~ Overwhelming Response ~

I wanted to thank everyone for their overwhelming response to the post about Libby Lu and her flu shot (click here to refresh your memory) I must have struck a nerve because I received so many passionate letters, mostly from mothers who have had similar situations. We had the girls check ups a while back and I did get a chance to talk to the Doctor about Delayed Vaccinations.

First of all, I love my pediatricians office for many reasons. For one, they let me make my girls appointments together, which saves me an extra trip, they love my kids and don't even blink anymore when Luci comes in dressed in whatever ridiculous outfit she chose for the day, but I braced myself for the response I might get when I brought up the dreaded taboo word "delayed vaccinations"

Reason number 3 I love them : When I said I wanted to switch Libby Lu to a delayed schedule my Doctor listened to my concerns, didn't roll his eyes or try and talk me out of it. He said he was very familiar with the Dr. Sears schedule and has no problem using it. I wanted to jump for joy, I went in expecting a battle and I got nothing but support.

For the record this was Luci's 3 year check up and Libby Lu's 9 month. Luci is a bit shrimpy and scrawny, but we already knew that, Libby Lu is in the 70th percentile for height and weight, and my Doctor congratulated me for one of my kids finally being on the chart for head size. Yes, that means my children and their gigantic heads usually don't even make it into the percentile. Libby Lu was in the 93% for head size!

I was always interested in delayed vaccinations, but every time I looked into it, it was just too overwhelming. I didn't know what any of that crap meant, Dtap, HipB, it was like a foreign language. I still don't know what most of those mean. But here is what I do know.... I had my Dr. print out every vaccine Libby Lu needs between now and Kindergarten, then he printed a list of everything she has had. I compared the list and crossed out what she's had.

The new plan is simple. She never gets more than 2 vaccines at a time, NO "combo shots" - many times you will go in for an appt. and your child will receive 3 injections but some of those syringes have 2 or 3 different vaccines dumped into them so your child is really getting 5 or 6 vaccines in one day. Most pediatricians cram all the shots they need into the first 18 months of life, and then they go about 3 years without any injections until Kindergarten. The new plan simply spreads those out.

"No combo shots" means your Doctor may have to order single vaccines, when I asked mine he says he has plenty of them on hand and it's never a problem. The only shot that cannot be broken up is the MMR shot (a.k.a. The Autism Shot) so for that one instead of getting it at 12 or 18 months she will get it when she is 3 or 4 years old.

The only downside I have found to this plan is your child will get poked alot more (going without the combos) but it will be spread out over time, and for me the benefit out weighs the extra poke. But that's nothing that a sticker and cookies can't fix.

Obviously I want to state that this plan isn't for everyone. I know there is alot of debate over this topic. It is simply what we've chosen for our family. When it comes to your family, do a little research and make the decision that is best for you. We're all mommies in this together, faced with information overload everyday and trying to make the best decisions we can for out little babies and for that reason alone, we are all on the same team.