Really sad I don't think I can have another baby due to fear of vaccines

[Kangaroosjump]

Maybe mental health but since it relates to vaccines just going to put here.

I used to be anti vax and sucked into the whole they can cause autism thing. I also suffer an anxiety disorder, anyway when I looked at what the vaccines were for I began vaccinating my DS and he's almost caught up but it was on a very delayed schedule and privately.

We did do the new MenB jab but he was over 2 when we did it and he had a soaring temp, went limp and grumpy and though he got through it just fine the idea of that happening to an 8 week old baby terrifies me,

As does the thought of combining any jab (how the nhs schedule is) as we seperated every jab etc

But now DS is at school I wouldn't have the luxury of a new baby being low risk to delay the jabs (due to postnatal depression and only child DS was pretty isolated before he had his)

I wish I could have another baby but the thought of following the normal schedule so much earlier, combining jabs and also having another new jab on the schedule literally terrifies me (of course the illnesses they prevent terrify me more) but I just don't know how I would cope if my child had a reaction say a seizure, or developed any neurological problems (even though I know that could be entirely unrelated I feel I would probably blame jabs)

It would almost be easier for me if the government did actually mandate jabs but even in the US babyjabs aren't mandated only that it happens before a child goes to school

If there was a test to predict who would react badly to jabs beforehand all my stress would be solved.

I'm not anti-vax but I am terrified

Anyone overcome such a fear? Have anything helpful to say?

I have read studies, but once scared by the antivax stuff it feels impossible to become unscared

Thanks Wolfie, in a way it would be easier to fear the illness more than the jabs, then it would be no contest

But the reality is (providing most people are vaccinating, obviously not those who can't or may be higher risk with gut issues) that my child wouldn't be exposed to polio, Diptheria, menB, menACWY, or the 13 strains in prevenar... And tbh before we had the meningitis jabs most kids came across the strains and still didn't become ill... But we know how serious it is when someone does become ill that we have the luxury of not taking that chance. Whooping cough though is mixed in with Diptheria and Tetanus, or also HIB too there's no option to just have a WC jab and that id fear most with a newborn perhaps along with meningitis

I do give my DS probiotics most days and we follow a GF diet for the most part, organic and paleo as much as possible plus fermented cod liver oil. Whether it's swung my DS into developing well I couldn't say. I'd continue with a new baby though plus hopefully be able to breastfeed and avoid anxiety meds this time round

I also give high vit c dose around jabs and bentonite clay on jab site after plus epsom salt baths from time to time and we avoid calpol like the plague due to its link with reducing gluthiathone

I wonder if it's fear over causing a child to "suffer" something per se. It's hard to imagine myself coping with a severe disability given how anxious I am and autism is such a spectrum, of which iv only experienced non verbal and seizures end of the spectrum (not in family just someone I know)

We have bipolar, PCOS, endometriosis, lichen sclerosis, Multiple sclerosis etc so I think that's some autoimmune issues. No autism known of, however I suspect my mum would fall somewhere in the spectrum tbh but v mild that it hasn't affected her life just made her seem "odd" socially but then saying no autism im the only one in my generation who's got a family so far

Sorry replied to everyone in one message there

Really feel for you OP, anxiety is a terrible thing.

But I beg you to move this thread. There are many lunaticanti vaccers on here who who will take delight in feeding your anxiety.

Punk... It really wouldn't make any difference. Iv been one. Iv read all there is to read on that side.

It's not an irrational fear. It's a specific concern that's perhaps exaggerated due to anxiety.

Not one anti-vaxxer has taken advantage of my fears on this thread

It does sound like your anxiety is perhaps the real problem here, although I echo what previous posters have said about concerns about giving multiple vaccines at once, or so young, not necessarily being a mental health issue.

We're another family who have spread them out after a huge amount of research (peer-reviewed literature, JCVI minutes etc.) and have always found HVs to be very helpful. I was honestly expecting a fight when I broached the subject (as any criticism of the vaccine schedule is often met with hostility IME), but actually I got the sense that the HV agreed it was a sensible course of action, and as mentioned above, the schedule is as much a matter of clinical convenience as scientific/medical opinion. I also agree that in the UK the chances of catching any of the illnesses is so low that I'm not concerned about a few months delay - after all if your child is ill on the day they will be delayed anyway.

My anxiety is the problem in that I can't cope with having another baby unless I make peace about how I would go about vaccinating. That's where the anxiety is the problem... For most people I imagine the vaccine schedule wouldn't cross their minds when choosing to extend their family.

But... It sounds like the fears I have about giving multiple to a small baby are quite widespread... Even among those who work in the health profession

I just wanna find the science that proves this is an unfounded fear and manage to believe it enough to feel confident that my baby won't be the small number affected adversely long term

I'm not sure there is any science that will prove your fear of so much so young as unfounded.
I know a lot of parents who have gone with a delayed, spaced out schedule; medics and scientists amongst them. None if them are anti vax. All their children over 3 are as vaccinated as any other 3yr old.

I know one medic who gave the first round at the scheduled 8wks then delayed all the others. Her reasoning was that most reactions occur after the 2nd set so she was happy to give 1st set then the one they have for the first time at 12wks (I cannot remember if this is prev or menC). She then waited until 5mths to give the 2nd set.
Fwiw, I never came up against any opposition. I think explaining that you've thoroughly researched the issue and that you fully intend to vaccinate but just want to space them out helps the HCPs to take you seriously. The difficulty is detaching this reasoning from your anxiety.
I'm sure your rational mind knows that it's probably unreasonable to deny yourself a second child because the vax schedule heightens your anxiety to extreme levels. Informing yourself as much as possible is the first step. That's the easy part. The hard part is making that leap and living with the worry that your child is, for a little while at least, at risk. Weighing up that risk and keeping close at hand a sheet of early signs and symptoms will help. Fwiw, I didn't worry too much about WC. It happens but it's still rare. It's nasty but also very treatable if caught early. I worried about meningitis more so had those done first.

Sorry for the delay getting back to you. How long did you think you'd want to delay them for? As others have said, you don't have to give more than one at once. No one will make you and if you discuss it with the HV/doctor and they know what your plan is, they probably won't give you a hard time. I really don't think you should let this stand in the way of extending your family. You sound like a great mum :)

I actually found this quite interesting from the Pediacel leaflet here

"Primary Vaccination
The primary vaccination series consists of 2 or 3 doses of 0.5 mL and may be commenced from 6 weeks of age according to applicable official recommendations. There should be an interval of at least one month between doses.
Booster Vaccination
After primary series vaccination with either 2 doses (e.g., 3, 5 months) or 3 doses (e.g., 2, 3, 4 months) of PEDIACEL, a booster dose should be given at least 6 months after the last priming dose in accordance with applicable official recommendations."

It suggests that if you give the first dose at 3 months instead of 2 then you only need 2 doses. Something to do with the existence of maternal antibodies at 8 weeks perhaps?

Anyway, here are some links to the incidence info for the UK (mainly from Public Health England). Maybe this will help you decide which ones you want to give first?

Pediacel - Polio, diptheria, tetanus, Pertussis, Hib

Polio incidence - "There have been no confirmed cases of indigenous wild type polio reported in England and Wales since 1984 [1]. The last imported case was in 1993, when a UK traveller acquired polio in India [10]." From here

Diptheria incidence - here

Tetanus incidence - here

Pertussis incidence - here

Hib incidence - here

Pneumococcoal - cases caused by strains covered by prevnar13 (there's another one for cases caused by strains not covered too if you want to see it on the same website.

Rotavirus - here

Men B - here

MenC - here

Hope that's of some use to you and isn't too overwhelming!

Thank you bumbleymummy that's really helpful, I'm away in the countryside with little signal but on return will study and it certainly eases my concious if some can be 2 instead of 3 and still vax almost on schedule

I'd like to do as little as poss and still have the coverage, eg DS only had one dose of many due to his age yet still fully protected

But I just couldn't manage a whole year unvaxed with a sibling, some people are brave enough or confident enough in their decision - I just wasn't and so relieved DS is caught up

No problem at all kangaroo. Hope you're having a nice break :)

Argh so today I clicked onto whooping cough jab thread in pregnancy, had virtually forgotten about that one. It was not on schedule with DS.

Anyone chosen to have it post partum?

I came across this thread while wandering the site up with my baby!

On the subject of the whooping cough jab, the point is to give it during pregnancy so that the baby us born with some protection for those first 8 weeks before scheduled immunisations.

So no point having it post partum as it's not to protect you. :)

I hope you can find a way to work out your anxiety and desire to have another child.