Alternative Shot Schedule

nataliemarie02

My daughter is getting her vaccines next week and I'm totally nervous about it... How many go by the standard CDC schedule and do them as directed and who does the alternative schedule where they're spaced out and not so many shots at once? Pros and cons to both? I just don't want to bombard her system with too much but at the same time I don't want to make extra trips to the doctors and put her in pain if it doesn't make a difference either way. TIA

Caption for the photo "Did someone say shots?!?"

beccer123

I think my doctor's office spreads them out. LO had a Hep B shot at birth and 1 month and is going back for more at 2 months old. I don't remember it being like that with DD. My LO didn't do well with the shot at 1 month so spreading them out for him means he will be going through it more often. He ran a fever for a full 1 day and was upset for 2 days straight. With DD, they didn't do it as often and she did better with them. That's just my personal experience. I don't know what the pros and cons are according to research. 

ToAoShesha

This is a very hot topic with moms so be prepared. If you are interested in delaying look up Dr. Sears.

randa923

I would rather my child get more shots at once and be crabby for a day then get less shots at different times and be crabby several different days. Plus, I want my child to get his shots as soon as he can so he is better protected. It's really your decision in the end.

Kimberlylena

Following bc my LO gets her shots next week as well...not sure what we are going to do yet.

KAR8706

LO is getting shots in a couple weeks.... I plan on getting it all over with at once. I was curios about giving tylenol before hand but read that it can decrease the effectiveness of the shots. So what are you ladies' experience with Tylenol before or after. 

AziaNick

so I guess the regular schedule is like 4 shots (depending if you are getting combinations or not) our daughter has 4 shots every 2 months BUT we decided to do 2 shots every 4 weeks. It's your own preference

janellvigil

https://www.m.webmd.com/children/features/alternative-vaccine-schedule

beeish

I took my LO for her shots last week. She cried for less than 5 minutes and that was it! No fussiness, no fever! Her pediatrician said it should affect her for a day and that's it. I know every baby is different but I had built it up in my mind to be something it wasn't. I was so nervous and scared. Everything was just fine.

I was told not to give LO Tylenol before. I was glad I didn't, I would have hated giving her something she didn't need.

shakirahb

I took my champ in today for his shots, he received four of them. Although it tore me to pieces, he only cried for two minutes. After arriving home I was able to make him laugh. Hopefully everything will still be fine as the day continues.

klirwin82

I grew up in the Netherlands and we follow the Swedish vaccination schedule. He gets his shots at the same time (single appointment) but at 3 months instead of 2 months. I understand the inclination to want to spread them out over multiple visits but then instead of 1 crappy day/night you have to put them through it multiple times.

ABubba

My baby girl received the recommended 2 month vaccines on Monday, never had a fever or anything, just a little more sleepy and only got cranky a couple times when I moved her sleeping position Hahaha. I had baby Tylenol on hand just in case but didn't need it and I'm glad I didn't automatically give it to her like family members were telling me to, I kept her extra close so I could always feel for any temperature adjustment. But do what YOU are comfortable with regarding Tylenol!

Personally, I didn't want to change our vaccination schedule because I was comfortable with what she was getting and why and I know that the research and trials were done to ensure the safest and most effective schedule for our LOs. Lots more research since we were LOs receiving vaccinations for sure! If my baby was born prematurely or had a cold I would have discussed delaying.

I am very pro-vaccination having researched both sides extensively, however, I will say, it was still a little nerve racking having them done. As a mother, you can't help but feel a little nervous but remember to keep your energy on check because babe picks up on that. I kept reminding myself that this momentary discomfort for your child is the lesser of 2 evils, the latter being possibly exposed to diseases without some defense system.

Good luck mommies!

Jmitch8

Ds just went 2 weeks ago. He got 3 shots and one that was given orally. I gave Tylenol after the shots because he was cranky and uncomfortable. He cried for maybe a minute and then seemed fine.

Knottie99627423

We did not do HepB or polio because risk is relatively low. We did PCV13, dTap, HiB and rotovirus. Rotovirus was oral. It definitely sucks and is super scary. Vaccine injuries are real. There's money set aside for them. I've decided that I'm more afraid of meningitis than the injury. I also thought about spacing them out but decided the docs office was the had the highest potential for exposure and I wanted to minimize that.

nataliemarie02

Well said! @ABubba. My aunt is a nurse practitioner and I talked to her after I posted this...she said it doesn't make a difference whether I do them all at once or spread them out as long as she gets all her shots but why delay the schedule and make her uncomfortable more times than necessary. So I think I will be getting her shots on the normal schedule. As far as Tylenol; I haven't decided whether or not I'll give it to her. Im thinking I probably will.

mbilbrey00

Everyone had suggested I give my LO Tylenol before I took him to the appt but I'm glad I didn't. 1. If he had a fever for some reason before the appt giving it to him would have hidden the fact and it isn't good to give shots to an already sick baby. 2. My dr said to wait at least 5 hours before giving Tylenol because a baby needs his immune system to fight and build against the vaccines rather than the Tylenol.

beeish

mbilbrey00 said:

Everyone had suggested I give my LO Tylenol before I took him to the appt but I'm glad I didn't. 1. If he had a fever for some reason before the appt giving it to him would have hidden the fact and it isn't good to give shots to an already sick baby. 2. My dr said to wait at least 5 hours before giving Tylenol because a baby needs his immune system to fight and build against the vaccines rather than the Tylenol.

Yes! This!

KaLikeAWind

Lurking from June - just wanted to tell you about my LOs vaccine experience. I did all the vaccines (including polio) at his 2m appt, the rotavirus was an oral vaccine and the remaining were injections. He got 3 pokes, the nurses tag teamed him and gave one in each leg at the same time, and the last was given about 2 seconds later. He cried for the shots, of course, but it was nothing a little cuddling and some boob action couldn't fix (if you are nursing, go ahead and stay in the exam room afterwards and nurse. They shouldn't have a problem with it at all, and it certainly helps to calm baby). He was more tired that day - taking longer naps and going to bed earlier and sleeping a bit longer, but when he was awake he was fine. He did not get a fever, and I saw no reason to use Tylenol, tho his Dr did give the OK to use it if he seemed uncomfortable or feverish. The next day he was right as rain except for a small knot on one leg, which went away after a few days of me massaging it.

Truly, the worst part about the whole thing was watching his face as he went from chilling, happy baby to OMG SOMETHING POKED ME!!!! WHAAAAAHHHH!!!! I felt bad for him, but that just helps to reinforce my decision to stick with the recommended schedule. This way he gets his pokes, it sucks, then its over. An 'alternate' schedule would mean he gets poked, then later poked again, then later again... Poor guy. Plus, his Dr recommends doing it the CDC way, and I didn't go to medical school and she did, so she knows more about this than I do.

I just wanted to share my very positive vaccine experience so that others could be reassured. We moms really do make it out to be a bigger deal than it is. Yes, I know some babies have some reactions like PP above whose baby had a fever, but in the grand scheme of things, that is easily managed and not as likely as some would think (the vaccine information sheets they give you tell you the usual rate of reactions reported).

Best wishes, July moms!

nataliemarie02

Thank you @mellymar that's very reassuring.

Ckorines

I think I posted this on a different discussion but see if your pediatrician feels comfortable allowing you to nurse DURING the shot process. It gave my daughter immediate relief and soothing.

klirwin82

@Knottie..... Long list of numbers. I really think you should consider the polio vaccination. I totally get not wanting some others - we are not doing rotavirus and I really hate vaccinating for chickenpox but I guess we have to do that when LO goes to school. But. Polio. That's not like you get chickenpox and are kinda sick and itchy for a week. It's devastating paralysis. And yes, it's been largely eradicated in the northern hemisphere for a decade or so. But recently there was an outbreak in Mali and a year ago there was still polio in Nigeria. You might not travel there but you never know who travels here.

ETA This has been bothering me since I first read the comment a few days ago so I'm finally responding so I can sleep better.

KaLikeAWind

^^ I'm lurking from June (I'm back again!)

The polio comment bothered me, also, but this is not my bmb so I wanted to try to only respond to OP. But I've been thinking about it since then, too.

There has also been an outbreak in the Ukraine. And I just wanted to say that the reason that the risk of your LO contracting polio is low - well, that's *expressly because of vaccination*. So, if it weren't for the polio vaccine, the likelihood of all our children facing paralysis would be so much higher. If that's not a strong argument for the effectiveness and necessity of vaccines, I don't know what else to say.

(Not trying to be argumentative, just wanted to throw that out there. Best wishes, July mamas)