Haven't had vaccinations yet please share experiences

[Hannah25194]

My daughter is now 16 weeks old. I haven't had her vaccinated. I have been trying to make the best decision for her. Can any body please share experiences with me regarding difficulties with vaccinations or wishing they did/didn't vaccinate. I have booked an appointment for a few weeks time but I just can't get me head around the thought of pumping my small baby with chemicals which I feel could cause more harm than good. Please share any experiences which can help me make this decision thanks mummys xx

No-one is arguing that vaccines can't cause damage and non-life-threatening complications. This is a well-known and well-evidenced fact.

The thing is though on the balance of risk that the actual disease is more likely to be harmful than the vaccine. That's the basic rationale for vaccination programmes.

Your child may be the very unfortunate 1 in x and that is terrible. However if vaccination was not a thing then 100 in x children could be expected to be permanently disabled or killed by the disease.

permanent damage that should have read.

It is possible to get one of these diseases despite being vaccinated because in a very small percentage of cases the vaccine doesn't work, and if the person's immune system subsequently fails to work properly, they can also get the disease. Nothing is 100% foolproof. Likewise a tiny number of children will be damaged by vaccines. On balance, the chances of any of these things happening to an individual child are very small, and far outweighed by the chances of them catching one of these horrible diseases if they are not vaccinated.
The link to autism has been thoroughly discredited years ago. I can't believe people still think that is a thing.

Your fears are very understandable, all the various vaccinations into their tiny systems is a worry, I think diphtheria, tetanus and polio are absolutely essential, and the men b, not sure about the others

Have you had measles? I have - it was bloody awful. All 3 of my kids have been vaccinated against everything.

You are lucky to live in a country where you can realistically choose not to vaccinate your child and to rely on the herd immunity of everyone else. But if everyone went down your path then there would be no herd immunity and the mortality rate of children would go back up to pre vaccination levels.

vaccines prevent death

I'm taking my 8 week old for his first set of vaccinations tomorrow. Absolutely no reservations about it whatsoever. I would kindly suggest you did some proper research rather than reading the internet. You do know that anyone can put anything on the internet? Doesn't make it true. The doctor who wrote the paper claiming a correlation between the MMR and autism was struck off. And quite frankly should have been thrown in jail as far as I'm concerned.

A colleague of mine chose not to vaccinate as she believed the MMR to be linked to autism.

He child is autistic anyway.

Vaccinations are safe, the diseases they vaccinate are not.

We have a family member who is brain damaged from getting meningitis as a baby, she is likely never to live an independent life. I have a relative who has problems with her eyesight after getting measles as a child.

Every time my children have been vaccinated they have cried for a few seconds.

Straight forward choice for me.

all the various vaccinations into their tiny systems is a worry

it is if you have no idea of how immunology works and believe what you read from idiots on the web

if you've got an ounce of common sense, it isn't a worry at all.

I stopped reading your reply when you said about links to autism. THAT IS NONSENSE. the stupid twat of a doctor who came up with that BS has been struck off because he has been disproved and has caused so much heartache. Protect your child - it is your duty as a parent. Ffs

I have got plenty of common sense, thank you, and understand perfectly how immunology works, and of course it is a worry, that doesn't mean that on balance, it is better to have the vaccinations

Are you an immunologist isadoradancing? Otherwise that is a rather bold statement.

isdoradancing I take it you haven't come across a child with rubella, or measles? What planet are you on?

You asked for experiences, here's mine:

At 8 weeks each of my DCs received the standard childhood vaccinations for diphtheria, hep B, hib, polio, tetanus and whooping cough (they also had all of the follow up vaccinations). In each case they cried for about a minute, after which they had some milk and forgot about it.

Subsequently, neither of my DC has suffered from any of these diseases, all of which can make your child extremely ill, cause life-long disability, or even result in death.

It's really a no-brainer. Vaccinate your baby!

Have you looked at the pictures I posted, OP? Would you like me to find you some more?

I'm sorry, but you are coming across as a bit thick. Resorting to emotive language ('their tiny systems') just makes it seem like you have no logical reasoning behind your objections. These vaccines are designed for babies - they are specifically calculated for a baby's system.

As you like emotive language, try this on: Selfish mother priotises her own unfounded anxiety above her child's health and chooses to endanger her tiny baby's life to make herself feel superior.

I have got plenty of common sense, thank you, and understand perfectly how immunology works, and of course it is a worry, that doesn't mean that on balance, it is better to have the vaccinations

Yes it does (with very few exceptions).

Selfish mother priotises her own unfounded anxiety above her child's health and chooses to endanger her tiny baby's life to make herself feel superior.

This x100000000

I am so worried as I am getting an increasing number of parents opting out of the immunisation schedule, which of course is their right, but is mind boggling too as they are relying on herd immunity. I think banging my head against a wall would be more constructive.

Unfortunately, posters who tend to ask for views on vaccinations like this tend to have already made their minds up by reading 'research' on the internet.

Great post from Callamia.

Op there is no credible evidence linking vaccines with autism, studies which suggested this have been thoroughly debunked (many withdrawn by the authors themselves for misleading evidence/methodology).

The ingredients in vaccines sound scary - eg formaldehyde (but this is found naturally in the bloodstream), aluminium (the third most abundant element on the planet, it passes from mother to baby via breastmilk and formula anyway), Dihydrogen Monoxide (water) - but hundreds of studies involving millions of children have deemed them to be safe in vaccines.

Many of the studies supposedly showing links between vaccines and neurological damage (all of which have been debunked and most of which are junk science) are funded and disseminated by absolute cranks, including this delightful organisation en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_American_Physicians_and_Surgeons

Please, please vaccinate your child.

I part vaccinated. Various reasons.

OP please do some of your own research. Pointless asking her on MN because the pro vaccination people are, sadly, in the main, pretty vocal and somewhat nasty at times. There actually is proof that vaccines are not 100% safe. There is a vaccine damage fund which has paid out substantial amounts of money. Vaccines do not give life long immunity - wonder how many of these Mumsnetters vigorously shaking their head at you are actually walking around unvaccinated themselves? ( You do all know that they wear off after time?)

I'm not anti vaccination. I'm pro choice. My son was hospitalised for chickenpox, a supposedly 'mild' childhood disease (as we used to refer to measles) He was also hospitalised for whooping cough - something he was vaccinated against - so that proves that vaccines are not 100% effective.

We have still yet to really see the full implications of such a comprehensive vaccination programme as the first round of 'kids' injected with MMR are now having babies themselves.

My overall advice would be - if you do decide to vaccinate, spread them out. Do not take your baby when she is even vaguely poorly. You do not have to have all of the shots done at the same time despite what the red book will tell you. I specifically asked to have one at a time done, and the nurse actually commented how sensible that was. That way, it reduces the likelihood of adverse reaction, and if something was to happen, doctors would know what was causing things.

I remember reading this when I was deciding - yes, i know the 'source' is obviously from a more 'anti' site and US based but the facts are true (cross checked)

You take a risk whichever way you chose. However, it does seem somewhat odd that the chances of being ill from a reaction to the vaccine is greater than you chances of simply having measles.

therefusers.com/6-times-more-measles-vaccine-adverse-reaction-reports-than-measles-cases-in-2011/

Get your tinfoil hat on and hope for the best

My dc are 16 and 11 and still alive. In fact my dd had her first vaccination as she left the hospital when she was less than a day old. (Bcg high risk area).
Both are disgustingly healthy and v bright.
I understand your fear and desire to protect your child. However, a small amount of information has been distorted and generalised into a story that sounds credible but has very little, if any basis in fact.

By not vaccinating you could certainly be increasing the probable risk for your child.

You have no idea how fortunate you are to live in a country where you can access life saving vaccines for your child - no charge as well! Of you'd ever encountered the effects and complications of the diseases that these vaccines prevent, it would be a no brainer. If you really have such a low opinion of the government and medical professionals, consider this - just WHY would they bother to spend millions vaccinating people if a) they didn't work and b) they have to fund compensation for injuries caused by them.

I also find the idea that it is somehow better to have a dead child than an autistic one to be really offensive and disablist, tbh. There is no link with autism. This has been proven over and over again. There's plenty of evidence that polio, diphtheria and meningitis are deadly for many!

My own children had all their vaccinations. Both cried for a second. That was it, the some extent of any issue. I know no one in my large extended family or friendship circles who have ever had their child damaged in any way by vaccines. My uncle died of whooping cough before vaccinations were available. That's my personal experience. I'd plead with you to vaccinate for the sake of people with low/no immune systems who could catch things from your child and die, but I suspect you aren't inclined to listen to opinions based on actual science anyway.

I can't imagine any nurse commenting how sensible it is to have vaccines one at time! Not only are you leaving them unvaccinated for longer you also take up precious appointment times.

There are low rates of death in the UK from measles. Because of the vaccinations.

Worldwide 250 people A DAY die from measles.
Sorry for shouting.