Remind Me Why Vaccinations Are Good

...cause right now I'm not feelin' it. Faith had her first set of vaccinations on Monday for her two month check up. The nurse walked in with four, count them, FOUR, syringes. Grace and Jack were very interested in watching Faith's reaction as she received "real" shots. My poor baby. I was so glad I decided to bring her wrap, as putting her on my back, nestled into my neck was the ONLY thing that finally calmed her down. She was so upset.

I wish I could say that was the worst of it, but the next 24 hours included fever, vomiting and major blow outs. Not to mention fuss-bucket city. Tylenol was not the answer either, as I quickly discovered that Faith has a major aversion to the stuff and it comes right back out at 90 miles/hr with her entire last meal. After a few hours of this, I rechecked all of the vaccination sheets I received at the doctors office and learned that these were "mild" reactions to the vaccination serums. Mild?? Come to my house! There is nothing mild about projectile vomiting, exploding diapers, and 8 clothing changes in 24 hours. It is any wonder after all of that purging that any vaccine could be left in the poor child.

The good news is she is now 12 lbs. (or was before Operation Dehydration), and has grown two whole inches in the last month. I should be happy. I should be thankful for vaccinations that save millions of lives. That will keep her healthy in her future. But part of me is angry that I induced her first fever, and put her through all this misery. It is silly isn't it? It just seems wrong - I bring her healthy as a horse to the doctor's office and she comes back miserable and sick for the next two days.

Bleh.

This is also the first night I had to let her cry it out. I mean REALLY cry it out. I tried everything to help her wind down for the night, and she just couldn't do it. So I curled up in the fetal position in the dark on my bed and felt her pain as she wailed in her cradle for a good 10 minutes. WAILED. Her little lungs finally collapsed into involuntary spasms of quick inhales that accompany violent sobs as she passed out and gave in to sleep. It took all I had in me not to scoop her up and wrap her in my arms when she had finally exhausted herself. I couldn't resist at least stroking her soft hair and letting her know that "Mommy still loves her".

Bleh again.