Immunizing babies has become a very controversial topic. I know many moms who are not immunizing at all and others taking it slowly, waiting until after a year and then only doing so one at a time. I myself haven’t immunized my 17 month old son yet, and haven’t quite decided what to do. I am definitely not giving him all of the generally recommended immunizations; instead, I will probably give him only a select few once he is 3. I feel that if your baby is breastfed, not at daycare with lots of kids, and eats healthy, there is no need to rush with immunizing. I think that to begin immunizing babies right after they are born is too overwhelming for their tiny bodies, along with the philosophy of multiple immunizations at one time.

From what I have read, a majority of the diseases that babies are immunized for are not much of a threat after they are 2-3 years of age. Plus, there are soo many immunizations now, compared to when I was born, that are not necessary and were probably created just to make a profit! Most parents are naturally so worried about their child’s health that they will give them any and every immunization; otherwise they would feel like bad parents. I think the problem is that most pediatricians don’t take the time to educate the parents about their options and each immunization, nor do they necessarily provide the safest brand for each one. The parent has to take the responsibility to research the various immunizations and find a pediatrician who will work with them openly.

The question that I hear asked the most is which are the few immunizations most recommended and necessary and which brands are the best. Fortunately we have Dr. Sears, a well known Pediatrician, who recently posted a list of each pediatrician in the country who supports parents that either do not want to or are uncertain about immunizations, also known as “Vaccine-Friendly” Pediatricians. Plus he has a book called, “The Vaccine Book”, which breaks down each immunization, comparing brands, etc.  Here is a link to Dr. Sears list of Vaccine Friendly Pediatricians, by State:  Http://www.askdrsears.com/thevaccinebook/Vaccine_Friendly_Doctors.asp?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_campaign=vaccine2&

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