So while I am not 100% sure that Austin has swine flu, I am about 99% sure he does.
And it is times like these when being a parent is hard. Because I am not one to buy into all of the hype, and up until a couple days ago, swore none of my kids would get the vaccine.
I am not pro vaccines, nor am I anti-vaccines. I am kinda in between. I believe in delaying them, not bombarding little systems. My pediatrician told me that they give so many so early ONLY because they are afraid parents won’t come back after that. So they dump them on the kiddos all at once. Instead of spreading them out. I try to spread them out.
I know some of the diseases are minor, I had measles, mumps, and chicken pox. I have the scars to prove it on the last one. I have vaccinated my kids for all three. I have an aunt with polio. It isn’t a pretty disease.
I loathe the idea that people don’t get their kids vaccinated because they are banking on the fact that the rest of us will (no flames, I know not all feel this way- but really, if none of us did it…)
I hate the idea of putting toxins in my kids bodies. But I hate the idea of them dieing even more.
I used to be so anti medications, completely natural for me. But then I had a kid that needed a pretty serious medication in order to live for his first year. That changed my view a little bit.
I used to only practice extended breastfeeding, baby-wearing, co-sleeping, blah blah blah. Now I bottlefeed, use a stroller, and my baby sleeps in a crib. Nothing wrong with either system. All kids are happy. It’s funny, talking to a friend at the gym yesterday about how having the nursing thing taken out of my hands, well I am now much more excepting of others choices. And don’t get me wrong, I carry Eva all the time, she has a sling, a baby bjorn. But I also use the stroller. Because I have 4 kids. She used to sleep in our room in a co-sleeper. Until she started talking all night and keeping us up. I couldn’t sleep and I was grumpy all the time. Now she chats herself back to sleep in her own room. And if she cries, we go get her.
So where was I going with all this?
Oh yeah, swine flu
It freaks me out a little. If all of my kids could get it and have it be like Austin- no question. But would they? I don’t know.
Eva is high risk because she was a preemie. She will be 6 months next week and eligible for the vaccine. I am on the fence.
Reading about a mom who is on a photog forum that I read, just lost her 4 year old. I get scared. Another mom said it ripped through her house and out of the 5 people that got it, two ended up with no secondary infections, 2 got ear infections, and one got pneumonia (her). She said that the shocking thing was how fast she took a turn for the worst. I think that is the scary part.
I have read both sides of the issue with the vaccine, and I am still on the fence.
In the meantime, I am dosing everyone with Vitamin D– which I could do another whole post on why you shouldn’t wear sunscreen but I won’t go there today. And I don’t mean if you are at the beach all day long (because I will then put it on me and my kids).
You can read about vitamin d on these sites
i have a sick one at home also.
i am not sure what to do about it either…i don’t like to take medicines…whine about my sicknesses or my kids’ illness. but this is different. because i don’t know (none of us do) if this is it. is this the swine flu or just regular flu?
should i be doing more?
wish i had vaccinated last week.
but would that been too late anyway.
no answers.
hope your house gets better soon.
i am hoping only one of mine gets this…please please please!
SO SO SO agree with every.word.you.said!
We never get the flu vaccines. You are a different story with Miss Eva. Tough call. I do believe the swine flu is just another strand of the regular flu. Off to read about vitamin D. I love Dr. Mercola!
Ok, how much Vitamin D are you giving the boys? And, how are you giving it to them? Vitamins???
wow didn’t know about the dangers of sunscreen..hmmmmm. Interesting. Although I do like to go w/out sunscreen sometimes to get a dose of the big D. I have never nor have my kids gotten the flu shot. We’ve never EVER gotten the flu, a cold is the worse we’ve gotten here. I’m knocking on a piece of wood as I say this. It’s a tough call and a personal preference I think.
I try to always get myself and the kids a flu shot. I think the year I missed was the one that both kids ended up with the flu, and Grace had hives, strep and something else on top of it (got us a visit to Children’s one Saturday evening). Jim never gets one. But the previous comment is right – H1N1 is simply another strain of the flu, but one that is so new most people have no immunity built up, hence the need for the vaccine. Which is only an “untested vaccine” in the sense that all flu shots are “untested” since they try to target a certain flu strain each year.
Agree agree agree! Having sick kids is so scary but I dont believe we will do the flu vaccinations after everything I have read. Love your blog, Eva is so stinking cute, really like your designs!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. There are 6 of us in my house and 5 of us had the swine flu a month or so ago. Only my husband’s turned more serious and he ended up with pneumonia very quickly. All of my kids are twins and all were preemies, but none have ever had the flu shot. No one in my house gets it . . . no big platform, we just don’t think it is necessary. Good luck in keeping everyone healthy!
I tried to comment on this last week but it wasn’t working…. my thoughts are EXACTLY the same as yours. And we have been buying vitamin d gummies for the kids at Whole Foods…. hope maybe it helps.
And I’ve always wondered why they have to give little ones so many shots so soon… and why they keep adding more??? My 3rd child was given a few more shots than my first.
Love your blog!