Preparing for the "Well-Baby" or "Well-Child" Visit if You Don't Plan to Vaccinate

Let’s pretend.
I am a young mother. I have a new baby. I also have a 4-year-old. My 4-year-old was fully vaccinated as an infant and young child. I didn’t know anything about vaccines, and I didn’t know to question. I did things differently with my little one, and she has not had any vaccines - no hepatitis B at birth, and no vitamin K injection.

I have received a notice from my family doctor (or pediatrician) that it is time to bring my children in for their “well-baby” and “well-child” check-ups. Getting that notice makes me feel sick to my stomach. I know that I do not want to further vaccinate my older child, and I know that I do not want to vaccinate my baby at all.

My decision has not been made lightly. I have spent many hours researching and learning about vaccines, their ingredients, the lack of placebo-controlled studies, and the fact that they have never been studied for safety or efficacy as they are administered according to The CDC’s Childhood Schedule.

I have also prayed about this. A lot.
When I allowed my older child to be vaccinated, I felt a horrible sense of dread every time. I “knew” it was wrong. My mother’s intuition was screaming at me to grab my baby from that table and run out the door… but I didn’t know why… and I didn’t listen to that voice. I realize now that that voice… that “intuition”… is the voice of God. I didn’t listen before, but I am listening now. And now, I know why vaccinating my babies is not right for my family. I know better now; so now, I will do better.

This is the basis of my faith. I have erred in the past. I have asked for forgiveness and said many prayers of thanks that my oldest appears to have escaped significant harm as a result of my uninformed actions. I will not make the same mistake again. My resolve is strong. But I still feel so anxious about this appointment. I think I’m going to vomit.

How can I prepare myself? What can I do to ensure I am not coerced or bullied? What can I take with me to let the doctor know that I have not made a snap decision, and I am not just listening to others’ opinions?

Here is my plan:
1. Find out exactly what vaccines my children are “due to receive.”
2. Call the doctor’s office and ask which brands of vaccines they use.
3. Find out what the ingredients are in those vaccines.
4. Print the Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for those ingredients.
5. Print the vaccine manufacturer’s inserts for each vaccine.
6. Print out the state law regarding school attendance.

I will put everything in a binder (actually, I’ll get two copies of everything so I can leave one with my doctor and have one to keep).

Here is where I will find the information I need…

To find out what vaccines my child is “due” for, and the ingredients (and doses), I will use the Vaccine Ingredient Calculator. (This used to be free on the National Vaccine Information Center [NVIC] website. It is no longer free to use and is no longer on the NVIC site. IMO, it is absolutely worth the minimal cost to pay for one day use and get what you need so you will be better prepared for this journey.) I will print out my child’s customized plan (2 copies).

Next, I will get the SDS sheets and highlight the toxicity sections.

Page 1 of the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for Thimerosal. Mutagenic for mammalian somatic cells. Mutagenic means capable of causing changes, or mutations, in the genetic material of an organism. Mutations in DNA are associated with increased risk of cancer.

Mammalian somatic cells are a big deal…

Note: The newer SDS (Safety Data Sheet) for Thimerosal says, “Not mutagenic in AMES test.” The AMES test is used to determine if the chemical compound (Thimerosal, in this case) can cause mutagenic changes in bacteria. Your child is not a bacterium. The fact that the SDS says “Not mutagenic in AMES test” has nothing to do with the FACT that Thimerosal IS mutagenic to mammalian somatic cells. Your child IS a mammal.

The following is a partial list of ingredients in vaccines given to infants and children in the U.S. (click each ingredient to view the Safety Data Sheet (SDS):

• Aluminum Hydroxide

• Thimerosal

• Formaldehyde

• 2-Phenoxyethanol

• Triton X-100

If you click on each of the above links, you will be taken to the SDS for that vaccine ingredient. Scroll down and look at the information under Section 11: Toxicological Information. This is where you can learn about:

• Carcinogenic Effects – the KNOWN ability to cause cancer

• Mutagenic Effects – the KNOWN ability to cause alterations in DNA (FYI… alterations in DNA cause childhood cancers)

• Teratogenic Effects – the KNOWN ability to cause harm to a developing fetus in utero

• Developmental Toxicity – the KNOWN ability to cause harm to children in one or more ways

As you are looking through section 11 of the Safety Data Sheets, when you come across the statement, “No known information,” use your critical thinking skills. “Not known” is not the same as “proven safe.” You will see this “Not known” statement on the same SDS sheets that list such harms as “fatal if swallowed” and “Highly toxic to aquatic life.” Are you willing to take the chance, just because they haven’t done the safety studies? FYI… refusing to do the studies is the game plan for many things that are deemed “safe and effective.” If you don’t want to know the answer, and especially if you don’t want to have to REPORT the answer, you don’t ask the question.

Another good thing to put in my binder is the Excipient List from the CDC, which lists all of the vaccines, their ingredients, and substances used in their manufacture.

Next, I need the Vaccine Manufacturer’s Inserts for each vaccine. On each vaccine manufacturer’s insert, I will highlight the part where it says the vaccine should not be given to anyone who has an allergy to any of the ingredients in the vaccine. Given that my child has not been tested to determine if he or she is allergic to any or all of the ingredients, there won’t be any injecting going on just so we can see what happens.

The above image is from ProQuad (MMR & Varicella) Vaccine Contraindications, Warnings & Precautions. Page 1 of Merck’s Vaccine Manufacturer’s Insert.

On each vaccine manufacturer’s insert, I will highlight section 13.1 (and I will highlight the absence of section 13.1 on the Varivax vaccine, since it has been removed), which states clearly, “This vaccine has not been studied for carcinogenic or mutagenic effects, or for effects on fertility.”

If we get this far in our discussion, I will show the doctor this information, and then we will discuss each of the Safety Data Sheets for the vaccine ingredients – at length. If you want more information on vaccine ingredients, this post seems to be pretty helpful for a lot of people. At least they keep using it a lot…

If, after this discussion, my doctor still wants to grasp at straws and tell me that my child cannot go to school without vaccines, I will calmly point out that in Arkansas, and 45 other states, we have the right to religious exemption from vaccination for school attendance, and that as my children’s parent, I will be exercising that legal right on their behalf.

Here is where I go to find the law regarding vaccines for school attendance.

Here is where I go to find information on the laws in a particular state.

If I happen to live in California, Maine, New York or West Virginia… my next step (as far as school is concerned) is to figure out how to homeschool or how to move to another state. There are a lot of options for homeschooling, and many of my friends are doing it with fabulous success. If I am able, this is what I will do because now that I know better, I know there is no way I would sacrifice my child’s health and well-being just so he can go to a (failing) public school where he will have to sit still and have his creativity and joy stamped out of him for the next 12 years. No thanks.

If my doctor attempts to bully me after all of this, I will calmly inform him (or her) that I am aware of my rights and I am aware that the only laws regarding vaccination are for school attendance. I will also let him (or her) know that I am aware that physicians are receiving bonuses for meeting benchmarks and having a certain percentage of patients fully vaccinated by age two years. I will let the physician know in no uncertain terms that coercion (threatening to call CPS, for example) is unethical and possibly against the law (look up the definition of extortion), and I will be reporting him (or her) to the state medical board for ethics violations. For good measure, I will probably throw in, “And you’ll be hearing from my attorney,” as I pick up my babies and walk calmly and confidently out of his or her office. For the very last time.
The last thing I will say, if it gets to this point?
“You’re fired.”

NOTE:  This originated as a post on Facebook, in response to a young father’s question about how to handle the upcoming 2-month appointment for his new baby. That post was shared 400 times in the first 48 hours. Judging by the comments, this is something that is really resonating with parents. To be clear:  There is no law that you have to use a pediatrician or an allopathic physician (Family Practice M.D. or D.O.) for your children. Chiropractors, Naturopathic Physicians, and Homeopaths are all fully capable of providing excellent routine care for your family. If you need emergency medical treatment, you can seek it through an Urgent Care facility or hospital Emergency Room. The fact is, if you are not vaccinating, you generally do not need a pediatrician or other medical doctor. Obviously, this may not be the case for all children. Use your judgment and do what is right for your family.
My hope in putting this information together is that those who are unsure or feel insecure about standing up for themselves, but who still feel they must go to the “well-baby” or “well-child” check-up (aka “vaccine appointment”), will take the steps outlined in this post, and as a result, they will feel empowered and strengthened in their knowledge base. We all must do the work and be prepared to defend our choices. – mpt

If you are just beginning your research on vaccines, here is where you can find many excellent resources for your journey.