We’re so grateful to Michelle, of Modern Day Moguls, for partnering with us to share her family’s story! View Michelle’s full blog post here.
Motherhood is hard enough without the constant judging and mom-shaming that happens entirely too often. Sometimes those with the most radical opinions are the ones who are the loudest. So those of us that are more moderate, shy away from talking about things in fear that we just get ripped to shreds. Feel me? Keep in mind, only 3% of children are completely unvaccinated. Their parents are just louder.
Everyone here is allowed their opinion as long as you are respectful. The way I see things, I don’t need someone to try to change my mind. But I love to hear others’ thoughts and experiences. I want this to be a place where you feel like you can come here and proudly say “I vaccinate” without worrying about repercussions. Welcome to the village!
I just wanted to share where I am at with vaccinations in order to help you ask better questions and make better decisions with your health care providers. Knowing there are other people that feel the same way makes decisions easier. Every now and then it’s nice to be able to say “ok I’m not alone.”
Parenting Advice 101: Don’t let Google and Social Media be your go to. So think of me as your bestie and we are just chatting then go ask your doctors the tough questions.
I Want to Protect My Babies
Prior to giving birth to my daughter, I had this expectation that I would be the carefree, easy going mom I had imagined in my mind. Well the moment I walked out of that hospital I knew something had changed. I had this intense sense to do everything in my power to keep this baby safe, putting her best interests first. One thing I think all of us have in common, is that we all love our babies and want the best for them.
I’m pretty sure the last science class I took was freshman year in college. Oh and that was decades ago. Knowing I have very little education in this arena (Facebook degrees don’t count guys) it was so important to me in finding a doctor that was as passionate about keeping my kids safe as I was.
Fun Fact: Doctors are not paid by pharmaceutical companies to give vaccinations. Their only incentive to recommend vaccination is to keep your child healthy and protected from serious diseases.As experts in kids’ health, doctors make recommendations based on years of studies, scientific research, and firsthand experience treating illness. They know the many proven life-saving benefits of vaccines.
The truth is doctors often lose money on vaccines. A study published in the Journal Pediatrics shows that the costs of giving vaccines exceeded the amount that the insurers and health plans reimburse to cover the cost of administering the vaccine.
Source: Immunize for Good
I Trust My Doctors over Moms Groups
Up until recently, moms today didn’t have first hand experience as to why vaccines were important. But Scientists widely consider immunization to be one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century. And in our current state of things, we can all agree that a world without vaccines isn’t one we want to live in. Is 2021 here yet?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that for children born in the U.S. from 1994 to 2013, vaccination will prevent an estimated 322 million illnesses, 21 million hospitalizations and 732,000 deaths over the course of their lifetimes.
Before vaccines, parents in the United States alone could expect that every year:
- Polio would paralyze 10,000 children.
- Whooping Cough would kill 8,000 infants.
- Measles would infect about 4 million children, killing about 500.
- Rubella would cause birth defects and intellectual disabilities in as many as 20,000 newborns.
- Diphtheria would be one of the most common causes of death in school-aged children.
- A bacterium called Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) would cause meningitis in 15,000 children, leaving many with permanent brain damage.
Vaccines have greatly reduced and, in some cases, eliminated many diseases that killed or severely disabled people just a few generations before. For most Americans today, vaccines are a routine part of health care.
As we have seen in the United States and in other countries, if we stop vaccinating, vaccine-preventable diseases can and will return. If the majority of our country stopped vaccinating, one infected traveler from another country where a disease hasn’t been eliminated could potentially spark an outbreak.
Remember earlier when we talked about that Village?
I vaccinate for your babies. The vaccinated community helps to protect those who are not vaccinated, a concept known as “herd immunity.” When 90–95 percent of a community is protected, it is nearly impossible for a vaccine-preventable disease to spread.
When a person is vaccinated, they prevent disease from spreading to others in the community, including:
- Babies who are too young to receive vaccines
- Pregnant women
- The elderly
- Individuals who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, such as those with weakened immune systems, asthma, chronic illness, or undergoing treatment for cancer
I Believe In Science
Clinical trials are conducted to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a vaccine before it can be brought to market. Vaccines are first tested in laboratory studies and animal studies. If the results indicate the vaccine is safe, additional testing in people must be done before the vaccine can be approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Years of studying in tens of thousands of study participants, by thousands of scientists, statisticians and health care providers before it hits the public.
In recent years, Michigan had some of the lowest vaccination rates in the country. Efforts have been made to improve vaccination coverage and as a result, more people are getting vaccinated. To continue to protect as many people as possible, more can still be done to achieve community immunity across our state. Thank you I Vaccinate for allowing me to share my reasons to vaccinate. I Vaccinate provides information and tools based on real medical science and research to help Michigan parents protect their kids. Support is provided by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Franny Strong Foundation.