Normal Vaccine Schedule v. Delayed Vaccine Schedule

gutsysneakers

I can only read so many articles online....let's hear your opinions, ladies. 

pistolpackinmomma

Normal. There is no credible evidence that suggests a delayed schedule is beneficial to the normal person. The only exception being people with family histories of problems or the immuno compromised.

typeset

SPECIAL FUCKING SNOWFLAKE. 

We delay hep B. I'm negative, vaccinated, and the primary caregiver. Kiddo got the full series before starting school instead with our pediatrician's blessing. 

We skip rotavirus because it's not required for school and the doc doesn't push it. Flu shot we consider annually. Next year we're all getting it. 

Everything else is on time. 

rainydayluck

Normal. I don't need to bring my kid in several extra times to get stabbed. I'd rather get them all done at once. Plus it gives me more peace of mind when vaccinated. Lastly, I'm a busy woman! I don't need a zillion extra appointments.

Edited to use the right "peace"

annabeanybee

It really depends on what you want for your child. I've chosen a limited, delayed schedule (my kids are only getting the vaccines that I had, and DS had his first one done at age 2), but he doesn't spend a ton of time around other kids (we're homeschooling). I have a friend who's a nurse, and her daughter has had every possible vaccine because mom is exposed to so much through her work - totally makes sense for them. Personally, I feel that if you're not in that kind of a situation, it makes sense to wait for LO's immune system to develop some on its own. That said, I also felt that it was important for DS to get his pertussis and rubella vaccines before I got pregnant this time, just because I didn't want to risk exposure. 

Hope that didn't confuse you more. :P Clearly, I fall kind of in the middle on this one! But good for you for doing your research!

ArmyMedic7588

Normal. I have not seen credible evidence to sway me enough to say that I would even think of a delayed schedule. And I trust thousands of Drs, pediatricians and everyone else who would be studying this for years. I was vaccinated on a normal schedule and so were millions of other people and we are perfectly normal. Also, working in the medical field I'm exposed to a lot and sometimes it can pass to your children without effecting you. I don't want to do that to my baby. I've also made sure that DH's parents (we live with them) are getting vaccinated with what our OB recommends they have too. DH's mom works in a pharmacy, so she's always in contact with people who are sick and just starting meds. God only knows what some of those people have.

Ladiebug710

Normal.  I have no reason to think any other schedule is beneficial.

runningyogimama

Normal. Unless your child has/your family has some kind of legitimate medical reason to delay vaccines or spread them out, it seems silly and socially irresponsible not to vaccinate and vaccinate on time.

gutsysneakers

Thanks for you input, ladies. 

chillypenguin

Agree with PPs, we are doing a normal schedule for both DD and this LO unless one of them develops an issue with the vaccines.

pistolpackinmomma

annabeanybee said:

It really depends on what you want for your child. I've chosen a limited, delayed schedule (my kids are only getting the vaccines that I had, and DS had his first one done at age 2), but he doesn't spend a ton of time around other kids (we're homeschooling). I have a friend who's a nurse, and her daughter has had every possible vaccine because mom is exposed to so much through her work - totally makes sense for them. Personally, I feel that if you're not in that kind of a situation, it makes sense to wait for LO's immune system to develop some on its own. That said, I also felt that it was important for DS to get his pertussis and rubella vaccines before I got pregnant this time, just because I didn't want to risk exposure. 

Hope that didn't confuse you more. :P Clearly, I fall kind of in the middle on this one! But good for you for doing your research!

So you were ok with your baby being exposed and unvaccinated but not your pregnant self???

jcieply

I did normal w my dd and we had the most god awful experience with her 15 month shots. She had 4 (one extra because they were out at 12 month old) one was mmr which is what I think caused the problem. High fever for two weeks and screamed bloody murder for 2 weeks I literally lost my mind and thought I would never get my baby back. I'll stick to the main schedule but i might have the 15 month mmr done seperatley. Still deciding.

cbrust

I'll be doing the CDC recommended schedule/whatever my pedi suggests. He/She is the doctor after all...

On another similar note, I plan to make immunization appts very no-big-deal. I, to this day, remember my mom literally dragging me to the doctor because I hated getting shots. She made immunization's SUCH A BIG FREAKIN DEAL that I turn FREAKED out and did the climb up the walls/scream/act like I was dying bit. So not gunna happen with my kid..

flutepharm87

Let me see if I can find it, but one of my final projects for graduation was a presentation on a medical/pharmaceutical controversy and my group got this exact topic. From our research, there's no data to back up the safety of a delayed vaccination schedule, so I fully support the CDC recommended vaccination schedule. I'm sure I have that powerpoint here somewhere...

flutepharm87

Ok, boo. I found it, but TB won't allow me to upload the powerpoint file here So if you want me to send it to you, PM me your e-mail address and I can send it your way. I know it's something more to read, but we did a lot of research and, as it's a powerpoint, it might be easier to read that a bunch of research articles. 

Chellbell20

I plan a partially delayed schedule, I want to talk more to our pedi, but possibly similar to Dr. Sears in the first few years. DD had a reaction of a swelled up leg, redness and inconsolable crying for 3+ hours at one of the early appts.  Luckily with some Tylenol and ice it subsided, but i worry about this baby having a more severe reaction.  We have no history of allergies or problems, so it was a bit of a surprise and very scary at the time. 

gutsysneakers

I PM'ed you. Thanks!

MamaLlama14

Delayed.  I have medicinal allergies and we found out last year that DS does, too (different than mine).  Our pedi is 100% on board with spacing them out to monitor for any reactions, but we tend to stay within the recommended window.  For example, HepB is recommended between 6-18 months.  We did it toward the end of the window, and not at the 12 month appt where he had like 47 needle sticks already.  To me, for our situation, the benefits to delaying outweigh the inconvenience of multiple/more frequent appointments.

MrsT2008

savannah_girl said:

Normal. It has been studied in great detail. I trust thousands of Dr, the CDC and AAP. 

Ditto.

jenb_99

I vaccinate on my pediatrician's schedule. The proven benefits of early and thorough vaccination outweigh any alleged and unproven risks, so I see no reason to keep my children unprotected from big bad bugs any longer than our doctor deems necessary.

annabeanybee

@pistolpackinmomma, I see your point, but maybe didn't quite explain mine. DS was really not around other people for the first two years (didn't have Mommy & Me or anything like that, and when he played with other kids it was mostly at the park), other than adults who had been vaccinated. Exposure to anything was extremely limited, and once we started spending more time around other families, I started getting his shots done. Also, I had been vaccinated and was BF'ing, so he was getting passive immunity. And I didn't start his vaccinations because I was pregnant - that was just on my timeline, that I knew I wanted him to be started before we were thinking about having another baby. 

@Veganlady, I'm more focused on vaccinating for the basics. I don't see any point in doing hep B, as I'm not an intravenous drug user, and the chicken pox one just seems silly to me, since there's such a high chance of getting it anyway. I'm not necessarily opposed to doing them at some point, but for now I'm not convinced that they're vital.

This thread is actually making me wonder about geographical trends in immunization, because I know a lot of people around here who are on a delayed schedule. Maybe because it's warmer here and we can spend more time outside during the winter months? I'm curious now. I was expecting the divide on this to be closer to 50-50, just based on moms I know.

momthatlifts

Normal.

jenb_99

Kimbus22 said:

<snip>  You take them to the supermarket and they can get god knows what.

This is so true. DS and I were housebound all last weekend because of a cold. We made one trip to a local restaurant to pick up dinner and one trip to the grocery store. I used antibacterial hand wipes while we were out and washed our hands thoroughly when we got home, and we STILL both ended up with norovirus. DS got it Monday night and I had it Wednesday. And it had to be from one of the two short trips out, since the incubation period is less than 48 hours. DS had diarrhea for 4 days and I almost ended up in the hospital.

And norovirus is mild compared to the illnesses childhood vaccines are developed to protect against.

dp1320

HatchetFace said:

Barring any unforeseen complications, we're doing the normal schedule. 

This.

babyaotw

HatchetFace said:

Barring any unforeseen complications, we're doing the normal schedule. 

Ditto. I'd rather my baby get it done and over with, instead of more frequently. Of course I'll consider any special needs my baby may have.

Peaceb0ne

I was curious about how my area was in terms of preventable (by vaccine) illnesses, so I did some googling. I found this interactive map for anyone interested: https://www.cfr.org/interactives/GH_Vaccine_Map/#map

MissLadyTay

We vaccinate on the regular schedule and I feel a huge amount of relief once baby gets those shots.

mirdamae03

Regular schedule for us.

spinsoffresonance

We're doing the normal schedule. The pedi said Hep B was optional, since they're doing it more for public health concerns than for direct benefits to LO, but we went with it anyways. I was a little surprised at how many more vaccines are part of the routine schedule in the US vs in my home country (Switzerland). But if I can save Dd from ever having the chicken pox, and what not, why woudlnt I ?

springbeduk2

Normal unless HepB is live (which I'm pretty sure it's not) in which case we would delay that IF my mom is still alive as she will be severely immunocompromised and not supposed to be around babies (or others) who have just had live vaccines (post chemo and with end-stage cancer) and we want her to meet baby if at all possible.  It's highly unlikely that she'd still be alive by the time baby is 2 months but if so I guess we might delay those (at least the live ones) by just a couple weeks or so until after a last visit to mom.   

Xath

Normal. The only reason we'd do delayed is if there were a medical reason, and we haven't had one so far.

annabeanybee

@kitchencolors, I guess I was thinking about where I grew up, which is very cold, and being sick all winter because the germs just kind of got trapped in the house, and the sickness kept cycling through the family. I feel like DS and I shake colds more quickly here. The weather thing was just a general wondering/theory. 

And yes, the passion for vaccinating was made quite clear! I apologize if I upset anyone - when I started writing my first comment, nothing else had been posted. If I'd seen how strongly everyone felt about it, I probably wouldn't have said anything - although, to be fair, OP seemed to be asking for opinions from various sides. But in the future I'll stay out of these discussions.

IBackBevo

This is why you vaccinate. We are pretty sure it was rubella as everything else had been ruled out and we found out after the fact that a friend's kids both had it. My ds had had 1 vaccine, but not the second as he was too young. About 20 percent of people who get it are partially or fully vaccinated...hence why herd immunity is so important. It actually was not (save for a few days and ruining a vacation) a horrible illness, but if I had gotten it while pregnant before 20 weeks, my unborn child could have been blind, deaf, severely disabled, etc IF he had even lived! The reason why they want everyone to get this particular vaccine is not even to protect kids from getting it, but to protect pregnant women and their unborn babies. Look it up and read about what rubella does to a pregnant woman. And, like I said, a lot of pregnant women even who have been vaccinated are not immune. Do you really want to be responsible for doing that to another mother and her child?

runningyogimama

annabeanybee said:

@kitchencolors, I guess I was thinking about where I grew up, which is very cold, and being sick all winter because the germs just kind of got trapped in the house, and the sickness kept cycling through the family. I feel like DS and I shake colds more quickly here. The weather thing was just a general wondering/theory. 

And yes, the passion for vaccinating was made quite clear! I apologize if I upset anyone - when I started writing my first comment, nothing else had been posted. If I'd seen how strongly everyone felt about it, I probably wouldn't have said anything - although, to be fair, OP seemed to be asking for opinions from various sides. But in the future I'll stay out of these discussions.

The reason that most people are so passionate about this subject is there is, other than medical issues (allergies, immune system problems, etc), there is NO good reason not to vaccinate. None. People who do so base their decision on lack of information or misinformation, period. And, the biggest part, is that this isn't like any other parenting decision where it only affects your kid--not vaccinating is a public health issue, because when people make the decision not to vaccinate, it puts others, who can't vaccinate (too young, too sick, people who weren't fully protected by a vaccine, whatever), at risk. It's selfish and ruins the herd immunity.

pistolpackinmomma

@annabeanybee you may not have been in play groups but going to the park is just as bad if not worse! Also, even of you and every single adult who comes into contact with your child are vaxed against it you can still carry it on, just less likely. And my OB said the amount if immunity that passes through the BM is minimal compared to the actual vaccine.

RedInLove

Same here, we plan on following the normal schedule unless there is any concern or reason specific to LO that would cause the Dr. to recommend we delay anything.

A funny s/o I thought of when I read @kitchencolors comment, was the pedi that spoke at our labor class this weekend. If I remember correctly, babies at our hospital can get the first Hep B shot before they go home. He said given the way Hep B is transmitted, the hospital's newborn nursery has a strict 'No Dating' policy for all who stay there, LOL!

Chellbell20

Kimbus22 said:

Chellbell20 said:

I plan a partially delayed schedule, I want to talk more to our pedi, but possibly similar to Dr. Sears in the first few years. DD had a reaction of a swelled up leg, redness and inconsolable crying for 3+ hours at one of the early appts.  Luckily with some Tylenol and ice it subsided, but i worry about this baby having a more severe reaction.  We have no history of allergies or problems, so it was a bit of a surprise and very scary at the time. 

Just so you know, that's a pretty typical reaction for any kid, even without allergies.  My kid had it at one set of shots.  4 months maybe?  Very normal and they're fine the next day.  It sucks to see your kid unhappy but they'll be a hell of a lot more unhappy if they contract something you delay the shot for!

We follow the pedi's schedule, which I think has us do a few more visits so it's 2-3 vaccines per visit but still all on time with the CDC.

I give a huge side eye to people who severely delay things.  Miss an appointment and have it a month late? Okay. Choose to leave your kid unvaccinated for years?  What the fuck? Unless you never let them leave the house or anyone else in, you're just asking for trouble.  You take them to the supermarket and they can get god knows what.



It can be a normal reaction, but it could also end up worse, personally not a chance I want to take. When I say I plan to use a delayed schedule, that's mainly because that's the word people use. Alternative would be a better word. HepB will be delayed until closer to when baby goes back to daycare around 1.5, but all the other early ones will be given within a couple months tops of when they normally would be. Actually it sounds like what I am looking to do would be similar to what your pedi schedule is. I completely believe in fully vaccinating all children who can have the vaccines, and side eye anyone that doesn't vaccinate just because. Its just that I also believe that there are some reasons to spread them out, especially when someone in the family has shown a sensitivity to one or more of the shots.

MamaLlama14

Also, FWIW: I had rubella as a child, even though I was vaccinated.  Did the vaccine prevent it? No.  BUT, it's likely that I had enough of an immunity to it so that I didn't DIE from it.  Vaccines can be effective even without completely preventing an illness.

getitdone

We will be vaccinating on a normal schedule. Our families are both very big on vaccinating so this was not even a discussion for us.

sisterjanet

@annabeanybee I'm planning to homeschool too, which is a huge reason my kid is getting everything according to the usual schedule, including flu and chickenpox.  I know for a fact that some of the families my son and I hang out with do not vaccinate at all, so if my kid weren't vaccinated I'd be freaking out about what I'm exposing him to. 

I don't mean to jump on you, but "oh, my kid doesn't need all the shots because won't be around people, we're homeschooling" really rubbed me the wrong way.