# Sorry for starting this thread!: MMR alternatives



## MommyJogger

Please no vaccine debate! Is anyone well-versed in MMR alternatives? Alternative scheduling/spreading it out into multiple shots and the outcomes thereof? J had a reaction to his most recent set, so I'm planning to avoid/delay the big ones even more than my original alternative schedule provided for. If someone could provide literature or educational information about availability of alternatives or non-cocktailed forms of measels, mumps, and rubella shots, I would really appreciate it. Or if anyone else got these on a non-traditional timeline, I'd love to hear about it. Thanks!


----------



## CMarie

This link by Dr. Sears is interesting. He talks about how the separate shots for MMR are no longer available, but he offers some alternatives and delay ideas. He mentions delaying the MMR itself, only getting the MMR shot at 12 months and no other shot, etc. https://www.askdrsears.com/topics/vaccines/separate-measles-mumps-and-rubella-vaccines-no-longer-available-what-can-parents-do

I've also heard a few other moms on here mention that they don't give their LOs the MMR until 15 months . . I think that's in the UK, but I may be wrong.

I wasn't able to find any "natural" version of the MMR, but I have heard of homeopathic immunizations that you could get. This link has some pretty decent information on it: https://organiclifelove.com/2011/03/22/a-safe-alternative-to-vaccines-homeopathic-immunization/

We don't vaccinate our LO so I don't really have a whole lot of advice to give . . have you considered not giving LO anything against measles, mumps, and rubella?


----------



## lozzy21

I delayed Niamhs a bit, no more than one injection at a time and left two months in between instead of one. I based this on nothing scientific but I just felt the schedule they recommend was a lot for her immune system to cope with. I left her MMR till she was 16 months old and would of left it longer if she did not have to go to nursery. She also ended up having to have the chicken pox vaccine which is not routinely given in the UK because of her arthritis.


----------



## Rachel_C

We've delayed the MMR. Originally I was aiming to get it done at 15 months (rather than the 12/13 months on the standard schedule here) but illness/holidays/forgetting got in the way with both of mine so my first had it at 18 months and my second is 18 months now and I'm going to book it as soon as her latest cold is better. 

My reason for saying 15 months was because of the increase efficacy of the measles part after then, but waiting longer has been because of how the kids were feeling at the time. I was told off when I took my first, she said that they would never delay a vaccine because of a cold, but she is not my child's mother - she was concerned with her practice's statistics, I'm concerned with how my child feels and I'm not going to add a vaccination on top of already feeling grotty.


----------



## jcg0506

My doctor told me it wasn't available in the US in its separate components, which is what I had planned on doing. Now I will just delay it until some time before he goes to school or daycare if we ever need it. We have chosen only to give those vaccines for diseases that are more common and/or dangerous in the first two years, ie. pertussis, meningitis, etc.


----------



## qpaulina42

As others have said, I don't think MMR is available as separate shots in the US. In our experience, it was also the worst as far as symptoms, which hit about a week after the shot (as predicted by pediatrician) and included a high fever and a rash. Fever reducers was all we needed and the rash wasn't itchy, thank goodness. 
Which shots did your kiddo have a bad reaction to, if I may ask, and what were the symptoms? Probably the best solution would be to not bundle shots beyond what is already bundled, that is. I actually think that getting them earlier might make the symptoms a little milder kind of like getting chickenpox for a kid is easier than for an adult, but I'm not sure what I'm basing that on.


----------



## RachA

We chose to delay it and DD ended up having it when she was just over 3. She coped with it brilliantly and had no symptoms of anything so i am glad i did delay. Prior to that we had looked at separate injections but here in the UK you aren't able to get the mumps part done. Plus also research suggested that when you get the shots done separately you don't always get a full shot like you would in the combined.
I wouldn't choose not to immunise as the diseases themselves really aren't nice.


----------



## MommyJogger

I assume it was the flu one he had a rxn to. He got flu and HIB in the same go, but he's had HIB before and didn't react. He ran a high fever, vomited frequently, and I think he had a headache because he was very light-sensitive for a couple days. He woke up a couple mornings after and seemed fine, though. Not sure how to deal with the doctor still wanting to give him another flu shot in a couple weeks (you're supposed to have two the first year you get them). :/ I would say he just won't get it, but we've had several outbreaks in the area and even I had it for a while. Working on a college campus means I'm more likely to carry it home to him, too. Tough choices, but I heard MMR is the worst. We can't just not get them, though. Our kids are at higher risk for getting the diseases since we work around so many "kids" who never have their health checked or go to the doctor for illnesses.


----------



## patch2006uk

We didn't consciously delay, but we ended up doing the 12 month injections at 14 months because of illness and appointment availability. DS had no reaction at all to the MMR - no rashes, illness or even any swelling on his leg. Was the best jab in terms of side effects for us (not that he had big side effects from any of them - the worst was a temperature and a disturbed couple of nights).

I'd personally not bother with the flu jab, especially if that strong a reaction had been had previously. It's a notoriously ineffective jab.


----------



## jcg0506

The flu is bad this year, but it seems to be a strain that is not covered by the vaccine. I don't know if that helps your decision, but worth looking into?


----------



## MommyJogger

Yeah, I got the flu shot 6ish mo ago and still ended up with the strain going around our area. Does anyone know how long something like that will provide immunities via breast milk? Is it the same length of time I would maintain immunity to the strain? And if I got the shot, do those antibodies make it into breast milk as well? Hate to feel like I'm reaching to justify not getting the second one, but at this point I think I've decided not to get the next flu shot and I'm trying to make myself feel better if that makes sense, lol. I really wish the MMR were available as a set of singles here. Maybe I could just keep him in a bubble until he's 6? A selectively permeable membrane that lets in every day germs and keeps the nasty ones away? haha!


----------



## Dragonfly

I delayed to, not to long though and I believe my son had and still had side effects. I looked in to separate vaccines but they dont offer them here at all. I was given such looks for asking for that to.


----------



## kosh

Dragonfly said:


> I delayed to, not to long though and I believe my son had and still had side effects. I looked in to separate vaccines but they dont offer them here at all. I was given such looks for asking for that to.

sorry to hear that - can I ask what side effects? :flower:


----------



## jcg0506

MommyJogger said:


> Yeah, I got the flu shot 6ish mo ago and still ended up with the strain going around our area. Does anyone know how long something like that will provide immunities via breast milk? Is it the same length of time I would maintain immunity to the strain? And if I got the shot, do those antibodies make it into breast milk as well? Hate to feel like I'm reaching to justify not getting the second one, but at this point I think I've decided not to get the next flu shot and I'm trying to make myself feel better if that makes sense, lol. I really wish the MMR were available as a set of singles here. Maybe I could just keep him in a bubble until he's 6? A selectively permeable membrane that lets in every day germs and keeps the nasty ones away? haha!

If it makes you feel better, in my humble opinion, if you (and Dh?) got the flu shot, and lo got the first round, and he isn't in daycare or around other kiddies all the time, and you breastfeed, then I would think you're fine in not getting the second dose, especially as it hasn't been super effective this year anyway. Plus, flu season will be over in a couple months. Go with your instinct.


----------

