Vaccinations

Many people are in fear of vaccinations recently and have altogether stopped vaccinating. Of course I'm always wary of everything and do tons of research before I decide anything when it comes to Eli. Brandon and I agreed together that the vaccinations are important to us. The risks from the vaccines are WAY lower than the risks of getting the illnesses. I know the MMR shot has gotten a bad rap recently in association with Autism, even though many scientific studies show there is no link. We decided to go ahead and have Eli get it, as well as the Chicken Pox vaccine. Here are the reasons why:

1. Our church is full of very natural/hippie/home birth type people who don't vaccinate their kids. Thus, Eli is very likely to catch diseases/illnesses from the kids at church or the toys in the nursery. Even the kids of our closest group of friends aren't vaccinated with the MMR. Also, people are constantly bringing their kids to the nursery sick (which pisses me off). Someone actually brought their kid to the nursery with Foot and Mouth disease. Point taken!
2. All the diseases that had been contained with vaccines are on the rise because people have stopped vaccinating. There was a death recently (a baby Eli's age) in the news from Measles or Mumps I can't remember which and it was spread to about 7 other unvaccinated kids before it was stopped. Once Eli enters preschool etc. he's going to be even more exposed to unvaccinated kids. Also, I am worried about him getting something and passing it on to me that could cause defects or death in our next baby during my pregnancy or even after while the baby is unvaccinated.
3. Although Thimerasol has been removed from the shots since 1999, Autism is still on the rise. A California study showed that autism increased after it was removed. Even though vaccinations are lower than ever and the MMR shot is being refused more and more, the autism rates are still rising. Less vaccines but more autism? It doesn't make sense. It it is mercury, like some claim...shots aren't the only things that have mercury. There is environmental mercury as well, such as the pollution from coal plants and other industrial sites. It's complicated.
4. Although there is less autism amongst the Amish people (who usually aren't vaccinated...but also grow their own food, drink unpasturized milk, less pollution, no preservatives etc.), there still are cases of autism in unvaccinated kids. Good luck finding the unidentified environmental trigger/factor because they know part of it is genetic, but they can't find the trigger. It's going to be near impossible because there are so many factors.
5. You may reason that we all had chicken pox, so what is the big deal. Well, if you can prevent chicken pox, then you can prevent Shingles. Ask anyone who has had Shingles. They would have done ANYTHING to have been vaccinated!

There are so many other reasons, but these are just a few!