Thank you all for your support. Reading through the responses I get angry again, but this time it's almost like a cleansing anger, rather than the all-encompassing rage I felt earlier, lol. Many of you have advised writing a complaint, and I think I might do that. I'll have to look into who to send it to, because I have a feeling that the health services in our council offices are fairly small and they all know each other. Because of that I have doubts as to whether anything would be done about a complaint. Actually, I know that our Mayor is an amazing man and he is extremely family-friendly so I might write to him. His office is actually at my local library as well...
I can't believe how hard I tried to convince them that I wasn't doing a bad thing. I shouldn't have even bothered. If it hadn't been for that stupid form that medicare and centrelink both want, I would have just walked out. Even DH is angry and wishes I hadn't had to go.
The funny thing is that I'm not actually against vaccinations. Even after all my research, and my knowledge of my family history, our decision not to vaccinate at this point in time was one of the hardest decisions we've had to make. So for them to try to make me feel like I was a bad mother for not doing what was "best" in their eyes is just unacceptable.
Yeddi - I wish I had known about the manufacturers instructions. Would you believe that the whole time they were talking to me one of them was sitting there drawing up vaccine into syringes for their vaccination night? Lol, I could have just grabbed one of the information leaflets out of one of the boxes and pointed out the contradiction. That would have been hilarious!
Oh, and here's how "informed" they are themselves... When I rose my concern about how many vaccines are given at once, and that I might have chosen to vaccinate for some things if they could be done separately, one of the woman told me that people get them done separate all the time. She said the mother's bring the kids in to get the needles one at a time. When I told her that I doubted they had anything with the whooping cough vaccine in it as less than a 5in1, she looked at the other woman for confirmation. The other woman just nodded and said they only had 6in1's. I feel sorry for anyone that has to stand up to them that hasn't done quite as much research as I have.
Cassius - I'll deifnitely be following up on the forms Luckily the lady that I had to give the forms to at the end seemed quite nice and explained that she sends off the forms and that I would receive a letter in the mail about it.
That is really really bad Mylitta, unfortunately far too many doctors (and nurses) bully people into having many things, not just vaccinations (as many mothers will know). It's so wrong and the worst thing is it's counterproductive, it doesn't even help their cause it's just stupid!
You should defiantly complain. I found this ABC article about health complaints a while ago that might help:
OMG I am so angry for you!!!!! You should not have had to go through that at all! All I did was go to my GP and she said 'yeah the risks are blah blah but I'm sure you know that' and signed my form.
hun, i'd be making a complaint.
They are there to make sure your informed and to provide guidance, not to judge and manipulate the way you raise your children.
That is an INSANE story! I am really angry for you! What year are we living in for freak sake? I really think you should complain. I wish I was there with you to stand up and tell them what for grrrrrr.
I got a form signed from a GP but didn't lodge it anywhere. I don't know where or why it needs to be lodged with anyone really, it's no-ones business at this stage as ds is not in daycare or school.
Gosh the more I read about professional bullying the more thankful I am for my pregnancy and birth with the carers that I had. No one said anything about any of our choices. They didn't even come near us with a needle in the hospital and were extremely supportive of all our decisions.
Oh my goodness I am so angry for you! My GP actually encouraged me to have my forms filled in so I would have no pressure for the immunisation register whilst I was deciding which, if any, vaccinations to accept. No belittling, no arguing. He knew my reasons and chose to support me instead of bully me. There is no way you should have faced that treatment, and personally I would be putting in a complaint against the GP too for not having access to the information he needed to support you.
BellyBelly Life Subscriber
Luckily the lady that I had to give the forms to at the end seemed quite nice and explained that she sends off the forms and that I would receive a letter in the mail about it.
I am really angry for you! What year are we living in for freak sake?
I really think you should complain. I wish I was there with you to stand up and tell them what for grrrrrr.
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