To immunise or not

[bumpy]

Have a 9 week old and am not sure about whether I want to give him the injections at all or maybe just delay. Be good to hear from parents who did either. We're off to Spain in May plus I'd like to take him swimming at local pool hence my concern. Thanks

[Moos]

Yes to immunisations.

[sillywoman]

Not sure why you wouldn't for these 2,3,& 4 month innoculations? What are the arguments against and how evidence based are they?

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

I have spaced mine out as my son was deadly ill in hospital with an infection, pumped with antibiotics at 4/5 weeks old, so when he had his 8 weeks injections he was very very poorly. I spaced out the 3 months injections and gave them at 4 months instead, no adverse reaction at all, no temperature, no pain, I was so surprised. He is having his final lot of injections ( the 4 months ones) this week, and he is 6 months now. For me I preferred to space them out, my GP was absolutely fine with it.

[Fuschia]

WE spaced them out for all our children, I just didn't feel comfortable with them having 4+ jabs all at once...and they've never reacted badly so I'm happy with that. Rather than 2/3/4m we went for more like 4/5/6/7/8/9m, with each bit of the programme split into 2.

[alibo]

Hi bumpy

my 6 month old had all of the injections at once and at the times they are recommended to have them, aside from his 4 month jabs which he had 2 weeks late as he had a pretty nasty cold. I avoided taking him out the day of the jabs and the day after because he was more tired and clingy than usual, apart from that no side effects.

[plimsoul]

yes to immunisation every time.

there is a long thread where this is debated with both sides arguing in the usual happy edf way. i'm sure if you do a search it will appear. where to get them done privately is also discussed (i seem to remember).

[bizzylizzy]

Yes to immunisation. If people stop immunising then these diseases are going to start becoming common again. If you have to do either then delay rather than not immunise. My daughter had all her jabs at the recommended times and she had no ill effects at all, oh I forgot, one time she had a slight temperature which was brought down with calpol. she has also had her BCG, with no ill effects.

[Belle]

I remember briefly debating the same jabs you're talking about - mainly because my midwife and nct teacher had pointed out (rightly) that it was our decision as parents whether to have them or not. My mum pointed out the gravity of some of the illnesses these vaccines protect against and the penny dropped really, for me, so from then on we've gone with everything (apart from swine flue jab as just haven't had a cold-free moment to do it, and have prioritised the mmr).

[Sanne Panne]

Don't want to go into a full on debate, we have had some good threads about this topic in the past, but I do want to vote FOR immunising. Space them out or delay by a few weeks if your child doesn't seem very strong when the jab is due, but otherwise please do it for your child's and your community's sake.

[bumpy]

does it matter if you don't do the first lot every 4 weeks and maybe space them out a bit more?

[180176]

always yes to immunisation. and while, yes, it is a parents right to choose to have them for their children or not, by choosing not to have the jabs you are increasing the risk to others' children as the diseases remain more prevalent. not sure about spacing them out - we had all ours at the recommended times and were fine - bit of a cold/temperature after one of them but was fine within 24 hours.

[Belle]

totally agree - really hadn't appreciated the point about herd immunity when pregnant but now am very much for! And though my son had a nasty reaction to mmr jab I'd still rather that than he get any of those three illnesses properly.

[plimsoul]

bumpy i'd ask a health professional, although i don't think that it makes a difference. i think, again only opinion not expert advice, that the idea is that they are fully immune in time for school. the dates are not important to the actual effectiveness, sequence of some yes, but not date of having jab. but i may be totally wrong...