John and I are both first born, strong-headed, know-it-all (with or without research to back us up), passionate, defensive people. We are lucky to share similar views in most aspects of our life. When we do not, we have learned that it is better to bow down to the one who is more passionate about the subject. Here is an example: Vaccines and our children. We are raising our children as natural as possible, and in as natural of an environment as we can provide. I have have un-medicated births (Emmett was even a home water birth), I breastfeed until my children wean themselves (which is an extremely emotional time for me), we use cloth diapers, our kids wear amber necklaces, we bed share, we wear our babies, and we rear-face car seats until the maximum weight limit has been reached (Scarlett will have the scenic rear-view forever with her tiny frame!). We decided while pregnant with Scarlett that we would follow a delayed/selective vaccination schedule. At four months old, she was up for her first vaccine. I was alone at the doctor and nervous for reasons that I could not explain. I had done research while pregnant and thought this was what I wanted. I started crying as she was given the vaccine. The doctor came in to talk to me and (Thank you God for leading us down this "natural" path and to a pediatrician who believes in non-vaxing) spoke with me. She told me that she wanted me to further my research and to learn everything possible about the vaccines before she would ever do another. She said that she would support my decision either way and reminded me just how amazing breastmilk is. (And that Scarlett was home with me and not at a daycare, so therefore most of the vaccines were not truly needed at this point.) I was on a mission to figure out why my gut was leading me against vaccinating our child. John did not understand. Once I read about the ingredients (I'll list a few to to spread awareness): I'm pretty sure that informed parents would not knowingly inject their child with these.... (Feel free to google each ingredient for the side effects and problems each has)
- Acel-Immune DTaP - Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Wyeth-Ayerst 800.934.5556
- * diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis adsorbed, formaldehyde, aluminum hydroxide, aluminum phosphate, thimerosal, and polysorbate 80 (Tween-80) gelatin Act HIB
- Haemophilus - Influenza B Connaught Laboratories 800.822.2463
- * Haemophilus influenza Type B, polyribosylribitol phosphate ammonium sulfate, formalin, and sucrose
- Attenuvax - Measles Merck & Co., Inc. 800-672-6372
- * measles live virus neomycin sorbitol hydrolized gelatin, chick embryo
- Biavax - Rubella Merck & Co., Inc. 800-672-6372
- * rubella live virus neomycin sorbitol hydrolized gelatin, human diploid cells from aborted fetal tissue
- BioThrax - Anthrax Adsorbed BioPort Corporation 517.327.1500
- * nonencapsulated strain of Bacillus anthracis aluminum hydroxide, benzethonium chloride, and formaldehyde
- DPT - Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis GlaxoSmithKline 800.366.8900 x5231
- * diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis adsorbed, formaldehyde, aluminum phosphate, ammonium sulfate, and thimerosal, washed sheep RBCs
- Dryvax - Smallpox (not licensed d/t expiration) Wyeth-Ayerst 800.934.5556
- * live vaccinia virus, with "some microbial contaminants," according to the Working Group on Civilian Biodefense polymyxcin B sulfate, streptomycin sulfate, chlortetracycline hydrochloride, and neomycin sulfate glycerin, and phenol -a compound obtained by distillation of coal tar vesicle fluid from calf skins Engerix-B
- Recombinant Hepatitis B GlaxoSmithKline 800.366.8900 x5231
- * genetic sequence of the hepatitis B virus that codes for the surface antigen (HbSAg), cloned into GMO yeast, aluminum hydroxide, and thimerosal
- Fluvirin Medeva Pharmaceuticals 888.MEDEVA 716.274.5300
- * influenza virus, neomycin, polymyxin, beta-propiolactone, chick embryonic fluid
- FluShield Wyeth-Ayerst 800.934.5556
- * trivalent influenza virus, types A&B gentamicin sulphate formadehyde, thimerosal, and polysorbate 80 (Tween-80) chick embryonic fluid
- Havrix - Hepatitis A GlaxoSmithKline 800.366.8900 x5231
- * hepatitis A virus, formalin, aluminum hydroxide, 2-phenoxyethanol, and polysorbate 20 residual MRC5 proteins -human diploid cells from aborted fetal tissue
- HiB Titer - Haemophilus Influenza B Wyeth-Ayerst 800.934.5556
- * haemophilus influenza B, polyribosylribitol phosphate, yeast, ammonium sulfate, thimerosal, and chemically defined yeast-based medium
- Imovax Connaught Laboratories 800.822.2463
- * rabies virus adsorbed, neomycin sulfate, phenol, red indicator human albumin, human diploid cells from aborted fetal tissue
- IPOL Connaught Laboratories 800.822.2463
- * 3 types of polio viruses neomycin, streptomycin, and polymyxin B formaldehyde, and 2-phenoxyethenol continuous line of monkey kidney cells
- JE-VAX - Japanese Ancephalitis Aventis Pasteur USA 800.VACCINE
- * Nakayama-NIH strain of Japanese encephalitis virus, inactivated formaldehyde, polysorbate 80 (Tween-80), and thimerosal mouse serum proteins, and gelatin
- LYMErix - Lyme GlaxoSmithKline 888-825-5249
- * recombinant protein (OspA) from the outer surface of the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi kanamycin aluminum hydroxide, 2-phenoxyethenol, phosphate buffered saline
- MMR - Measles-Mumps-Rubella Merck & Co., Inc. 800.672.6372
- * measles, mumps, rubella live virus, neomycin sorbitol, hydrolized gelatin, chick embryonic fluid, and human diploid cells from aborted fetal tissue
- M-R-Vax - Measles-Rubella Merck & Co., Inc. 800.672.6372
- * measles, rubella live virus neomycin sorbitol hydrolized gelatin, chick embryonic fluid, and human diploid cells from aborted fetal tissue
- Menomune - Meningococcal Connaught Laboratories 800.822.2463
- * freeze-dried polysaccharide antigens from Neisseria meningitidis bacteria, thimerosal, and lactose
- Meruvax I - Mumps Merck & Co., Inc. 800.672.6372
- * mumps live virus neomycin sorbitol hydrolized gelatin
- NYVAC - (new smallpox batch, not licensed) Aventis Pasteur USA 800.VACCINE
- * highly-attenuated vaccinia virus, polymyxcin B, sulfate, streptomycin sulfate, chlortetracycline hydrochloride, and neomycin sulfate glycerin, and phenol -a compound obtained by distillation of coal tar vesicle fluid from calf skins
- Orimune - Oral Polio Wyeth-Ayerst 800.934.5556
- * 3 types of polio viruses, attenuated neomycin, streptomycin sorbitol monkey kidney cells and calf serum
- Pneumovax - Streptococcus Pneumoniae Merck & Co., Inc. 800.672.6372
- * capsular polysaccharides from polyvalent (23 types), pneumococcal bacteria, phenol,
- Prevnar Pneumococcal - 7-Valent Conjugate Vaccine Wyeth Lederle 800.934.5556
- * saccharides from capsular Streptococcus pneumoniae antigens (7 serotypes) individually conjugated to diphtheria CRM 197 protein aluminum phosphate, ammonium sulfate, soy protein, yeast
- RabAvert - Rabies Chiron Behring GmbH & Company 510.655.8729
- * fixed-virus strain, Flury LEP neomycin, chlortetracycline, and amphotericin B, potassium glutamate, and sucrose human albumin, bovine gelatin and serum "from source countries known to be free of bovine spongioform encephalopathy," and chicken protein
- Rabies Vaccine Adsorbed GlaxoSmithKline 800.366.8900 x5231
- *rabies virus adsorbed, beta-propiolactone, aluminum phosphate, thimerosal, and phenol, red rhesus monkey fetal lung cells
- Recombivax - Recombinant Hepatitis B Merck & Co., Inc. 800.672.6372
- * genetic sequence of the hepatitis B virus that codes for the surface antigen (HbSAg), cloned into GMO yeast, aluminum hydroxide, and thimerosal
- RotaShield - Oral Tetravalent Rotavirus (recalled) Wyeth-Ayerst 800.934.5556
- * 1 rhesus monkey rotavirus, 3 rhesus-human reassortant live viruses neomycin sulfate, amphotericin B potassium monophosphate, potassium diphosphate, sucrose, and monosodium glutamate (MSG) rhesus monkey fetal diploid cells, and bovine fetal serum smallpox (not licensed due to expiration)
- 40-yr old stuff "found" in Swiftwater, PA freezer Aventis Pasteur USA 800.VACCINE
- * live vaccinia virus, with "some microbial contaminants," according to the Working Group on Civilian Biodefense polymyxcin B sulfate, streptomycin sulfate, chlortetracycline hydrochloride, and neomycin sulfate glycerin, and phenol -a compound obtained by distillation of coal tar vesicle fluid from calf skins
- Smallpox (new, not licensed) Acambis, Inc. 617.494.1339 in partnership with Baxter BioScience
- * highly-attenuated vaccinia virus, polymyxcin B sulfate, streptomycin sulfate, chlortetracycline hydrochloride, and neomycin sulfate glycerin, and phenol -a compound obtained by distillation of coal tar vesicle fluid from calf skins
- TheraCys BCG (intravesicle -not licensed in US for tuberculosis) Aventis Pasteur USA 800.VACCINE
- * live attenuated strain of Mycobacterium bovis monosodium glutamate (MSG), and polysorbate 80 (Tween-80)
- Tripedia - Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Aventis Pasteur USA 800.VACCINE
- *Corynebacterium diphtheriae and Clostridium tetani toxoids and acellular Bordetella pertussis adsorbed aluminum potassium sulfate, formaldehyde, thimerosal, and polysorbate 80 (Tween-80) gelatin, bovine extract
- US-sourced Typhim Vi - Typhoid Aventis Pasteur USA SA 800.VACCINE
- * cell surface Vi polysaccharide from Salmonella typhi Ty2 strain, aspartame, phenol, and polydimethylsiloxane (silicone)
- Varivax - Chickenpox Merck & Co., Inc. 800.672.6372
- * varicella live virus neomycin phosphate, sucrose, and monosodium glutamate (MSG) processed gelatin, fetal bovine serum, guinea pig embryo cells, albumin from human blood, and human diploid cells from aborted fetal tissue
- YF-VAX - Yellow Fever Aventis Pasteur USA 800.VACCINE
- * 17D strain of yellow fever virus sorbitol chick embryo, and gelatin
- http://www.informedchoice.info/cocktail.html
- Vaccine Liberation Information
- http://www.vaclib.org/pdf/exemption.htm
I had opened John's eyes, but more so than that, he could see how passionate I had become on the issue that was "Vaccines." He turned them over to me and simply said, "I trust you."
This is normally how passionate disagreements end in our house. There isn't much fighting, but there is an extended period of time where the tension is high and neither of us backs down.
We are (and have been) in this position with a very large issue right now. Circumcision. CIRCUMCISION.
The topic has yet to be exhausted in this house. We stand firm on either side of the fence and are equally passionate. I have read, researched, learned, and understand the truth behind cutting the tip of our son's penis off. John has read and understands these things as well, but he is passionate about "protecting the emotions of our son" as John is SURE that Emmett will someday choose to have it done. He "knows" how mean boys are and "knows" what will happen if our son's penis is left intact. It does not matter the research and videos and statistics that are provided, because, as he claims, they are all from biased views.
We were blessed with a beautiful baby boy August of 2011 and were still at a full blown firing range when it came to his penis. There is no medical necessity to a circumcision, no cleanliness factors, just a cosmetic founding. I felt as though he was born peacefully, at home in the water, why ruin his peaceful existence thus far by cutting his penis? (Again, for cosmetic reasoning.) In a turn of events, Emmett had jaundice so badly that he was not eligible for a circumcision within the 3 week time frame after birth. We would have to wait until a year old and have him put fully under to have the procedure done. This presented an entire new can of worms. At least John and I agreed that putting our child completely under and risking the possible brain damage and other side effects (like death) were not worth the outcome of what John considers a "pretty penis" (those are my words, not his... but so true right? I mean it is for a cosmetic reason - so the outcome better be pretty. And to this day, I have yet to ever describe a penis as "pretty.") So Emmett has been bought time, time to someday make his own decision. Time for John and I to continue this battle of the passions. But here is the bigger problem: what if our next child is a boy? I pray that he will be left intact and have the opportunity to make this decision for himself one day.
I'm sure this will not be the last time that I post on these passionate topics (as well as others), so I will leave this portion of the post with a link to an amazing site. Proceed with caution, as it is graphic.
http://www.drmomma.org/2011/01/neonatal-circumcision-video-for.html
Passion is a wonderful emotion to have. It is wonderful to share passions with your spouse or significant other. Opposing passions can lead to tense discussions; however, it can also lead to eye-opening revelations in which your world may just change for the better. John and I have a strong relationship and are blessed to even have the discussions and disagreements that we do. It is a rare occurrence that we come across something as large and life-altering as these passionate stances, and believe me, it becomes heated, but I feel as though, in the end, we become stronger and grow together. We also become more knowledgeable and informed, which in turn makes us better parents and spouses. I love you John. I am blessed to be married to such a strong-minded, passionate man. You have my heart and always will.
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