msmith I am a wife to a wonderful, supportive husband who works VERY hard so that I get the privilege of being a Stay at Home mom to our vibrant 18-month old daughter Autumn Rainn. View all articles | Contact author

Proverbs 17:22

A merry heart doeth good [like] a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

These days you cannot turn on the news or radio without hearing about The Swine Flu, and how fast it is spreading - and worse, how many people have died from it. Any parent would be scared and want to protect their child, but the million-dollar question is should we use the H1N1 flu shot to vaccinate our kids? Is this the only way to keep them safe from this horrible sickness?

For each family there will be a different answer, depending on how we feel about vaccinations, how much we trust the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) and how much we believe in the recommendation of the CDC that the H1N1-Swine Flue vaccination will help save our children from the flu and death.  I am one of those parents who is NOT quick to vaccinate. While I do believe that some vaccinations are good, I also believe that some are harmful and there is not a "One Size Fits All" when it comes to choosing what vaccine will benefit or harm your child.

Last week I went for my daughter's 18-month visit. While I am not against vaccinations, I am COMPLETELY for an alternative schedule and delaying them as much as possible. I was blessed this year to hear about a practice called Homefirst Health.  They are very flexible when it comes to vaccinations and they cater to the mom's wishes. Their vaccination policy is you can have "All, Some or NONE!" Whatever the mom wants for her child. I am very grateful to my friend Jamie, (who is also a mom) for informing me about them.   Her vaccination beliefs differ from mine. However, I really like being able to choose, and I appreciate that there is a medical practice that exists (in the Chicagoland area anyway) that is willing to cater to our different parenting views on vaccinations.

 Homefirst Health is definitely more on the natural side of medicine and health care and they are not eager to give any more vaccinations than necessary.  So this issue came up during our visit.  What my doctor recommended for me was Vitamin D with Probiotics.  Apparently, Vitamin D is known to boost the immune system, making your body stronger and more capable of fighting off germs. The main way Vitamin D is gained is through sun exposure, which is why colds/flu are more common in the wintertime as most people don't spend a lot of time "outside" or under the sun as they do during the summer. Not to mention, the summer light differs from the winter sun rays. (And these days people don't spend as much time in the sun even in the summer, as in days gone by...)

Since I am still breastfeeding, my doctor recommended I take 1 Vitamin D tablet a day. He also suggested that they look at my blood to see if my vitamin D levels were low. He said it is more common in African Americans to have lower vitamin D levels. So he took my blood and I brought the pills. (They were $23) VERY EXPENSIVE!! (to me anyway) but, if it is something to help my daughter and I ward off the H1N1/ or Any Flu, then it was totally worth it.  My husband will also be able to take the Vitamin D pills.

If you are NOT breastfeeding they offer an infant/children's Vitamin D tablet as well. I asked him about milk because I also give my daughter 2 % milk.  I wondered were there any foods out there that give extra vitamin D.  My doctor said milk and foods have such a minimum amount of vitamin D, that there is no one food he can recommend to get the amount needed to protect you.This is another reason that vitamin D levels tend to be low in most people.

I would encourage moms and dads to visit the Homefirst Health website, listed above. There is a lot more information and many articles on the subject there.  If you look at it, just click the link 'supplements', and go to vitamin D, then click 'Vitamin D colds and Flu', where you will see a lot of the information.  You also do not have to be a patient to purchase their supplements. You can order them through the website if you are not local. You can also get Vitamin D tablets at any local drug store, although not all will have the "probiotics". They may still be helpful, but it is always good to do a little research into the quality of the product you choose to purchase.

It is our responsibility as parents to educate ourselves on ALL the ways to prevent diseases so that we don't gravitate towards every new shot or pill on the market promising to protect us.  As much as the media promotes the H1N1 vaccine, it has not been on the market long enough for anyone to really know the true side effects of it.  This is the primary reason I chose a different path, and I wanted to share this information with other moms so you too can make an informed decision.

Lastly, no matter what you choose, we should not live in a constant state of fear.  We have to trust God with our kids and RELAX.  Imagine that, mamas relaxing about the health of their babies. Well…. it is hard to think that way, but with less stress we can have better health and spirit and be better moms.  My baby girl is a gift and I want to enjoy her. It is always fun watching her interact with other children.  I don't want fear to hinder the way I allow my child to play nor do I want it to rob my happiness as a mom, and neither should you.

By: Michelle Smith.