Declining 8 week vaccinations for my baby - experiences?

[Plasticpineapple]

I don't want this to be about whether you should or shouldn't vaccinate your baby. I have chosen not to and I'm looking for experiences from others who have done the same. What did you say? What did the doctor say? Did you discuss vaccination once the child was older or flat out decline all vaccines?

[PandasRock]

I declined for my youngest.

I went to the 6 week check, and the jabs appt is normally booked then, apparently. My midwife had talked me through it, and told me to decline jabs at the 6 week check, and then I would be taken off the surgery's list, and not called for jabs.

I did that, and all has been fine. No hassle, no reminders at all until the MMR one at 14 months ish (ime, MMR has always been a separate case - I have had no reminders for any other routine jabs at all, but the that one turned up). Even then, no pressure, just a reminder through the post which I ignored.

[missbluebird]

The same as above...I decided to only have some and not others and also delay them. The HV took me off the list (following her first visit to see me) so I did not get letters and she was fine with doing this. She wrote down in my notes that I had made an informed choice. I now choose when to go and just ring ahead to say when I am coming and what I want.

The immunisation nurse finds it harder though. She gets really flustered that DS is off schedule and not having some. My stock line is that I am not prepared for my baby to have that amount of aluminium put him in one go and she tends to shut up. I did get a bit of stuff about babies dying from her initially. However, if you're not having any then you prob won't have to go through that.

[EssexMummy123]

I did the delaying and splitting or staggering the injections - check out Dr Sears alternative vaccination schedule.

Personally we never had an issue with nurses / doctors around vaccinations.

[OrchidFlakes]

My GP is very supportive of our choice not to vaccinate at this time. I expected a big talking to but had a v interesting discussion about jabs etc with him instead!

[puddymuddles]

Orchid you are lucky with your GP! They are not all that open minded.

Our 2 DDs have had no vaccinations and I have ignored the reminder letters. No one has bothered me apart from the letters. I told the GP at 6 week check with DD1 that we would not be vaccinating and she accepted it but I still get the reminders which I ignore.

[Greenfizzywater]

I'm a GP and if I saw you I would politely ask you why, to find out if it was a concern where I could put your mind at rest. If not, I'd then say that it is entirely your decision, but to do my job I need to run through the risks of the diseases that you're declining protection for, and if you still choose to make that decision then it is up to you. I would suggest that you make sure your child is aware of their unvaccinated status when they are older, particularly if they want to have children or travel to less developed areas of the world.

I'd put an alert on your notes to remind me to check every time I see you that you haven't changed your mind.

I'd think that you can choose to take whatever risks you want with your own health but you shouldn't do it with your kids health, but I wouldn't say it.

[Greenfizzywater]

Oh yes, and I regularly discuss it with 16-18 year olds whose parents didn't get them vaccinated and encouraged them to have it done.

[SideOfFoot]

Greenfizzywater, I agree with you about taking risks with my own health but not doing it with my child's health. But I see it the other way round from you, everything in life carries a risk, that includes the diseases but it also includes the vaccines themselves. I can't, in all good conscience, potentially risk my child by allowing someone else to stick a needle into my child.

[CalicoBlue]

I had baby jabs for DC1, then refused MMR. No problem at all from doctors. Gave them a letter and they stopped reminding me.

With DC2, I discussed the jabs at 6 weeks check. I had already been marked trouble for refusing to let them stretch her out to measure her. I knew she was growing and did not want her upset. I discussed the jabs with the doctor, he told me that the vaccines were meant in the 60's for 6 month olds, but heard immunity levels were not being achieved so they brought the dates forward to 6 weeks, as this catch the babies earlier, however the doses were not adjusted. I told him that I would think about it then and let them know in 6 months. She is now 13 and has never had any vaccinations.

Maybe I had an anti Vacc doctor.

[andersonsophie89]

My baby hasnt had any vaccines. I was in two minds when she was 6 weeks old, and after speaking to the doctor, that was it for me. I asked my doctor about the vaccine and all he said was he has never read the vaccine insert or learnt about the dangers. The only thing he knows is that because of vaccines, childhood illnesses has gone down. But he hasnt felt the need to look into any independent reports regarding the link between vaccine and autism or any other chronic illnesses. And that I am better of speaking to the nurse who adminster the vaccine as she might likely read the vaccine insert. He was also unaware that there were other germs, and toxic ingredients inside the vaccine. He was horrified that there was aluminum inside the vaccines. And said they know that aluminum is a toxic chemical for an adult, let alone it being injected into a newborn baby. We left it on the basis of, your the parent and we are lucky to live in a country where we can choose to vaccinate or not vaccinate. But as a medical professional, he is targeted to promote vaccines, otherwise he will be in touble. From further research, and seeing the difference in my childs health and happiness compared to vaccinated babies, I would say I am happy I questioned vaccines.

[andersonsophie89]

well done. It takes guts to go against the system and ill informed but well meaningful people. Im doing the same and knows how it feels and the looks you get.

[vladimpaler]

I asked my doctor about the vaccine and all he said was he has never read the vaccine insert or learnt about the dangers.

Really?

The only thing he knows is that because of vaccines, childhood illnesses has gone down. But he hasnt felt the need to look into any independent reports regarding the link between vaccine and autism or any other chronic illnesses. And that I am better of speaking to the nurse who adminster the vaccine as she might likely read the vaccine insert.

Really?

He was also unaware that there were other germs, and toxic ingredients inside the vaccine. He was horrified that there was aluminum inside the vaccines. And said they know that aluminum is a toxic chemical for an adult, let alone it being injected into a newborn baby.

Really?

If your GP really said all those things to you, he should be struck off. You are actually saying that you told him something about a vaccine that he deals with, and he took it at face-value and then told you that aluminium is toxic - when he has an NHSNet terminal in front of him that he can use to look up the ingredients and effects of any drug or vaccine he can prescribe? Either you REALLY need to change your GP, or you are lying.

From further research, and seeing the difference in my childs health and happiness compared to vaccinated babies,

What differences? How many children did you compare? What vaccines had they had? What sex were they, what race? What backgrounds did they come from? Did any have inherited diseases? Are any being ill-treated? What measure did you use to define happiness and health exactly? Measuring happiness requires the baby fill out a complicated questionnaire from the ONS. Can the babies talk and write to express their levels of happiness? Is your child developing faster than all the other vaccinated babies? Smiling more, rosy cheeked, and laughing, whilst all the vaccinated babies are slow learners and sallow cheeked? Your empirical research into the dangers of vaccines is most interesting, do share.

[Jackieharris]

With one they had the 2,3,4 months one. We just didn't go to the mmr appointment. No comment or reminders. We didn't get called for any of the pre school boosters even though I'd not refused them [confised].

With other DC I didn't go to 6 week check. Didn't go to vax appointments. Don't know if I had mmr or later appointments at all.

At a meeting about something else the hv had no problem with my decision.

No doctor has ever questioned me on it.

[MagpieCursedTea]

Vlad, your post made it worth reading this thread

[vladimpaler]

;)

[vladimpaler]

"He was also unaware that there were other germs, and toxic ingredients inside the vaccine"

That's brilliant! A GP unaware that vaccines contained germs! That really is classic. Did your GP get his medical diploma off the back of a cereal packet along with a free personalised spoon after collecting the tokens? Vaccines always contain germs. They work by introducing you to deactivated or weakened germs, which train your immune system to fight off the real thing when it attacks you. The level of ignorance displayed is as hilarious as it is depressing.

[wonkylegs]

I echo the if comments that if you are going to go down this route make sure your child knows their status. I wasn't vaccinated for all things by my parents and following a trip to Kenya for work I contracted TB, I was exceptionally lucky following treatment to be ok as I have a suppressed immune system following treatment for another condition. The treatment for TB is unpleasant and takes a long time and I didn't know I was at risk until I got it and my mum then told me 'oh yes we didn't vaccinate you'. Prior information would have let me decide if I was safe to travel and quickened diagnosis

[Italiangreyhound]

wonkylegs I am so sorry for you. That mus have been very frightening.

It is very sad to hear that people really feel the risk of vaccination outweighs the risk of a life threatening disease. I am very glad you got through that wonkylegs.

[CatherinaJTV]

actually - most vaccines do not contain "germs", the 5 in 1 doesn't, HepA and B don't, the pneumococcal vaccine doesn't, neither does the menjugate.

Rota, MMR and varicella do, but the others are totally germ free...

[PoppyAmex]

Vlad, wish I could buy you a drink.

[Roonerspism]

I vaccinate my kids, but along the lines of the Dr Sear's schedule. I also chose single vaccines instead of MMR.

No problems at my surgery. I think I'm an annoyance but I have asked them to stop chasing me as I will get there in my own time.

I am not against vaccines - but I don't view them as risk free which is definitely the prevailing attitude from health professionals.

[BigPawsBrown]

Jaysus. This thread is like stepping in to a parallel universe.

[Mrsmorton]

Holy fuck. This is amazing. How selfish can some people be.

I wonder how much it costs to treat someone with TB compared with the cost of vaccinating.

Vlad the voice of reason.

[worldgonecrazy]

I had a real struggle - my GP was useless, she told me (with full on tears in her eyes) that my child would DIE if she didn't have the whooping cough vaccination exactly in accordance with the NHS schedule. She had no idea that a new Prevenar offering better protection for pneumococcal diseases was being released and that was why I delayed that one for a few weeks to get my child better protected by the newer vaccination for Prevenar.

When my daughter had a (harmless) reaction to the MenC vaccination, the paediatrician on duty had not heard of the vaccination and was unaware of any side effects (to be fair, this may have been a language problem). I also had to yellow card it myself - it's listed as a 1/10000 reaction, I wonder if the actual figure should be higher?

The HVs didn't bother arguing with me, my GP was definitely the worst though. She was extremely ill-informed about prevalence of diseases, side effects of vaccination, different non NHS vaccines, etc. However, I think if you can make a reasoned argument, have researched what you do want to do, i.e. are there some vaccinations that you are happy with and others that you feel unnecessary then you are less likely to get hassle.

Incidentally, when I was creating the vaccine schedule for DD, the very first one we did was the Prevenar/pneumococcus vaccination. We had the schedule created privately after discussions with a doctor specialising in vaccinations, and he said that was the single most important and life-saving vaccination, ahead of the measles vaccination.

This was our schedule, based on a midwinter born, fully breastfed baby with mum with naturally acquired immunity to measles, chicken pox and TB , with no medical issues in the family: 4 months Prevenar 13 (NHS), 6 months Prevenar 13 (NHS), 8 months Hib(MenC) (private); 10 months Infanrix dTaP (private); 12 months Hib (Men C) (NHS); 12 months Prevenar 13 (NHS); 14 months Measles single jab (Private); 17 months Infanrix dTaP (private); 24 months Pneumovax (private). We had to have some of the jabs privately as the better vaccine was not available on the NHS at that time - it may be different now. Any jabs given before 12 months will need repeating as the immune system is too immature to develop a long term immune response. It was also of interest to find out that my natural immunity to TB was because I had asymptomatic TB as a child. My mum was quite upset to find out I'd had this serious illness and she hadn't noticed (Midwinter born was important as whooping cough tends to peak in the Autumn months so that had some bearing on the timetable.)

If DD decides to travel when she is older then we will look at getting the TB and polio vaccinations at that point, and the same with the HPV vaccine, which we will discuss when she is reaching a point where she may start becoming sexually active.

Hope that helps.

[Hakluyt]

I have a friend who thinks that her children have never had headlice because they are not vaccinated. Compared to that, this thread seems positively sane.