While I was pregnant, the choice not to vaccinate seemed easy.  We didn’t want these substances going into our new little baby.  But when he was born it was a different story.  We heard the government scare stories from day one.  The nurses were adamant that he should be given Vitamin K and Hep B, even though we had already written on our form that it was not to be done.  They then explained the complications and how his health was at risk by not doing it.  Luckily my partner was there with me as there was a great deal of bullying and I was mentally and physically exhausted and just didn’t want to deal with it.  For those who weren’t as sure of what they wanted, I’m sure the bullying would have worked and their baby would have been jabbed.   

While I was pregnant, I was studying Naturopathy and I remember our A & P teacher telling us that the type of Vitamin K that they jab babies with is actually a different one to what the body makes and that the needle version can’t even be processed by the body anyway.  Another teacher said that if births weren’t so sterile, there would be an even less need for Vitamin K injections.  So I guess messy is good!

Anyway, we decided to wait and even spoke about possibly vaccinating him when he was older and stronger.  It was easier to delay it that way.  I spoke to a homoeopath who said that exclusive breastfeeding was enough protection in the early days and then, healthy eating and living from then on.  I breastfed exclusively until 8 months and now that he’s on solids, he eats pretty healthy (he still has lots of breast feeds during the day). No processed foods, only booby milk and water and a vegetarian diet.  There’s just no need for sugary, processed foods and he doesn’t know any different (yet).  He just turned 1 in December and other than a dose of croup at 4 months old, he only got sick once just before his birthday.  He caught a cold that had knocked everyone else for a six and had them down for a week.  He was sick for 2 days only.  Yay booby juice!

I have to admit that for the past 12 months I have Googled, asked questions and tried to do my own research on what I should be doing.  Unfortunately, no-one in the medical profession seems to be able to give an answer or opinion other than what they are taught to give.  By rights, they are not allowed to dissuade you from vaccinating your child and I understand that.  The truth could cost them their job.  But the scare tactics out there are just incredible!  I even said to my doctor once that ignorance truly is bliss.  If I hadn’t been aware of the possible implications, I would have joined the herd and had him jabbed without a thought as I did with my daughter 12 years ago.  But now, it is a constant inner conversation that is filled with turmoil and doubts.  Do I or don’t I? Am I doing the right thing?  Especially through winter.  It felt as though it was damned if you do, damned if you don’t.  

So what was the one thing that kept me going?  Instinct. That’s it!  With this baby, I decided I was old enough to make my own decisions, to throw away the book and any preconceptions or ideals that were shoved in my face and decided to do everything using the one thing that has made a mother a mother since time began - instinct.  Instinct told me not to do it.  I had even made an appointment once and backed out.  I told the Doctor that he had a sniffle and I wanted to wait until his immune system was strong enough. 

Again, I’d had scare tactics shoved in my face and was confused. I have to thank my partner for being so strong and standing by the decision that we made together.  It took us ages to have this little man and we wanted to give him the best possible start that we could.  Now that he has reached the age of one, I feel as though my body had given a huge sigh of relief.  We made it through the first year and he is none the worse for not being vaccinated.  He is strong, happy and healthy – in mind, body, spirit and constitution.

A big thank you to the AVN for being available for me to do my research, although some of the vaccinations don’t have any information on them yet and it would be handy.   It truly is a hard choice in the beginning, but I’m glad we made the right one.  Little Cheveyo is needle free.  

 

Kind regards

Kathryn