Newborn vaccines

TudorRose11 · October 2013

Probably a hot button issue for some but that's a good thing. Can any of you ladies offer advice where these are concerned? I was talking to two of my friends today that declined all vaccines in the hospital. Their reasoning was that they didn't want to pump their babies full of vaccines that they were too old to get from the pediatrician later anyway.

Are there some you declined and others you accepted? All or nothing?

I plan on doing more research because I was just with the "trust my doctor" mentality but now I'm not so sure. I don't get the flu shot for myself so I feel like I should think more about shots for my baby.

alexisanna44 · October 2013

I would rather vaccinate my kids than see them with any of the diseases that the vaccines would *hopefully* prevent.

botanicalbliss · October 2013

If I remember correctly, the two they do at the hospital are Vitamin K and Hep B. We declined the Vit K because it's not actually a vaccine, and after doing some research, I found it unnecessary. It's supposed to help with blood clotting. If you have a traumatic birth and/or you are having a boy that is being circ'd, I think it's a good thing to get. We were going to delay Hep B until his 2 week pedi appt, but we ended up getting it before we left the hospital.

I, personally, don't think that if you deny or delay these that it's equivalent to delaying or foregoing some of the other vaccines - like Tdap - which I would not recommend.

jloww · October 2013

I always defer to my pediatrician. There was one instance where I held off on vaccines but it was a pretty specific situation.

wiggyslilsis · October 2013

So far I have done every vax they have offered for Ava Nichol. The reason they offer/give hepB at the hospital is because they have determined the risk to be less than the consequence. I do my research on the vaccines and I am still very pro vax. Ava Nichol did not get vit K at the hospital. Not all hospitals give it.

I did the flu shot for Ava Nichol last year and while many people we know including my husband and stpdad who were not vaccinated got a flu bug that was wiping out our community. Ava Nichol and I got our flu shots and neither of us got sick. I can't take that as coincidence. There were just too many people sick around us for us to just randomly not get it.

bobcee · October 2013

I feel that people are devoting their lives to research this stuff and make recommendations. Who am I to think that I can spend some time on the Internet or wherever else, finding info strong enough to discredit theirs? I don't blindly follow it, but I do think there is more solid proof/evidence in the pro column than in the con column. The only time I could see skipping out on something that is recommended by my doc or hospital is if there was a known allergy/bad reaction from someone closely related in the family.

AshleyMatt1215 · October 2013

Our LO will get all vaccines on schedule. I've done a lot of research on them and the benefits out weigh any risks.

As far as in the hospital they'll receive a vitamin k injection and a hep B injection. I'm fine with that. The only thing I may decline the antibiotic goop that is put in/on their eyes and that's just because I think it's unnecessary given my medical history.

sgautschi · October 2013

Vitamin K shot and the eye ointment were given at the hospital, per pediatrician recommendation and typical hospital procedure. Our pediatrician did recommend waiting to our vax appointment at 2 months to get the hep B vaccine though because I have no history of it.

vitan · October 2013

DD has received all recommended vaccines with exception to two. she didn't get a flu shot becuase we were passed flu season and I've never had a flu shot. No one in my family has had a flu shot and then when they had to due to work requirements they got very sick and get sick each time they do. I don't remember which session it is but the one where they can give one shot instead of three, I opted for the three because she would get an extra polio vaccine that she didn't need with the one shot.

bridget0117 · October 2013

LO will be getting all vaccines recommended by her doctor.

At the hospital she got the hepB, vit k and was given the eye ointment.

jloww · October 2013

bobcee said:

I feel that people are devoting their lives to research this stuff and make recommendations. Who am I to think that I can spend some time on the Internet or wherever else, finding info strong enough to discredit theirs? I don't blindly follow it, but I do think there is more solid proof/evidence in the pro column than in the con column. The only time I could see skipping out on something that is recommended by my doc or hospital is if there was a known allergy/bad reaction from someone closely related in the family.

Your new siggy picture is great!

TudorRose11 · October 2013

Thanks ladies! I have always planned to vaccinate. I think @bobcee said it best. I don't know anyone personally negatively affected and I do trust my doctors.

I just want to continue to read up on them and be aware/informed of what they are and are for.

saralynn7 · October 2013

AshleyMatt1215 said:
Our LO will get all vaccines on schedule. I've done a lot of research on them and the benefits out weigh any risks.

As far as in the hospital they'll receive a vitamin k injection and a hep B injection. I'm fine with that. The only thing I may decline the antibiotic goop that is put in/on their eyes and that's just because I think it's unnecessary given my medical history.

I wanted to decline the eye drops as well but it's a requirement to do it in my state apparently. I brought it up to my OB because I didn't feel it was necessary but they had to do it anyway. Maybe your state is different about it though.

bobcee · October 2013

jloww said:

bobcee said:

I feel that people are devoting their lives to research this stuff and make recommendations. Who am I to think that I can spend some time on the Internet or wherever else, finding info strong enough to discredit theirs? I don't blindly follow it, but I do think there is more solid proof/evidence in the pro column than in the con column. The only time I could see skipping out on something that is recommended by my doc or hospital is if there was a known allergy/bad reaction from someone closely related in the family.

Your new siggy picture is great!

Awe...thank you! I'm amazed everyone was actually looking at the camera at once! Never happens - haha.

AshleyMatt1215 · October 2013

saralynn7 said:

AshleyMatt1215 said:
Our LO will get all vaccines on schedule. I've done a lot of research on them and the benefits out weigh any risks.

As far as in the hospital they'll receive a vitamin k injection and a hep B injection. I'm fine with that. The only thing I may decline the antibiotic goop that is put in/on their eyes and that's just because I think it's unnecessary given my medical history.
I wanted to decline the eye drops as well but it's a requirement to do it in my state apparently. I brought it up to my OB because I didn't feel it was necessary but they had to do it anyway. Maybe your state is different about it though.

I'll have to look into it, it may be law here too. I know we have to have blood sent to the state health department for genetic testing. So, in wouldn't surprise me.

Thanks for the heads up!

cinderin · October 2013

we delayed the hep b until the first doctor appointment. I only did it because I felt like he had been poked and prodded enough.

he has had all his other vaccines on schedule.

it was so funny, i noticed when I took him in for his two month appointment and the doctor listed all the vaccines he was going to get, she then looked at me and there was a long pause. I could tell she was just waiting for me to decline the vaccines. I do live in the Seattle area :-) I just said "yup" and they gave them to him. poor fellow. he was *inconsolable* that afternoon and then he slept a really long time (5 hours?). but he felt fine the next day.

Kaiene · October 2013

We didn't decline anything. I figure that the AAP recommends all of this stuff for a reason, so we follow their schedule.

I was hesitant about chicken pox simply because it wasn't around when I was little (or maybe it was but no one got it; we all got the actual chicken pox), but after talking with his pedi we did it.

We also do flu shots now, but I don't forsee that being forever. Since I'm pregnant and DS is still little, I think it's important. Once we're not in such an at risk group, we will likely decline.

pistolpackinmomma · October 2013

R has gotten all vaccines. I don't get the flu shot because I get incredibly sick from it but he hasn't had any reaction so he gets his. I'll probably not be so adamant about his flu shot once he's older but for right now I feel it's important for him.

wiggyslilsis · October 2013

I was hesitant with the chicken pox vaccine as well but the selling points for me were that it is one of the safest vaccines with very little side effects listed and if your child is vaccinated against chicken pox they will not be able to get shingles later in life. Shingles is a serious and very painful disease and can be brought out by stress and if you have ever had chicken pox you can get it.

lb1117 · October 2013

I have done no research on this at all. Crap. I guess I should get on this.

The only one you have mentioned that we probably won't do is the flu shot.

Kaiene · October 2013

lb1117 said:
I have done no research on this at all. Crap. I guess I should get on this.

The only one you have mentioned that we probably won't do is the flu shot.

Can I ask why not? I didn't get one until I got pregnant, because it could be harmful to the baby if I got super sick. Same with getting one for DS. He can't tolerate it like a healthy adult can. There will come a point when we won't get them, but right now I think it's the best decision for us.

ream02 · October 2013

I'm glad to see no one referenced declining vaccinations for their child because of the increased risks in autism. Apparently for a while there was all this hype that a couple of the vaccines, I think, but don't quote me (MMR) increased the risks of autism. It was later found, but of course not highly publicized that there was nothing to support it was the vaccines that were increasing the autism incidences and that clearly the risks of not being vaccinated outweighed the risks.

I mention this because I have a friend the either declined or delayed the MMR due to not doing her follow up that the initial reports were unfounded.

and another friend that is against all vaccines because she feels it is putting poisons in their body unnecessarily. When I pointed out that certain diseases that had minimal cases in many years were coming back in area's that parents were not declining certain vaccines more commonly, she had nothing to say. I guess ignorance is bliss sometimes..

pistolpackinmomma · October 2013

wiggyslilsis said:
I was hesitant with the chicken pox vaccine as well but the selling points for me were that it is one of the safest vaccines with very little side effects listed and if your child is vaccinated against chicken pox they will not be able to get shingles later in life. Shingles is a serious and very painful disease and can be brought out by stress and if you have ever had chicken pox you can get it.

From what I have been told (by other moms, I still need to talk to the pedi) the CP vax hasn't been out long enough to know the effects on if someone will still be susceptible to shingles later on. I want to talk to the pedi and then we'll decide if we want to do it. I'm still undecided on it.

Smiley-1980 · October 2013

We got all vaccines and she just got the flu shot at her 9 mth appt and I also got it when I was pregnant with her.

wiggyslilsis · October 2013

@pistolpackinmomma my doctor said in theory it should prevent shingles because the live virus is not in you. I was going off my pedi's explanation of it.

flowerpower3 · October 2013

We're still researching this ourselves, but I'm reading the Dr. Sears book about vaccines. Check it out...it offers view points from both sides for each of the shots they offer for babies. Pros and cons for both doing the shot and not doing the shot. Like I said, we're still researching stuff, but based on what I've read so far, we've decided that we're gonna do some of the shots....so not completely "pro-vaccine", but not completely "anti-vaccine".

bobcee · October 2013

@flowerpower3 - I know a lot of people highly regard Dr Sears and he tries to make his book seem unbiased, but he really doesn't have any scientific facts behind what he says. The link below is a good article summarizing it and why I say I leave it up to the experts who are devoting their lives researching these drugs rather than trying to "research" it myself and see what I can find. Being informed is good, but you have to know what they are basing their recommendations on. If its anything other than pure scientific research (with no skewed results) I'd be wary of it. Any whack job (not that im calling dr sears a whack job - i know hes a highly regarded pediatrician) can put whatever info they want out there...

http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/cashing-in-on-fear-the-danger-of-dr-sears/

flowerpower3 · October 2013

bobcee said:

@flowerpower3 - I know a lot of people highly regard Dr Sears and he tries to make his book seem unbiased, but he really doesn't have any scientific facts behind what he says. The link below is a good article summarizing it and why I say I leave it up to the experts who are devoting their lives researching these drugs rather than trying to "research" it myself and see what I can find. Being informed is good, but you have to know what they are basing their recommendations on. If its anything other than pure scientific research (with no skewed results) I'd be wary of it. Any whack job (not that im calling dr sears a whack job - i know hes a highly regarded pediatrician) can put whatever info they want out there... http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/cashing-in-on-fear-the-danger-of-dr-sears/

Thanks! I'll check that out.

DangerMuffin23 · October 2013

-lurking from gp- I've been an ophthalmic technician for almost 13 years. So here's my professional advice about the ab ointments/drops: unless you personally have an allergy to erythromycin or something of the same class - just get them. They won't hurt your baby and I see sooooooo many newborns with eye infections when they're declined. There are all sorts of fluids and germs going on during the whole birth and lots of people touching them afterwards. It's safer, promise.

lindsayandjamie · October 2013

With DS we had no choice on the ointment it's required for all hospital births in Ontario although our midwives advised we could wipe it off after its put on if we have issue - the possible issue being the ability to see me when trying to latch. I Had complications and it was irrelevant at the time, but i was fine with both the ointment and vit K. In Canada our babes don't get Hep B vax until 12 yrs (I believe) and considering it's transmitted by blood/bodily fluids and risky behaviours I'm surprised to hear this is happening in the US. Can someone educate me on why? I have agreed to all recommended vaccines and insisted on the flu shot for my son. We were all hit with a terrible flu last January except him so I can only attribute it to the vaccine, and considering his age I am grateful he was unaffected.

pennstated912 · October 2013

wiggyslilsis said:
I was hesitant with the chicken pox vaccine as well but the selling points for me were that it is one of the safest vaccines with very little side effects listed and if your child is vaccinated against chicken pox they will not be able to get shingles later in life. Shingles is a serious and very painful disease and can be brought out by stress and if you have ever had chicken pox you can get it.

Have you ever seen the Shingles vaccine commercial? I agree that Shingles is extremely serious and both DH and I have gotten the vaccine, but the commercial is so ridiculous and is directed to be fear-based as opposed to informative.

Newborn vaccines

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