Vaccines - a necessary evil?

I sat on the fence for a while on this. Most people I trust do vaccinate their babies - very few don't. Do I go with the flow? The nurse said to me - there are 2 facts about living in South Africa and that is 1: You may be a victim of crime and 2: You vaccinate your children.
We live in Africa, and polio and TB are very real. In the states, there is no requirement for TB vacs. Actually I know of two cases of polio and TB, and one of these was in my family. Polio is a horrible disease, and I would hate for David to contract any disease that I could have vaccinated against.
Now when I take him out - especially to public places I'm very pleased he's safe from some of the nasties floating around.
I have not read widely about v's, but I am scared/interested/want to know more about the link (if any) btn v's and cancer and other diseases.
Just when I decide I'll do all the v's for childhood illnesses, I read a pamphlet on it and guess who sponsors the pamphlet - yes, you guessed, the pharmaceutical company. Makes you wonder?

Sleepy Heads

Never before have I been so obsessed with sleep, or used the word so much in my daily conversations! The worst thing about this adjustment period with a newborn baby is that I don't know how long it is going to last, nor do I know how long I am going to be up and down 1,2,3 or more times a night for an hour or more. Exams are easier - they're over in 3 hours. The c-sect was easy, over in an hour, the dentist... piece of cake. THIS is something else. Last week end I was so SO tired. I thought I would never be able to sleep again. I cried I was so tired. In case you're wondering, I'm an 8 hour plus person. Then I got thinking about the last few years since I gave up corporate life, the single thing I loved the most about being my own boss is that I could sleep in. I've had an over-abundance of sleep in the last few years, and now it's the opposite. I'm living proof there isn't any way to bank sleep.
I was so close to giving up breast feeding on the week end, just so I could ask Keith to give David a bottle so I could sleep. But I couldn't do that as I was so worried I would compromise my milk production. It scares me talking to other Moms about how much sleep they get, and it appears I'm in this for the LOOOONG run. All mothers are saints - don't you think?