself for whatever reason. As I understand it, there is little to no preservatives in the separate vax vs. the combined.