TDap /Flu shot?

tfk0912

I am trying to figure out who all should I have get the TDap or Flu shot? I am trying to get everyone who will be in contact with the baby especially the ones that will be with him for longer periods of time.. What is everyone's thoughts on this and your plans? Thanks for your help

LiveNLove44

DH and I have ours, and when DD was born I know the grandparents chose to get them, too, but not by our request. It's up to you and your personal comfort.

casserole27

We arent worrying about the flu shot especially since the new one isn't out yet here.

I told my family and in laws that the doctor recommend anyone who will be around the baby often to get the tdap. And we left it at that, I'm not going to not let them around the baby if they don't get it. But they all seem to want to get it so I'm happy with that.

pkfinnerty

I asked the grandparents to get tdap, but not flu. His parents are on board. Mine, not so much. My mom called me by my way over protective know-it-all SIL's name when I asked and my dad said he survived the Blue Bell listeria outbreak so he doesn't think he has to worry about tdap...
I'll try again with them in a few weeks.

1stComesLove421

You guys won't like my thoughts and plans!

I truly do respect your own personal decisions. However we are avoiding this shot. When I was 9 months old I was in the hospital for 2 weeks having seizures because of this shot. I am not allowed to have it again. And I don't feel like pushing for it either. We are taking other precautions though. Limiting guest and how long they visit. Immediate family only for the first few weeks. I'm not able to get vaccinations though, growing up there were a few I was hospitalized for. Eventually the doctor told me no more. As well as it could be genetic. So our current child is not vaccinated (her pediatrician is aware of this and said if we ever do vaccinate she needs to be older, due to such risk)

I respect the choices you guys make. But before forcing everyone to get it, I suggest making sure they are safely able to. Good luck!

(Edit because autocorrect is dumb!)

pkfinnerty

@1stComesLove421 are you allergic to vaccines? Why isn't it safe for you or your child until she's older?

I'm just asking, not combating your experience.

1stComesLove421

pkfinnerty said:

@1stComesLove421 are you allergic to vaccines? Why isn't it safe for you or your child until she's older?

I'm just asking, not combating your experience.

I had really bad life-threatening reactions to them. My doctor told me no more. They couldn't figure out what ingredient(s) were causing the problem.

My daughters pediatrician said that if it's genetic it's safer to wait until she's of school age and able to fight things off better. We plan to homeschool and she's not ever really around kids, we're very cautious. I'm really nervous to chance it with her, just because of all the problems it lead to for me.

I know they're considered safe and I respect that other parents want to use them. No judgement from me!

MamaBear345

We are only doing TDAP as the flu virus is constantly changing anyways. I got it, my mom got it, my dad didn't need to since he got the TDAP shot in 2011 (they last 10 years) and my daycare provider is required by law to have hers up to date.

tfk0912

All of this is good information and thank you I do understand why you can't get this shot because you had a reaction but , my issue is why are they just refusing just to refuse.. My SIL works in a hospital and she is the one who is like I don't need it but I think she does if she wants to be in labor and delivery my MIL got it already..

ColoradoHiker

My midwife recommended the tdap to anyone who will be in close, constant contact with the baby. If any of those people are up to date, they do not need another shot. Most of my family gets the flu shot anyway, so I'm not worried about that so much, but my DH and I plan on getting it as well

AiramJ

had my whooping cough and flu vaccine this morning. I was in two minds about the whooping cough, but at my antenatal class last week the midwife told us of a one week old who died recently because mum was not vaccinated. A family member passed it on. You can carry the virus and not know, and pass it on. I decided not to take the risk. while i sat there this morning, the nurse offered me the flu vaccine too. I was not planning on having it, but i ended up taking it because it will protect me from getting sick. being sick around baby surely is not pleasant, plus dont want to pass it to my baby.

Knottie70261981

I got the tdap yesterday. I had it right after I had my daughter 4 yrs ago as theyy used to do it after delivery but now do it before so the mom builds up antibodies to pass on to the baby. I am not getting the flu shot. Each year it's proven less and less effective and my daughter had an extremely bad reaction to the Varivax vaccine and therefore she can not have that one again. I know my sis has had the tdap in the past 7 yrs and I will ask the rest of my family to make sure. I won't push it on anyone but do plan to limit contact while my little ones immune system is building

rue:D

I had the TDAP a couple of months before I got pregnant so I'm good for a few years now! I'm not planning on getting the flu shot, I never do and haven't had any issues. DH will be getting it though since he teaches private music lessons in a middle and a high school.

TDAP isn't a bad vaccine to get though...I'm pretty sure I had whooping cough a few years ago although it wasn't diagnosed as such. I coughed for an entire month and it was awful. It was around the time a bout of it had gone around the area, too.

LLynde5

I got mine today! Per my nurse...It has only been in the last year that the cdc has changed their recommendations for all pregnant women to get the TDap. She said there is a lower chance of reaction and better coverage for the baby. Some doctors will still wait till delivery and the transfer of vaccine through breast milk. The baby can not get the vaccine until 2 months so the baby could potentially be exposed. I personally would rather take the shot for my baby, I fear the day we will have to give her vaccines already.

meghan82

i got tdap and the new flu shot. my husband got tdap. as far as i remember from the paperwork my doc gave me (which was the CDC recommendation) you are supposed to get the tdap between 27 and 36 weeks. this means you can pass on some of the protection to the baby. as for the flu shot i normally never get it, but i got the old one in february my first appointment after i found out i was pregnant based on my doctor's recommendation, and was at rite aid about a month ago and the pharmacist said they had the new one so i got that too. again according to cdc recommendations, preventing yourself from getting the flu will also reduce the chance your baby will get it and studies have shown that mothers can pass antibodies on to their baby which will protect against flu. it is true that the flu vaccine's effectiveness varies from year to year, and last year it was not very effective. it is not true that it is becoming less and less effective each year. 

Rikki_5

I'm getting the shot after I give birth.  I'm just paranoid about getting vaccines during pregnancy even though I know they are perfectly safe.  I'm requesting all family members who want to visit baby within the first 2 weeks of life to get their tdap shot and my husband is getting his on Monday.  Everyone seems to be in agreement.  It takes 2 weeks for your body to produce antibodies, I will be breastfeeding so will pass the antibodies onto baby through breastfeeding..but it will take 2 weeks. 

AiramJ

Apparently not many and definately not enough antibodies are passed through breastmilk...

twogirlsandagreen

AiramJ said:

Apparently not many and definately not enough antibodies are passed through breastmilk...

Yes you are correct. Studies have shown that very little antibodies pass through breastmilk (for Tdap). The placenta passes enough antibodies to the baby to keep him/her protected for 6 weeks. The baby gets very little to zero protection from pertussis through breastmilk unfortunately. I was hoping to go that route too, but after reading every single study I could find I changed my mind