Know Your Rights! Why I Didn't Vaccinate My Child

During my pregnancy, I read everything I could about natural childbirth and newborn care. There were many important decisions I would have to make as a new mother. How and where I would give birth, ways to naturally cope with the pain, and if I would I use formula or nurse. Some were no-brainers for me. For example, I knew I wanted to birth my baby at home with a midwife and breastfeed. Unfortunately, there was very little written in 2005 on vaccines; other than it's something every baby needs and is required to have.

As I learned more about how breastfeeding benefits the immune system of an infant, I began to question the necessity of these shots. Coincidentally, there were a few celebrities and advocacy groups that had began speaking out about the dangers of vaccines and they were being linked with the sudden increase in Autism. This continues to grow and has gained national attention but back then it was considered a controversial concept.

Most people are unaware of the potential adverse reactions infants may experience from being inoculated. While some are considered "mild" like fever, nausea & rashes; others can be life threatening like brain swelling, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) & seizures. This information was empowering and super disturbing at the same time. I couldn't understand why all mothers weren't given full disclosure about the many risks before being pressured by doctors to vaccinate their children.

My midwife suggested I begin looking for a pediatrician that would respect my right to not immunize my child. I didn't anticipate at the time how challenging that would be, especially in New York City. Sadly, most group practices and clinics in my community required parents to do so. I had to call numerous offices until I found a pediatrician in Manhattan that understood my concerns and supported my decision. It was an integrative practice that combined conventional & alternative medicine. Unfortunately, she didn't accept the insurance I had at the time but I was more than willing to sacrifice the out of pocket expense. My only concern was the health of my soon to be born child.

Once I got past that hurdle, the next issue was explaining my choice to my partner and our families. He already thought I was crazy for wanting to have a home birth. He didn't believe we had the right to decline vaccinations for our child and feared this would prevent him from being able to attend school. Both of our mothers thought it was unsafe and would make the baby more susceptible to preventable illnesses. I had no support and received a lot of criticism. I was only 23 years old and having my first child. Most viewed my decision as an unnecessary act of rebellion.

I am so thankful I stood my ground and didn't cave under the enormous pressure I felt from both sides of our family. 12 years later, my son still hasn't been vaccinated and has very rarely had more than a cold. I attribute his strong immune system to the fact that he was breastfed the first 18 months of his life and his vegan diet. He has attended both public & private schools here in NYC and I always provided documentation for his immunization exemption. This has never prevented him from participating in any program, sport or camp.

Now numerous books have been written and a lot of information is available online regarding the potential side effects and dangers of vaccines. I implore all mothers to do their own research and make an informed decision. You are free to choose whatever you feel is in the best interest of your child. Knowledge is power. Always remember you are your child's advocate. I've been asked many times over the years about how I obtained the vaccine exemption for school for my son. It’s a simple process and you can easily find step by step instructions online. If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comment section below.