If you have been following my blog for the past few months, you know by now that it hasn’t been an easy ride for me, having a baby. Not the first time with Emma, not the second time around with Georgie. We have dealt with stomach troubles with both. Diagnosed with reflux, they both struggled for the first three months to sleep for stretches longer than 45 minutes to an hour, cried uncontrollably at times and required me to enroll help, with my mum moving in with us both times for months on end…
So you can imagine that I treasure peace and I seek to keep my babies as comfortable as I possibly can. I have convinced the doctors this time too to put George on special milk, in case he suffers from food intolerance. I go to bed ridiculously early, to ensure the baby gets the rest he desperately needs. I have no social life whatsoever at the moment because my kids are my priority.
But there are things that enrage me as they cause unnecessary suffering to my baby. Last week, little George got his second set of jabs. After the first one, he reacted almost immediately with fever, irritability and a stubborn diarrhea that lasted for more than a week. This time around, he seemed fine. For a few days. Then the nightmare began! Fever, incessant crying, baby waking up at night every 30 minutes or so wriggling with stomach cramps and flatulence. Thick saliva that seemed to almost choke the poor guy.
I did my research and realised that the rotavirus vaccine they give in three stages to babies now (there was no such thing when Emma was a baby, four years ago!) causes exactly these symptoms! I did more research and realised that although it seems like an impressive figure, the virus is responsible for 500,000 infant deaths WORLDWIDE, out of a 7 billion world population. So in the worst case scenario, my baby would have 1 in 14,000 to die from it and probably 1 in 140,000 to be hospitalised with it. The thing is, and I am taking a wide guess here, that most of these deaths occur in poor countries where there is a crass lack of hygiene. So that reduced even further the chances of my baby ever being near it, as we live in a country where everything is almost oversanitised, from hospitals to public places to homes( I use bleach excessively and for everything).
So what is the logic in inoculating a baby with a sensitive gut with a live virus that in both cases gave him a mild case of rotavirus, as far as I am concerned? Why is it more important for the health system here to tick a box rather than consider each case individually and act accordingly?
I have decided NOT to give him the third rotavirus dose next month. I need to protect him for further useless pain.
What is your opinion on the subject? I know it is a very hot potato but I am putting it out there as I want to hear your opinion, folks!
Photo Credit to The Guardian
Mama's Haven 
‘jabs’ will always create a debate. My children have had all the injections and *luckily* been fine with all of them. I can understand why some parents don’t wish to continue with the course though if their child reacts badly to them.
I stared looking into vaccines when Ari was due his MMR vaccine, about 9 years ago. Since then I don’t vaccinate and don’t recommend it at all.
It is a big business for the Big Pharma companies and also creates sick children simply because babies have an undeveloped immune system get damaged by injecting them with a toxic mix of viruses, heavy metals and un researches chemicals. You are wise not to continue with it.
Hope George settles.He is a great boy.xxxx
Sending love to you all.
P.S There are quite a few documentaries done on vaccines , let me know if want to watch them,
Vaccinations are such a hot topic, I would hate to advise anyone on what was best for their baby; I think doing what feels right for you and your baby is the answer, and I’m so sorry for the awful time you’ve been having 😦
I am terrible for vaccines, Ii refused to take any of my children and istead my por husband or sister had t take the children for theirs as i am petrified of needles, I was ok untill the needle blew up on my eldest daughter years ago so since then never been since x
Personally I would always vaccinate my children with any that were offered as I don’t think they would offer them if it wasn’t necessary. I have chatted at length with my FIL about all of the jabs (he is a GP). Having said this I have been lucky enough that neither of my children have had any negative effects from any of their injections. I may feel the same way if I was in your position. You have to do what is right for your child, not what is right for necessarily everyone else x
I understand your choice, although I’m not sure I’d have made hte same choice. However, I may be stupid, but what time frame does the 500,000 deaths cover? Is that the total number of infants who’ve died from reotavirus since it was discovered, the yearly number of deaths, or what? I mean, if it’s the total number of cases so far, your calculation makes sense, but if it’s a yearly figure, the chance of George developing and dying from this is much higher. I don’t mean to push you into vaccinating, as I myself do know that the number of vaccinations kids receive has increased vastly since I was an infant, so it’s not like I can offer reliable advice on the current situation.
This must have been scary for you , your poor baby. You will have to weigh the pros and cons of having the vaccine.
we dont’ vaccinate our children, I’ve done so much research, and after talking to the GP who really didn’t have a clue we decided it was too risky to inject all those chemicals into our kids
I didn’t know that Polly! snap 🙂 x
After I researched the subject a little bit, my opinion at this point it to vaccinate, if possible, later rather than in the first months of life. Also, I think it it important to space them out, not to give more than one or two at the time. Here is the US they give even 4 at the time or more.
When I took Rebekah to Romania when she was only a few months old, she got Chickenpox and we ended up at the Infection Disease Hospital where we got medicine for it. The medicine helped and she got better, praise the Lord.
There is a movement to go against immunization claiming the disease dies after people get more immunity to it and that the vaccines are full or harmful chemicals and not really effective, etc. I looked into it and I noticed they only talk about the bad side effects of the vaccines and do not mention that they do provide benefits.
However, as you probably know childhood diseases are not harmless in all the cases. I understand that there are parents that do not vaccinate but they try to make the children contact some of the diseases in order to get immunity. I could go more on the subject and provide you with literature to read but that’s besides the point. I do pray for grace for you during this time.
My almost ten week old had his first set of jabs today, but I refused the Rotavirus for all the reasons you have mentioned above. Just doesn’t sit right with me if I’m honest. My latest post is about food intolerance, you might want to check it out xx http://mummytries.com/2014/04/24/the-gaps-diet/
I think whether to vaccinate or not is purely up to each parent. I personally have my children vaccinated. We had a few bad reactions but I would do it again if needed.
Its a hard one, we all go trough it with our kids but with good family and friends I think that helps .x
This is such an area of worry for lots of parents. I avoided the whooping cough vaccine for my daughter because of scares at the time. I think only you can decide what’s right for your child. Listen to all the advice and weigh up the pros and cons. Good luck!
Our daughter has been vaccinated for everything apart from Rotavirus x
To be honest, I don’t know. I don’t remember my kids being vaccinated for this?? I am pro vaccines in general but if this particular one is not so necessary and is causing issues then you have to weigh it up and made your informed decision as you have done
I haven’t been in this situation myself but I do think you have to do what it right at the time for you and your children. x
i always get my little ones done there is a fear of what if i dont and what if i do so i understand your issue
I always take my little one for vaccines but I think that it is the decision of every parent. If you are concerned about the effect of the vaccine on your child’s digestive system then I would speak to your GP but at the end of the day it is entirely your decision. These days it is hard to get any kind of care out of the NHS so if they are prepared to pay for the vaccines there must be a clinical reason behind it and I would want to know more before taking the decision, especially since you only have one left to go. Never forget that it is your choice at the end of the day x
We’ve been lucky that none of ours have had a reaction to any jabs. It must be so hard, you need to do whatever you feel is best, you know George better than anyone else. I hope his reflux calms down soon, I know how hard it is with a baby with reflux. Sending hugs x
I think it is hard to make any decisions without all the full facts, and if it were me I’d go and find the research papers (I could prob access them as I’m a BPS member). I may even do this as my niece will be having these in a few months (not that I actually have any say). I do have friends who have given no immunisations at all due to the risks.
Poot little chap, is there an alternative vaccine you can get him to have?
I think it’s such an emotional subject and one I try not to have with people as often they cannot talk about these things sensibly without getting judgemental! Although it’s great reading some the comments above. Wilf had vaccine damage after his first round of jabs, it was horrendous. We did a lot of research and chose not to continue with some and delay others (until when I’m not sure we may not continue with any of them) It’s interesting to hear how other countries do things for example in Japan babies are not vaccinated at all until 2 or 3 and they recently banned a lot of jabs we still get here.. I found a few brilliant FB groups for support it’s not all people who don’t vac but people who maybe choose not to get some/delay or are just asking for advice. Do feel free to get in touch if you want to chat xx
It’s a very personal choice, but that said I do believe in vaccination and have done so with all of my children…
We’ve always vaccinated and my daughters never been ill not even a cold. I do believe its a personal choice though
Poor little man… You should do what you feel is best for your children. My children have all had the injections routinely given to children, but hubby insisted for them not to have the Vitamin K at birth, so they did not get that one. Hope your baba is recovering. Mel
I think vaccines are always so controversial. I have quite strong opinions on it, and am very pro-vacc but its always parent’s choice.
Two Canadian babies have died of rotavirus in recent years, and 20 to 60 kids under age 5 die of rotavirus every year in the US. I’m sorry George reacted so strongly to it. The other thing to think about is that having a population vaccinated against rotavirus will protect those who haven’t been vaccinated themselves, because they are too old or sick to receive the vaccine. The good news is that even with only 2 doses of rotavirus vaccine, George should be mostly protected.
Also, I’m not sure where Fritha above got her information about Japan not vaccinating until 2 or 3 years old. That is not true: http://japanhealthinfo.com/child-health-and-childcare/vaccination/ or http://idsc.nih.go.jp/vaccine/dschedule/Imm11EN.pdf
awwwh George .
x hugs
Shortly… I don’t like vaccines, so for me your decision is perfect. Hope the little one will get well soon!!!
So I realize this post is from a while back but my 11 week old baby girl has just had her first lot of jabs including the rotavirus vaccine. Worst decision i’ve ever made. We ended up in hospital with her. She had the jabs on Monday and she has spent every day since screaming in pain from the severe cramps she has. She is vomiting all the time and had a mild fever. Two doctors have now said to me that it is in fact unnecessary and essentially just to prevent parents having to take time off work and therefore protect the economy! So a money making scheme! Screw the babies wellbeing! She will most definitely not be having the second dose and I would strongly advise other mums to do their research. The figures published mostly apply to poorer countries, total deaths from rotavirus a year worldwide for children under five (from all total deaths) is about 5% very few in western countries. Dehydration us the main cause.