The gray area of the Vax debate..

I have been MIA for a bit, mommy life is busy and our new baby adopted by 2 friends and myself "3 moms and a kitchen" has taken most of my time.

I wanted to take some time and write about something that has been on my mind for quite some time and it resurfaced again after reading a discussion on the leaky boob's facebook page.

The post asked about opinion on the vaccine issue from a certain perspective but someone replied asking a valid question "why is it that some of you ladies do not vaccinate, I don't get it" I am not quoting 100% but that was my take on the post..

it later turned into the usual heated debate pro vaccine and anti vaccine with a little bit of gray area opinions as well... I am in the gray area myself.

I want to answer that question from my point of view.. the middle of the road kind of view.

See I understand vaccines are literally a life saving discovery! They have warded off various diseases that have killed masses of population during outbreaks for example Polio is practically gone.. (at least in the U.S) according to the CDC "The last imported case caused by wild polio virus into the United States was reported in 1993." other cases that had surfaced around that time were brought from other countries where the Oral polio was still given as it is a live virus and thus did give polio to a small percentage of the vaccinated population.

Saying that, Here is my opinion on the matter..

Nothing comes without consequence...

x-rays, chemotherapy, amnios, epidurals, synthetic oxytocin, birth control, synthetic hormones, all great discoveries in the medical field that come with a price..

We do not know the long term effects of vaccines, we do not know if maybe they are part of the cancer problem, we do not know if they're part of our infertility problems, we do not know if they are part of our ADHD problem, we do not know if they are part of our Autism rise, we just do not know.

I am not saying that everything lies in the vaccines but I do know that if we try to be as natural as possible if could only work in our advantage. I personally do selective vaccination, I did not start my second baby on vax until 6 months and only had them give her DTap (due to the whooping cough outbreak) and Hib. Polio and HepB can wait for a bit, in fact I think I'll skip Polio all together.. the less foreign chemicals in her little body the better. Note: I do not advocate skipping vaccines or not vaccinating, it is up to you as an individual, to do your research and find out what you think is best.

Why not wrap her in a bubble? I know that I can't prevent her from other sources of chemicals and poisons, I am not 100% organic natural in my home but the less she can get the better. It s my duty as a parent to do what I believe is best for my child.

Some people believe formula and detached parenting is better in the long run and well that is what they think, they do honestly believe what they do is best, and I know some of you might be thinking well that is because they are ignorant (the same could be thought of a vaccinating or anti vaccinating parent)

Why the arguments? because parental guilt comes into play, part of me when I vaxed my second child wondered "am I doing the right thing?" and part of me as I write this knowing she does not have an up to date vaccine card like her older sister does, thinks.. "am I doing the right thing?".

I have read everywhere online, offline, talked to several sources and all the arguments are conflicting so I developed my own style.. I am doing this my own way for my own child.

I read a comment in there that someone had replied to them "people like you are the reason my child got whooping cough" My answer to them would be "if you child was vaccinated then why didn't the vaccine protect him?" "was he breastfed? (breastfeeding provides antibodies)"

We don't know...
But as a middle of the road parent rest assured.. I judge neither side.. at the end of the day we are trying very passionately to do what we think is best for our children. Only time can tell.

Be at peace with your choices, be proud of them but don't judge people who do things differently, as William Cowper said..

"Variety is the spice of life, that gives it all its flavor"

We are neither right nor wrong, we have options and we're using those options it's all we can do, it's our duty to explore them with caution.