Help Please

[*Chels*]

hi guys,
im new to oz and immunisations are diff here than in new zealand.my bubba had his shots done when we got here(he was 8 weeks) and the nurse said she would send a reminder when he need his next lot,but i havent heard!!a friend said they needed more needles at 16 weeks and my bub wil be 17 weeks next monday.whats the deal?what ages do they have shots done?also i dont take him to a midwife/nurse regulary,altho my friends wiith babies seem to go every week!am i being a bad mum?theres a child health centre down the road from me,can i just rock up there or what?any advice would be great!thanks guys!!

[the_queen]

Hi Chels,

I think that the "16 week old" vax's are more commonly seen as "4 month old" vax's, IYKWIM... So you'll probably get a reminder to come in for those ones around the 17th Feb.
Of course, you can always just go to your GP or paediatrician, they can usually do the vax there if you prefer. :)

Oh, and also, about the child and youth health place: At ours, they have a specific day where you can just rock up and be seen by the nurse. Otherwise you need to make an appointment. I'm in SA so it could be different where you are. You could always just go in there, explain your situation and make an appointment then.
And I don't think it means you're a "bad mum" if you don't take bubs to see the nurse every week. If bubs is happy, generally well, having the right number of wet nappies, feeding well, and you're feeling OK as a mum, then there's no real reason to go to the nurse! We have a "blue book" here, I think it's different colours in different states, but they list in there the recommended routine check-up dates for babies. They're the only time I took my DD to see the nurse! (Except when we had breastfeeding issues, I saw their LC)

:)

[giggles]

Yep, that's right. 4 months, then 6 months and the 1 year and 18 months.

We here in WA have yellow books and the recommended visits to the nurse are 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months and then between 7-9 months.

A big stretch I thought, but we can call anytime and go if we want. Due to seome feeding and development dramas, I am going every two months just to check in.

Our local chemist also tuns a mini clinic every week to save a trip to the nurse.

I say, go if you have questions and maybe give a call about when you are having your immunisations or just book into your GP yourself.

Good luck!

[kiwibird27]

Hi, welcome to Australia - where they will only tell u the answers to questions u ask as opposed to Plunkett who will tell u everything u need to know!!!!!! I moved here in June 2001 and worked as a nanny and in childcare and this country just does things completely differently to N.Z.!!!

Ask your friend to photocopy their immunisation record in there child health record for u so u have some idea of when the shots are due - there is also a national immunisation register - and if u get family tax benefit or childcare benefit then they will cut that off when your immunisations are overdue - then you'll know it's time!!!!!!!!
Just call your local child health centre or go in - they will give u heaps on info - if u ask lots of questions!!!!


http://immunise.health.gov.au/handbook.htm - This website will help!!!!

Good luck - PM me if u have any other questions!!!!!

[Chickadee]

I never went back to the child health nurse after the 3 month check. I had DD's shots done at the immunisation centre (this was in West Perth) which was open every day, no appointment needed. I took her to my GP whenever I had a question or she was ill.

Just to note, I don't think I ever got a reminder to get her shots done, and we were a few weeks to a month late for one of them. You can certainly go without the reminder if she's due for them.

[*Chels*]

thankyou everyone for your replies and advice!!!i will be making an appointment for the wee man this week(oh no more needles!!!)yes,things are sooo different here!!i had the same midwife the whole pregnancy and birth who also did home visits for the 8 weeks after riley was born.it was great!!!mite just pop back to nz to have my next bub LOL:) anyways thanks

[shed]

Yeah, I wish they had Plunket over here. Its such a good idea and a great old kiwi institution.

[JenNT]

i have never heard of FTB being cut off if you are overdue with immunisations??? I know of ppl who have let it go by a bit longer but never had payments stop.:eek: wow

[the_queen]

I'm pretty sure that the only Centrelink payments that are reliant upon up-to-date immunisations are CCB (child care benefit) and the Maternal Immunisation Allowance, which is a one off payment which you only recieve after bubs has had the 18 month old vax's.

[Ky]

I really miss Plunket too!

Both of my kids are only just up to date with their immunisations as they had adverse reactions to needles as tiny bubs ... breathing difficulties that landed them in hospital.

I ended up going through a clinic (with refferal from my gp) at westmead hospital to get an immunisation plan in place.

At no point, was any Centrelink payment withheld and I was claiming childcare benefit (Bella's pre-school) while Bella wasn't yet up to date ... mind you, I had a letter from the doc at westmead ...

It is really confusing with the two countries having a different schedule ... I just use my Tamariki Ora Well Child book as a rough guide as to when to have my kids general checkups. Keep using the book ... I have been told by several people that they wished that they got a resource this good when they had bubs over here!