Immunization Question - delaying

[LILRTL]

We have selected our Ped based on multiple reviews and after speaking with the office. (This particular ped was also my husband's.) However, when I spoke with the office, I was told that they *would not sway* from the AAP's recommendation for Vaxing. I assumed that I could give the vax's "on time", but spread them out throughout the month. I.E. Not give multiple vax's on the same day. I received the paperwork today and was disappointed to see that they use the Pediarix - I am not comfortable with that. For those of you that have delayed, etc., how did you find an office that was willing to? I have spoken to 3 highly recommended in the area with no luck. Any advice??

*Edited for clarity*

[sparkle&shine]

Honestly, I went to www.mothering.com and got my Ped recommendation there. I knew that they would know of any Peds that would go along with my plans there. I also delay and selectively vax.

[Marisa]

Have you been in touch with the La Leche League in your area? It's not too early to go to a meeting if you wanted to, we have lots of PG ladies at our meetings all the time. Although the general topic is typically breastfeeding related, there's always an informal 'social' time at the end of the meetings where you could chat up the other moms. Being in LLL doesn't necessarily mean that you're not vaxing on schedule, but I think the chance is pretty good that at least one mom there would've delayed something. :)

Once a few months ago, there were four preggos there, and after the general meeting topic the conversation turned to peds and there were plenty of current mamas willing to give recs to the mamas-to-be.

Information about the US groups is here:
http://www.llli.org/WebUS.html

[LILRTL]

Sparkle TY!! There were lots of Knoxville women on there for me!! Thanks so much!!!

Marisa I actually have contacted the LLL in Knoxville. :D I am in contact with one of the leaders and plan to start attending meetings in the next 2 weeks. (Had to quit work first. ;) ) I'm excited to go!!

[Sal03]

I actually just had my son's 12 month well baby visit today and was so happy with how agreeable my ped was to me delaying chicken pox and MMR. He put no pressure on me, we had discussed it before and just said about three times "whenever you're ready".
We asked around to family friends for pediatrician recommendations. We ended up going with the first one we met with because the practice was so pro BFing and were very open to delaying vaxes. Most importantly, I felt they were so open to whatever questions I had and listening to my opinions. Can you ask neighbors with kids or any friends or friends of friends with kids in your area?

[LILRTL]

Sal Well, my problem is that I am only the 2nd of our group of friends to have a baby. The first friend...well...not so educated on things. :p She is using a ped in the group I am running away from. My views seem to be the minority of people we know. Hoping I can change that. ;)

[dana b]

i found my ped through mothering.com and here yahoo groups ap dr referral (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AP_Doctor_Referral/) .

[Sarah]

My Dr said he wouldn't be swayed, and I said too bad, and signed a release form saying that I was basically a horrible mother for delaying. He was pissed off and made me feel terrible, but in the end he let me do it. If you like him otherwise I would ask to talk to him more about it. If not, yeah, check out mothering.com's discussion boards and someone near you can give you a suggestion.

[LILRTL]

*Bump*

Sarah They were very adament on the phone about if I disagreed with their vax policy, I would need to find a different pediatrician. :(

[Hedwig]

Some of my DD's vac's were delayed,(mostly because we moved and changed ped's frequently for a few years) but I am a pretty strong supporter of vaccinations on the whole. It would greatly upset me if children at er school were not vaccinated for certain things.

[LILRTL]

Please let's not turn this into a debate thread. I never said we weren't going to vax against certain things. I said that I would like to delay so that they are not all clumped together. TIA!

[NYN]

i thought it was illegal for them to refuse this (thought i read it on mothering.com). although i guess that is irrelevant now anyway b/c if they are going to be so unaccomodating, i wouldn't go to this doctor for other reasons.

not to hijack the thread (sorry LILRTL ;))but for those of you who asked them not to give the hep b vac in the hospital, did they give you a hard time? i thought i would have the option to refuse it but now i am worried.

[tin roof rusted]

It would greatly upset me if children at er school were not vaccinated for certain things. Um. not to be terribly rude, but you might want to get over that. some kids may not be vaccinated (fully or partly) for various reasons; there won't be anything you can do about it, so being upset won't help anything.

besides, unless the child caught a vaccine preventable illness, how would you even know that they were selectively vaccinated, or not vaccinated at all?

and one other thing...if vaccines work, you have nothing to worry about if an unvaxed kid catches something your child is vaxed for.

[tin roof rusted]

i thought it was illegal for them to refuse this (thought i read it on mothering.com). although i guess that is irrelevant now anyway b/c if they are going to be so unaccomodating, i wouldn't go to this doctor for other reasons. i think you can sign an informed consent form, that says you're aware of the risks of delaying/refusing. at least, you should be able to.

not to hijack the thread (sorry LILRTL ;))but for those of you who asked them not to give the hep b vac in the hospital, did they give you a hard time? i thought i would have the option to refuse it but now i am worried. ds is not vaccinated for hepatitis b, and no one gave us a hard time about it while he was in the hospital. :)

[Marisa]

NYN - we just had to sign a form saying that we refused the hep B. Since they had a form made up and everything, I got the feeling we weren't the only ones refusing it. :)

[bamboo]

I asked my midwives for peds they would recommend. I had a homebirth, so I also needed a pediatrician who would be flexible with letting our midwives do some of the initial post-partum stuff. When I interviewed him I asked about vaxes, and some other things. He's fine with me refusing them for as long as I want, and doing them selectively when I decide to start.

[Juniper]

I have had a huge struggle with pediatricians. I FINALLY found one that is actually part of the University. In that practice I found a doctor who not only did not make me feel bad but agreed with me about delaying the MMR.

Try looking at a teaching practice where you might have younger peds who are a little more flexible about the AAP guidelines.

I live in a extremely conservative and conventional area of the country and this has been my best choice so far.

I think there is a big difference between choosing to delay some vaxes, and not vaxing at all, and I was so pleased to find a doctor that didn't think I was a neglectful parent or a kook.

[phart]

We had no problems refusing the Hep B and vitamin K shots.