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The H1N1 vaccine: We got it

Our kids did, actually. My husband and I are not considered high risk so we were not vaccinated. But our daughter (4 years) and our son (almost 2 years) did at a local H1N1 vaccine clinic about two weeks ago. 

We did not reach the decision to give our children this vaccine without lots of research and a bit of concern. I read as much as I could from many different sources about the vaccine and it's production process. I consulted both our pediatrician and our allergy/asthma doctor---who recently diagnosed both kids with "presumptive restrictive airway disease," (a fancy way of saying they might have asthma but they also might not)--and, especially because our kids might have asthma, we decided that the risks of not getting the vaccine outweighed the risks of getting it.

I haven't always felt this way about vaccines. In fact, our son still hasn't received the MMR vaccine because I'm currently not convinced that the risks of getting it outweigh the benefits (although it's likely that I'll have him get that shot sometime in the coming year after his second birthday).

Neither of our kids has had any side effects from the shot, not even a slight fever, which put me at ease. And they were able to receive the mercury-free version of the vaccine. The worst part about getting the shot was waiting in a long line (and watching people who were not in the high-risk group get angry when they were turned away) and then having to watch our terrified babies get poked. There were no side effects but there were LOTS of tears.

We'll go back in another two weeks for their second dose unless the recommendation that children under the age of 10 get two doses 28 days apart changes by then.

The second wave of Swine flu cases seems to be waning in our city, according to our pediatrician. But that doesn't mean we can all forget about it. It could come back for another round and it's possible it could mutate and come back stronger than ever. Getting the vaccine is not a 100% guarantee that our children won't contract the illness but it will, hopefully, provide them some protection and keep them safer than they might have been without it.

Did your kids get the H1N1 vaccine yet? If not, why? I know it was a very personal decision for us and I'd love to hear any opposing views and/or decisions.

The H1N1 vaccine: will your child get it?

At least once each day I hear about either an unfortunate child or adult death from the swine flu or media coverage discussing the deaths. Following that information, of course, is the recommendation that we all get our children vaccinated to prevent them from getting and spreading H1N1. 

Coming from a parent who's son is on an alternative vaccine schedule, it probably sounds strange to hear that I'm on the fence about this vaccine. But both of my kids get their annual flu vaccine (thimerosal-free, of course). If I trust that vaccine, why should this one be any different? 

Reports (from who? from where? I'm not sure - just "media reports" I've heard lately) declare this vaccine to be as safe as any other flu vaccine. The flu vaccine is, as MSNBC's Dr. Nancy Snyderman commented recently, "A condo." She said we should think of the H1N1 vaccine as the same condo but with different furniture (where the furniture is the strain of flu this vaccine is supposed to help prevent). Sounds good, right? Makes me want to trust that the manufacturer just took out their old "flu shot" recipe and dropped in a new ingredient; pork, if you will. 

But then I read that popular TV doc, Dr. Oz's wife and children won't be getting the vaccine: 

 Even Dr. Oz, host of “The Dr. Oz Show” said, in a recent CNN interview, his wife and children would not be getting the vaccine. 

Perhaps that article was a bit misleading, though. According to another site that interviewed Dr. Oz: 

 "I don't want to make a commitment on that until we see the final data," Dr. Oz told News 4 WOAI.

Which means he is withholding judgment rather than deciding not to get his family vaccinated at all. In fact our own pediatrician, a many who is completely gung-ho about vaccines in general and only tolerates my alternative vaccine schedule for my son, said nearly the same thing: he plans to review the research and, if it shows what he thinks it will show, he'll get his young child vaccinated too. 

The jury I'm on is still out. I'd like to read more, learn more and just have a better gut feeling about injecting my children with this vaccine. Both of their cousins have had what was suspected to be the swine flu and it was a mild illness that ran its course in about 3 days. Of course there is no way to know how my own children will react to H1N1 should they contract it so that is a bit of a fear factor and something that pushes me to consider this vaccine. 

So tell me, will your child receive the H1N1 vaccine?

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[photo credit: SXC]

Should H1N1 worries force hospitals to restrict child visitors?

My niece is about to give birth to her third child in about a month. She was informed, recently, by the small-town hospital where she'll deliver that her two older children (9 years and 1 year) will be unable to visit her. 

It appears that her hospital isn't the only one taking precautions as part of the efforts to stem the spread of swine flu to pregnant patients, those in labor and delivery and premature and newborn infants. 

Understandably, my niece is upset. She doesn't want to have to wait days to see her boys and introduce them to their new baby sister. But she understands the potential risks involved and also doesn't want anyone put at risk. Only she and her husband and their parents will be able to visit her and her new baby in the hospital. The rest of our family will have to wait a day or two or three to meet our newest addition.

I suppose that's a small price to pay to help keep those most at risk of swine flu (H1N1) away from potential exposure. But will it really accomplish much? I suppose we'll have to wait out this winter to see how it all unfolds.

Are you nearing your due date? What is your hospital's policy regarding child visitors? How would you feel if your own kids couldn't visit you and your newborn in the hospital?

[photo credit: SXC]

We're back!

After a summer hiatus where we spent some time on exciting new aspects of our business, we're back and better than ever! We'll still be discussing parenting issues and topics important to parents (Swine Flu, anyone?) as well as the crazy-to-mundane moments we spend as moms. And we'll also dish the celebrity baby gossip that keeps us all chatting (Kourtney's having a boy!). But we're also returning to our roots: babies and their potential.

What's your baby's (or child's) potential? Leave us a comment and we'll include a mention of you, your baby and your blog (or Twitter ID) in our new, weekly Baby's Got Potential Round-up!

We'll also continue the conversation on Twitter and Facebook so be sure to visit us there too.

It's good to be back. We look forward to joining you once again on this sometimes frustrating, often insane and definitely rewarding journey called parenthood!

Pride

No matter your political affiliation, your color, your religion or even your personal beliefs, it had to be difficult not to be proud of America today as we collectively watched our 44th president be sworn into office.

I planned to watch the proceedings from my home office while the babysitter watched our kids (and probably Noggin) in the living room. But right before the ceremony began I felt an urge to share this special  moment with my kids.

My 3 1/2 year-old daughter, sadly, could not be persuaded. She opted to watch Miss Spider's Sunny Patch something-or-other instead. The baby only wanted to nurse. So I watched our nation make history, inaugurating our first African American president, while sitting next to our South African babysitter (she's a resident but not yet a citizen of the U.S.). She said that although she's a Republican she plans to support our new president because that's what good Americans do. Sounds to me like she's on the right path to becoming a citizen of this great nation of ours.

Good luck and God be with you, President Obama. I can't wait to see what your presidency will do, and what we as citizens will accomplish, to lift us up and make us proud to be Americans again.

[photo credit: AP Photo/Elise Amendola]