From The Modern Mère. Read the full article here.
Being a parent is probably one of the scariest things I’ve ever done. You’re responsible for SO MUCH but yet SO MUCH of it is completely outside of your control. While we heavily rely on our faith to guide us on our parenting journey we also make nearly all decisions related to our children’s health based on the advice of their doctors. In fact, one of the earliest decisions we made as parents was to place vaccinations, and the protection that they provide, at the top of our must-have list. Let me explain.
When I was pregnant with Annabelle while I was busy prepping for our new baby in the literal sense by reading stroller reviews, washing baby clothes, and making a birth plan, Ken was preparing in a different way. During one of my routine midwife visits it was recommended that both Ken and I get a DTaP vaccine. Mine would offer protection to both myself and the baby and Ken’s would protect him as the person who would be caring for the baby nearly 24/7 alongside me. But my sweet husband, being the protector that he is, took it a step further. In what I like to consider his first official act as a dad, he constructed a very thorough yet concise email to our immediate family that basically said, if you want to hang out with our baby at all once it {we didn’t know the gender} is born you’ll make sure you’re up to date on your DTaP vaccine. There was no alternate scenario to him, either get vaccinated or wait to see the baby until he or she was able to. I felt immense pride that he took the safety of our unborn baby so seriously. As a mom there’s an instant instinct that kicks in as soon as you find out you’re pregnant but as a dad it typically takes until the baby is born to really bond. When I read that email I knew without a doubt that Ken was ready to be a dad.
Since then, both girls have remained up to date on all of their vaccinations per the recommendation of the CDC. In fact, during a recent measles outbreak in our area we consulted our doctor and decided to vaccinate Jojo early to offer her the most protection. While we’d love for our girls to live in a safe little bubble free of sharp corners, too fast drivers, and terrifying diseases, the reality is we also want them to fully experience the world. For us, immunizing them is one of the most important things we can do to help them grow up healthy.