August 17

Today seems to always be a big deal.
In 2005, I had a baby due on this day.
In 2005, I miscarried a (different) baby on this day, which also happened to be my hubby's first day of work at a new teaching job.
In 2006, I felt my baby (S) move on this day
In 2007, S turned 7 months old (yesterday), my hubby has just started a new job, and I'm packing my whole house and family to move to a new world. Trust me, moving to Alaska is much more than just crossing a state border. It's like a new country, a new state of mind...a new world.
I'm so excited!

(I had an additional exciting experience this afternoon after writing the original post... I was packing and realized why it seemed like I had so little clothing in the box--I had forgotten to get out any long-sleeved shirts before we put my dresser in the garage for storage! In 100 degree weather, I guess it's logical to forget such a thing, but it meant that I got to go on an expedition--a sort of a cross between spelunking and mountain climbing--into the depths of my garage to dig out a few long sleeved shirts. After all, this IS Alaska we're moving to!)

We Are Moving

Hubby got a new job. Here. It pays better, and it's in a nicer place. The only downside is the hassle of moving...then again, I'm getting rid of a lot of things that I didnt' really need anyway...yay for freecycle!

And, for all that I've always been pretty vague about where I lived...well, I don't mind coming out and saying straight up that we are moving to a small Alaskan town of 150. Why do I not mind telling you? Well, if you wanted to kidnap a kid, you would pick a job easier than trucking all the way out (6 hour ferry ride) to get one of mine. Furthermore, if you already live in Pelican, well, if my kid goes missing I can visit every house in town in an hour or so, and I'll find my kid. SO, yeah, I don't mind saying exactly where we're living now!

The Ferber Baby meets The Focker Baby

Do you remember in the mid 1990s when everyone was talking about the babies in orphanages in Romania? That was the first time I became aware of some of the horrors going on around the world. These babies were going colorblind because they had no colors in their cribs to stimulate them. Infants, toddlers, and even older children sat in cribs (sometimes tied to them) all day and all night... there were not enough adults to care for them, so they were not cared for. Most of these children cried day and night when first placed in the orphanages. It broke the hearts of reporters and television viewers alike to see these children cry and cry and cry...

Eventually, the children would give up and stop crying.

That broke our hearts even more.

And yet, somehow, we don't accept that we are doing the same thing to our children. How many times have you heard that you need to let your baby 'cry it out' or 'learn to self-soothe'? Have you heard of the 'Ferber baby'? The baby that doesn't need adult attention, it just shuts up and goes to sleep by itself. That is SO SAD!!! The Ferber baby is a baby who has given up!!!
I LOVE the scene in "Meet the Fockers" where Jack Byrnes is explaining how they have "Ferberized" their grandson by never responding to his cries and not picking him up. Bernie Focker turns to him and says proudly "we always picked up Greg when he cried. We didn't Ferberize him, we Fockerized him!"
Hey, now that sounds like a good idea! Hold the baby when he is sad. Go to him when he cries (after all, babies do not develop object permanence until 6-8 months--that means that if they cannot see you, they don't know that you still exist, and feel truly ALONE). In other words, let's show our children that we love them, shall we?! Let's go Fockerize them!

A Little Story

So, Jim Brown walks into Mr Mac clothing store. He walks over to a salesman and says
"I have been thinking about getting a new suit. I have heard that styles are changing, and that my 10yr old suit is probably not very 'in' anymore...but I'm not sure if I really need one or not. Can you give me some advice?"
The salesperson, of course, sells Jim a suit. It's his job. He gets paid to convince people that they need suits.

The same afternoon, Jim's wife, Jane, takes their baby to the pediatrician. Jane is remarkably like her husband. She is chatting with the doctor, and says
"I have been thinking about vaccinations. I have heard that they have some dangerous ingredients, and can have frightening side effects. I'm not sure if I should get them for my baby."
The doctor, of course, sells Jane on vaccinations. It's his job. He gets paid to convince people that they need vaccinations.

Is anyone else bothered by the idea of asking your local doctor or health department for advice about vaccinations?!
Do you see why we cannot ask the salesman? Why we need to do the research at the source?
I do not think that doctors are evil, malicious people who are just out to get a buck. I DO think that they are busy people, and do not have time to keep up with everything...so they read summaries and listen to people who take them out to dinner and give them free samples... No doctor has the right to make decisions for your child's health; to give advice, sure, but to make the final decision? No. YOU are the parent, and YOU have the right--and the responsibility--to make those decisions.
Stand up. Be responsible. Do the research. Make the choices!

The Family Homestead

Yesterday we took a trip with my in-laws up to visit the town of Brighton, which was originally homesteaded by WSBrighton 150 years ago... (My son, 6 generations later, is WSBrighton II). The first W built a hotel and humbly named the place after himself. The property was sold off in little pieces, with the last 4 lots finally being sold by my Father-in-laws father during the depression. So, unfortunately, our family has no piece of the fortune now earned there from the ski industry...BUT, we can go and get keychains and bumper stickers with our name on them! Dear Hubby picked out one of those license plate-edger things which says "B-Right-On." Since I figure I tend to be a right-on Brighton too, I wanted one for the van. So we got two.

While up there, we took a little hike up to Lake Mary. WS was from Scotland, and immigrated with his wife and young children. On the 2-month voyage over, his 2year old daughter, Mary, contracted measles and died, and was buried at sea. When he arrived here and homesteaded, he named a pretty alpine lake after that daughter. He named another lake after his wife, Catherine. We have suggested to our W that he might like to be baptized in Lake Mary. It would be cold, but he does have a summer birthday, and it sure would be an amazing experience. (We'll leave the choice up to him of course, but we have planted the idea, and thus far he seems to like it!)
The hike is only about a mile each way, but it gains about 700ft altitude, so there are some steep parts! I wore S in the wrap on the way up, but he's 17lbs now, and that's enough that it was throwing my balance off on the way down, so Hubby wore him on the way down, and S fell asleep. I love that my sweet hubby likes to wear the baby too, and I think he was delighted to get to feel the trust of a baby just falling asleep in his arms again. :-)

In The Middle

Sometimes it's hard to be a moderate.
Trust me, I'm a moderate.
Some of my friends (and family) think I am a nutty hippie, obsessed with avoiding 'normal' and doing things the hard way.
On the other hand, others of my friends think I'm frighteningly mainstream.
Is no one on the middle ground with me?

It's not that I'm a fence sitter. To the contrary, I make solid decisions and stand by them. I am not wavering on anything. However, I choose to stand on ground that is somewhere in the middle.

On one side, I'm berated for not following the states recommended vaccination schedule, or for considering not doing all the vaccinaions. On the other side, I'm chided for 'shooting that poison' into my kids at all.

Do I believe in using whole grains, organic produce, and grass-fed meat? Yes. Do I also love ice-cream, root beer, and chocolate? Oh you betcha.

Do I believe in reducing, reusing, recycling, and generally being good to the earth? Yes. And I drive a mini-van, and I'm a little bit of a pack rat. (I'm working on that!)

I wholeheartedly believe in a lot of things which I don't always manage to enact as I should or could or wish I did...

Do I trust every word my doctor says? No. Do I listen to his advice and research accordingly? Yes.
Do I trust everything my mother's naturopath says? No. Do I trust everything from the chiropracter, massage therapist, homeopath, osteopath, cranial-sacral therapist, midwife, or master herbalist says? No. But I take it as a starting point for my own research.
Do I belive anything anyone says? Sure. I believe the prophet...and I still do the research. God says to study it out, after all. God also says that by the power of the Holy Ghost, we may know the truth of all things. ALL things. Not just spiritual stuff, but ALL things. So how lazy would it be for me to not take him up on that?! After all, if I'm entitled to personal revelation, then I think I should go get it. Human sources (governments, doctors, friends) can give advice, but only God can give me specific direction for me and my family.

I respect all choices so long as they are made upon the foundation of education and inspiration. I do not respect decisions made without those things. "Because ____ said so" is a pathetic reason in my book. "Well, it's normal" or "everyone does it" are equally rediculous.

I shouldn't feel defensive about my positions--middle ground though they may be. I have based them in research and promptings about what is best for MY family. I should feel proud, and stand tall that I have taken the time to make these choices with care.
So don't push me around if I'm not the same as you. And by all means, don't feel obligated to be the same as me...just be sure you have a solid foundation for your choices.

:-)

Little Moocher in the Kitchen

This morning S helped me make breakfast.
First he acted very happy while rolling around on the floor with the dog and chewing on a piece of paper.
As soon as I had gotten two ingredients into the bowl (and was commited to baking something, rather than just making some toast), he began to wail "mamamamamama." (He had done this a couple of times now--saying 'mama'. I believe it is mostly intentional at this point. 6mo may be early for speech, but he's always been a verbal baby. So much for daddy's constant "da-da-da-da" to him.)
So I put him in the sling with the intent to continue cooking.
He helped by kicking the bowl and chewing on my measuring cups.
He did not get to help with putting the pan in the oven. He was very frustrated at this, but I had to draw the line somewhere!

I have been dressed for something under an hour. Thus far I have water, drool, flour, breastmilk, spit-up, and peach juice on my shirt. Maybe a little baby snot too, I'm not sure.
I have not combed my hair or eaten anything.
On the other hand, I've made breakfast, done a load of laundry, fed the baby (twice), fed and pottied the dog, and generally saved the world probably three or four times.
See kids, this is what parenthood looks like. Aren't you excited!!!

Vaccines--Hep B

My stated requires 3 doses of Hepatitis B for school attendance. The MTC also recommends 3 doses.

The CDC recommends giving this vaccine to a baby immediately after birth, as well as at 1-2m, and 6-18m. If the vaccine is given to a child in their teens (11-15y), then only two doses are needed for full vaccination. Patients over the age of 14y have fewer side effects from this vaccine. The National Vaccine Information Center recommends that this vaccine only be given to high risk groups--not given routinely to children. (see below for information about risk groups)
Around 90% of people receiving this vaccination develop the desired antibodies (95% of children), but the rates drop with age (only 75% over 60y), so it is preferable to give this vaccine to younger people. Antibodies decrease with time, but vaccination is estimated to give immunity for 15 or more years (studies on this matter have not yet been completed). Current vaccination options are far less effective for people over 40, males, smokers, and those who are obese.
There are two versions of this vaccine: "Engenrix B" and "Recombivax HB." Both brands have *thimerosal-free versions, but both also have versions which contain *thimerosal, so know what you are getting! This is a genetically engineered vaccine, so it CANNOT give the actual disease...on the other hand, genetic engineering has its own problems.
*Thimerosal is a preservative which contains mercury
Some experts feel that this vaccine is related to rising rates of Multiple Sclerosis and Type 1 Diabetes in children. They have several studies to back this up (details in Dr Cave's book).

This vaccine contains yeast, aluminum hydroxide, latex (in the needle), and ethylene glycol. Allergen, poison, allergen, poison...do we need to go through all these again?

Hepatitis B is pretty ugly if you catch it. It messes with liver function, leading to jaundice (since the body can't get rid of toxins), and chronic Hep B is a common predecessor of liver cancer. 50% of infected adults are asymptomatic, and may pass on the disease unawares. Almost all children are asymptomatic. Approximately .5-1.5% of acute cases are fatal (2-300/year in the USA), and approximately 10% of cases become chronic carriers who can infect others (although they may still be asymptomatic and thus unaware of their carrier status). Chronic Hep B is not easy to treat--the most effective treatment seems to be Interferon, and it is only 25-50% effective. And the whole liver cancer thing...

Hepatitis B is a bloodborne pathogen. That means it is transmitted when bodily fluids, such as blood or semen, come in contact with the mucus membranes of another person. It is spread most often via sexual contact or shared needles. In other words, it is primarily a disease of promiscuous people, male homosexuals, and intravenous drug users. Is your baby a junkie hooker?! (The reason the CDC recommends giving this vaccine at birth is that there is some slight risk of the baby contracting Hep B from its mother during birth...IF she has the disease. There is also some slight risk to a small child if they were to be bitten by a HepB carrier, because saliva could infect them if their skin were broken by the bite.)
The lifetime risk of contracting Hepatitis B in the United States is <20%. (In China, Southeast Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Pacific Islands, and the Amazon, the risk is >60%)
Those in the USA at HIGH risk for contracting Hepatitis B are: homosexual males, illicit drug users, immigrants from areas with high risk of Hep B, and developmentally disabled persons who are in institutions. Those with MODERATE risk are: health care workers, prisoners, prison workers, promiscuous heterosexuals, and staff in institutions for the developmentally disabled.
The highest risk age group is 20-39. So why are we shooting this one into babies?

Hepatitis B rates in the USA have NOT CHANGED since the introduction of this vaccine. I believe this is because the children we are vaccinating are not the ones who were at risk anyway. The CDC says we need to spread awareness among high risk groups in order to see improvement.
Well duh!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My conclusions:
I feel that my children (indeed, most children) have little or no risk for this disease. Frankly, I don't really understand why it's on the 'required' list for school, OR for the MTC--even when traveling to a high risk area, a drug-free, chaste person is not really at risk.
I don't see this as a practical vaccine unless you fall into a risk group--personally or professionally.

8 Random Things...

Caitlin tagged me for this one. Rules: list out 8 random things about yourself (presumably things that not everyone knows); then tag somebody else...
Ready?

1--I performed with a formation ballroom dance team when I was 17, and continued to dance in college...but no longer do (much) because my hubby doesn't dance. I miss it. :-(

2--I have been to 14 foreign countries: Canada, England, Ireland, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Italy, Vatican City, Greece, and Turkey. I still need to get to Norway, Scotland, and Denmark.

3--I have been to 48 of the 50 United States--I am missing Alaska. I have not been to New Mexico either, but I am not missing it!

4--I don't mind doing dishes and loading the dishwasher, but I HATE unloading it.

5--I was disgusted by the idea of cloth menstrual products...until I tried them...and now I will never look back!!! Ditto cloth diapers.

6--My husband and I share half birthdays (1/22 and 7/22). Our wedding (12/20) is on the half-anniversary of our meeting (6/20). (We celebrate our "Family Birthday" on that half-anniversary, because our anniversary is the week before Christmas.)

7--my favorite color is hot pink. It has been since high school. I also love black.

8--Before we were engaged, hubby and I were talking about rings, and I told him I would love to have a sapphire or an opal instead of a diamond. I meant it too. He's classic though, and he picked a diamond. I love it because he picked it for me, but it's probably not what I would have picked for myself. (I also would never have picked my own birthstone--ruby--because I'm not a fan of red!)

OK, Lollymom, NessaAnn, Magical Mama, you're up!!!

What Your Doctor May NOT Tell You About Children's Vaccinations by Stephanie Cave MD

"What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children's Vaccinations"
by Stephanie Cave MD, FAAFP

Dr Cave is pro-vaccine, however she believes that vaccines are not without dangers. In this book, she discusses the realities of the diseases for which we vaccinate, as well as the medical information available about each vaccine. She does not say that something is proven if it is not (for example, the link between autism and vaccination), however, she discusses the facts behind the hypothesis (for example, that many vaccines used to contain mercury--some still do--and that the symptoms of mercury poisoning are almost identical to the symptoms of autism).
She also discusses the difference between natural immunity (that acquired by actually getting the disease) and vaccinated immunity, which is imperfect. Natural immunity is usually lifelong, whereas vaccinated immunity usually is not, and may last for as little as 7 years, or as long as 30+ years, depending on the vaccine. Dr Cave explains the difference between a 'live vaccine' (which is one with the live virus in it) and an 'inactivated vaccine' (where the virus has been killed prior to injection). Live vaccines may actually cause the disease they are meant to avoid--since they contain live virus. These cases are usually mild though, and may result in natural immunity, which is a good thing. On the other hand, while inactivated vaccines are considered safer, and will not cause the disease, they also have a lower rate of efficacy, and still have the risk for other side effects.

I found this book VERY informative, and would recommend that any parent who genuinely cares about their child's health should read this before making decisions about vaccinating (either for OR against).

Here are a couple of quotes from the book which I found particularly interesting:

"[A]n infant's immune system cannot adequately respond to a vaccine until he or she is four to six months old."

(She later explains that this is because the body does not produce bile until that age, and is therefor unable to flush out toxins such as aluminum and mercury which are in the vaccines.)

"Since the late 1950s, when mandatory mass vaccinations started in the United States, there has been an increase in the incidence of immune system and neurological disorders, including Attention Deficit Disorder, asthma, autism, childhood diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, learning disabilities, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and other chronic health problems."

(While not proven, many people feel that this is happening for one of the following reasons: 1--not catching these diseases is leaving the body without toxins to attack, and so it begins to attack itself. 2--ingredients in the vaccines are chemically similar to things in the body, and when the immune system begins to fight the vaccine it confuses the similar cells and also attacks healthy body parts [eg: arthritic symptoms]. 3--the disorders are responses to ingredients in the vaccines which are poison [eg: autism])

Howard Urnovitz, PhD, microbiologist, and founder of Chronic Illness Research Foundation, Berkley "there's no scientific evidence to prove that vaccines cause chronic diseases, but they [the government] won't fund any research in that area either. If you don't look for something, you won't find it."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Dr Cave, as I mentioned, is in favor of vaccination. However, she has some recommendations for doing it safely:

• Do not get ANY vaccination if you are even slightly ill, or have been so in the last two weeks. (The AAP says to avoid vaccination if you are moderately or severely ill, but that it's ok when mildly ill, such as just a cold.)
• Know your own medical history, as well as your family's medical history. Avoid vaccines that you or a family member has had an adverse reaction to.
• Know your allergies--avoid vaccines that have ingredients which you or a family member are allergic to (since food and medicine allergies often run in families).
• Learn about each vaccination--read the package insert ahead of time, know the ingredients, know the risks and benefits, and know the proper way to administer it (under the skin or into the muscle) and be sure that your doctor gives it correctly.
• Do not give multiple vaccinations at once (she feels that it is ok to give HiB and IPV together, but no others. She also recommends getting M, M, and R separately, rather than together, but is ok with the DTaP combo.)
• Use single dose vials of vaccination serum, OR, if they are not available, have your care provider shake the vial prior to withdrawing your serum (to make sure that all ingredients are evenly mixed).
• Insist on having mercury free vaccines. Every vax has a form that is mercury free, but not all doctors use them.
• Give the vaccine recipient extra vitamin C and vitamin A for several days prior to the vaccination. (This helps the body cope with the toxic ingredients, and reduces the risks of adverse reactions.)
• Do not get a vaccination for anything while pregnant.
• Breastfeed for at least six months.
• 
  
• I have one recommendation of my own to add to the list, and it is similar to her recommendation of giving extra vitamins prior to vaccination--this advice came from my mother's naturopath, and that is to give the recipient echniacea (immune system booster) for several days before AND after the injection. Bolstering up the immune system in this manner helps the body respond positively to the vaccination--by making antibodies--rather than negatively.