My gf didn't have her twin daughters vaccinated until they were 2 and they had each vaccination separately. I think her concern was for a reaction, rather than a gentle parenting issue. Although for her new baby she's having him done as per the program, so I'm not sure where her thoughts are now!
I had Lucy done and will keep having her vaccinated by the book. Like Chloe, I think there's a social issue here, as well as a personal one. I would hate for my daughter when she is older to contract one of the diseases she hadn't been vaccinated for and pass it on to someone who was vulnerable, like a small baby or a pregnant woman.
As for the needles, having had bad chicken pox and the mumps as a teenager I can personally guarantee a needle is a lot less painful and easier to get over!
Re the mercury; there is still mercury in australian vaccines, called 'thimerosal', but it has been reduced to what are considered 'safe' levels; ie 1 part per million, or similar. However I did read somewhere that it is a concern if the baby is getting multiple injections at the same time, and thereby increasing their mercury input. I think the MMR vacc has the highest level.
I really don't want to get into a debate about this subject so I'll say no more after this.
Very few Australian vaccines contain thimerosal, and all which do have very small levels. The MMR vaccine has never contained thimerosal as it is a live vaccine and the presence of a preservative like thimerosal would render it inactive. If you are worried about thimerosal it is possible to request from your doctor a list of all vaccines which contain it and about preservative-free alternatives.
I also don't want to turn this into an argument. But Eugenia is right about the mercury. I think the last one to have mercury in Aus was the birth hep B (bcos the subsequent hep b ones are combined they didn't have it) but now there is a mercury free one which is the one most commonly used. You can check with the hospital to make sure this is the one they use. The common issue with MMR is that it is combined but not because of mercury. There is a theory that the combined vaccination can cause autism but again it is very hard to know from the research whether this is founded or not. Overseas you can get them separately if you are worried (it costs more) but I think it is difficult to do that here.
It has to be a personal decision but you should take care that your info is from a reputable source. There is a lot of propoganda out there both ways. Don't ask me how to get the truth from it, I'm still trying to figure that out myself!! The only bit of info I am totally confident of is about mercury in Aus vaccines as above.
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