Immunization (not about the flu)

No this is not about the flu, its about getting my girls immunization records, and health care. The main point in this blog is to explain what its like to be here in Mexico and raising kids here. Being a nurse this part of it is especially important to me.
One thing I noticed while in the hospital to have the baby is the lack of educating the patient. As a nurse in the States you are taught that this is one of the most important parts of your job. I am a strong believer that an educated public is a healthy public. Although some have taken this to far in the states but that's another rant for another blog. When you have a baby in the States they remind you of what to do when you go home and when the babies shots are due and when you should see a doctor so many times you want to puke. Also the first doctor appointment is a lot earlier there. Here our doctor said we didn't need to see her until the baby was one month old. So we saw no one for one month.
At that point my husband went to get the babies shot records and they asked for the proof that she had her first shots when she was born. Well she didn't get those shots because no one told us we needed to go get them. Apparently it was the first of the three Hep B shots and we were reassured that its OK for her not to get it until her 2 months shots. My husband brought the girls birth certs (Mexican ones) and our Mexican Marriage lic in order to get us on the Social health care. They gave him a stamped piece of paper for us to bring to the clinic, which we at this time had been advised to avoid due to the flu (even though its not even in our state yet). But we obeyed and made a one month appointment with the private doctor that saw her in the hospital. She cost 300p which is more than we can afford every month. So here you go to one place for the immunization shots and another for your doctor appointment. The problem is we cant get any one person to explain the whole process for us we are having to pick it up piece by piece as we go. Although this if frustrating this is what we have found around here. I'm not sure if this is just something in this town but that's how things have gone for us here. My husband left here when he was 19 so he didn't know anything about any of this, he is learning a long with me.
We did find out that for our 2 year old she keeps her Immunization record from the states and that is what they will document anything from here on. Also she is caught up with what they get here except she needs to get her Hep A updated. This one you can not get from the clinic and have to go to a private doctor for it. It costs 600p, yes that's right 600. I almost choked when she said that. I know this is cheep due to the states but for here its high and when you make pesos its a lot. So we plan to get it next month some time.
So we have yet to see the face of public health care and have heard different stories from very good to very bad. So I will wait and judge for myself, again being a nurse I'm comfortable using it because if I disagree with a recommendation we just wont fallow it (aside from the fact that we don't have a choice, lol).
I think that's all for now, Ill comment if I remember anything else I wanted to add.