Wondering about vaccines? Not sure where to start?
I’ve been talking to an obstetrician whose wife is expecting their first child.
He’s wondering about vaccines and vaccine safety.
Like all parents, he wants to make smart, judicious choices so that his baby can have the best start in life possible.
He wants to make sure he’s making evidence-based decisions.
And lately he’s been wondering if some of what the CDC currently recommends is outdated at best and harmful at worst.
New science about vaccines is emerging every month.
But the good folks at the CDC, who I believe mean well and care deeply about children’s health, are stuck in a tremendous and inefficient bureaucracy.
The CDC does not change their vaccine recommendations based on the latest information.
They have never taken a single vaccine off the recommended schedule, though they continue to pile more on.
All of this seems to be to the detriment of our children’s health.
The medical doctor I’ve been talking to who is wondering about vaccines and vaccine safety asked me for some vaccine safety resources.
3 books to read if you’re wondering about vaccines
1. How to Raise a Healthy Child In Spite of Your Doctor by Robert Mendelsohn, M.D. Written in 1987, the information in this book is as relevant and accurate today as it was back then. The late Dr. Mendelsohn was a champion of home birth, skin-to-skin after birth, and natural health techniques. I’ve read this book cover to cover three times. I also use it as a reference. The first time I read it I was wondering about vaccines. Honestly, at first I was put off by how adamant Mendelsohn is against vaccines! But even if you don’t agree with everything in the book, it will get you thinking.
2. Your Baby, Your Way, which took me three years to write, is the result of over ten years of research. It’s a book that will help you navigate every aspect of your pregnancy, childbirth, and baby’s first year of life. If you’re wondering about vaccines, you can start with the chapter entitled, “Boost Your Bottom Line” (a quote from an article in a trade magazine for doctors about how to make more money selling vaccines).
3. The Vaccine-Friendly Plan, which I co-wrote with Paul Thomas, M.D., is the go-to resource for vaccine information, as well as detailed (and referenced) information about what every parent needs to know to raise a child with a healthy immune system and an intact brain.
3 articles to read if you’re wondering about vaccines
- Should You Get the Flu Vaccine During Pregnancy? by Cindy Schneider, M.D.
- Why Medical Doctors Are Concerned We’re Doing Too Many Too Soon
- A Yale-Trained Vaccine Scientist Weighs in on Vaccine Safety
1 documentary series to watch if you’re wondering about vaccines
The Truth About Vaccines is a 7-part documentary series.
Ty Bollinger interviewed me for it, as well as my co-author, Dr. Thomas.
Watch a couple of episodes.
I recommend this with the caveat that some of the information is NOT accurate.
I paid thousands of dollars to have my books fact-checked and, in general, factual inaccuracies drive me crazy.
There are also many “verbal typos” in the interviews that I wish had been edited.
But I recommend anyone who is wondering about vaccines watch an episode or two.
This documentary series gives you an overview of why so many smart parents and doctors have concerns about vaccine safety and safe vaccination.
You have to pay for the series but it is periodically re-shown for free. And be advised: you will get some unwanted spam when you give them your email address.
Something else to be aware of if you’re wondering about vaccines: toss the Tylenol!
It’s of vital importance for every new parent to read up on the toxic nature of acetaminophen.
Yet pediatricians continue to recommend giving children acetaminophen (baby Tylenol), even though that’s one of the most harmful things you can give to a recently vaccinated child.
How much baby Tylenol is safe? Find the answer here.
Are there better, safer alternatives to Tylenol? Yes!
If you’re partial to reading science, this review article by a team of researchers from Harvard University and Duke is an excellent place to begin.
Readers, what are your favorite resources for new parents who are wondering about vaccines, vaccine safety, and safe vaccination? Please share your best recommendations in the comment section below.
Related articles:
Vaccines During Pregnancy, How to Say No, Thank You to Your Doctor
Vaccinated Children Sicker More Often, New Study Shows
How Much Baby Tylenol is Safe?
Published: August 5, 2019
Updated: April 13, 2021
Appreciate your knowledge and resources. It helping my family with the huge responsibility that is facing them.
Best recommendation so far is, by far, the Vaccine Friendly Plan book. Thanks for that! Oh, and thank you for being honest about the documentary.
I highly recommend two books by forest MacReady. One is unvaccinated and the other is VAX baby. They are gentle books that take you where you are and explain each vaccine the pros and cons. I give them as gifts. Also his other books on vaccines are excellent too. And I recommend the nourishing traditions book of baby and child care by Dr. Tom Cowan and Sally Fallon.
I’m wondering about the inaccuracies in the documentary series you mentioned above…? I watched it and am glad I did, but I would like to know what wasn’t reported accurately so I know what’s what… will you share that info?
off topic, (kind of)… any new details regarding Dr. Paul Thomas’ situation? Will he be able to work again in Oregon?
Thanks for everything you’re doing.
Thanks for asking. There were a lot of verbal typos in the documentary, and some of the information wasn’t as accurate as I would have hoped it would be. I still recommend watching it. I would just follow up and research each point. We all make mistakes (so the “verbal typos” are to be expected), I just wish the producers had done a little more editing.
Dr. Thomas’s license has been temporarily suspended. To have a pediatric practice with such outstanding outcomes is very threatening to the status quo. While he cannot practice, his clinic is still open and seeing patients. Integrative Pediatrics is an amazing place, full of healthy, thriving, happy children.
Hi Jennifer!
Thank you for all you do!
I was wondering if you have any recommendations or know of any good resources on Rhogam/ winrho? I’m trying to find some concise information to help me do a deep dive.
Thank you!
Hi Jennifer
Just wondering if you know of any pediatricians in northern New Jersey that do not advocate for giving newborns vaccines. I’m at a loss and cannot find one near me any help would be so appreciated!
Hey Gail,
I don’t know of any doctors there but I think the NJ Coalition for Vaccine Choice will be able to help! This is their website: https://njvaccinechoice.com Often family physicians are more choice-oriented than pediatricians. And it **used** to be that “functional” or “integrative” doctors, whether board-certified or not, were very open to choice and were vaccine-friendly. I’m not sure that’s the case anymore, though. But it’s worth googling the name of your town and the words “functional medical doctor” or “integrative doctor” to see what comes up.
I’ve also heard wonderful things about Dr. Hendrieka Fitzpatrick https://www.drhenniewellness.com/new-page-1 but she is not someone I know personally or professionally. I hope this helps.
Hello Jennifer,
THIS IS URGENT!!! I Hope you get this and can give some advice
This is an old contact of yours. You knew me as Corina Silva. I’ve since switched my name back to my maidain name Corina Whitten. My son Gavin was just around a year old or so when we met. He then had his MMR shot and had a rash on his mouth for 2 Mos. or so. Then his cognitive and motor functions declined drastically.
My son is now 12+ and with highly dysfunctional, no -verbal ASD.
I’ve been wanting to contact you for some time. I just got a disturbing letter from Delopmental Disability Services with scary language. Indicating that perhaps my adolescent son IS IN FACT STATE PROPERTY! What is a good email for you? Please I need your help!
Thank you, CW