Flu Shot

Beckyf321

Since it's the season, I'm curious how many of you have gotten or plan to get a flu shot this year.  The midwife I've been seeing recommends it, but I've never gotten a vaccine before.  We could also tie the T-dap (or is it D-tap?) into this convo, another vaccination that they are recommending during pregnancy.

aboxofchocolates

I got my flu shot a couple months ago per recommendation of my obgyn.  The way I look at these things are is:   My obgyn knows far more about what is good for my body and baby then I do, so I just do what they say

HGRich

I got it a month ago. I'd love to avoid getting the flu while pregnant. I did ask for one without mercury though, to be on the safer side. 

MWoodside

I don't. My OB asked if I wanted it at my appt this week and asked what my concerns were when I declined. I said I got one right before my 14 wk unexplained loss and she put her hand in my arm and told me it was ok to decline, but she has to ask. She emphasized if I even remotely think I might have the flu to go get tested right away so we can have a game plan.

MWoodside

By the way, I'm fully aware there could be no relation btw my loss and the shot. I'll just never know. 

andrea0418

I got mine during first tri. 

cafedisco

@MWoodside that's a terrible thing to have haunt you.  I'm glad you have an understanding OB.

I have been planning to, just need to get off my butt and do it (will have to find a pharmacy that will give it or make a special appt...my midwife can't give it).  

HGRich

@MWoodside I don't blame you at all. I still have things like that that make me wonder too. So glad your OB is on your team. 

catem07

I got mine in October. I think you aren't supposed to get tdap until third tri, but that might be wrong. 

lovelongdog06

I don't plan to get mine, but I do recall a previous thread with the same topic that might yield a lot of additional responses.

beemaya83

I got mine at the start of the second trimester. Did it with my first one too. However, I must add that I  get a weird reaction in my throat hours after getting it. It was some coughing and itchy throat. DH said it was all in my head, but no, I know what I was feeling. 

smallanimal

@MWoodside  I feel you.  Back in january, I got vaccinated for typhoid and tetanus literally one day before I found out I was pregnant.  Two weeks later I lost the baby.  Even if there is no connection, I felt guilty for a very long time.

As for the flu vaccine, everyone gets it here (even though it is ok to decline) so I went for it.  Had an evening of mild side effects but nothing too bad.  Glad I got it done!! 

mdlorenz

Fever in mama is bad news for baby (whether it's from the flu or another bug). I'd strongly encourage getting the vaccine for anyone around small children but *especially* when pregnant. Even when the vaccine isn't perfectly matched to the strains that end up circulating, it should be good enough to reduce the severity of illness if you are exposed to influenza. 

Tdap during pregnancy vs after comes down to whether you want baby to get passive immunity (antibodies) from you (IgG crosses the placenta) or if you just want to maintain herd immunity by reducing your chances of catching and passing it along (postpartum). There's some discussion about baby getting immunity via breastmilk but it's a different antibody type (IgA) that is passed along. 

Both influenza and pertussis are no joke if you or baby catch them (esp baby). Respiratory infections can make littles so sick so quickly. 

chelle087

I got my flu shot and plan on getting TDap as well.

Beckyf321

Thanks for the feedback, ladies!  I was required to get it two years ago during my dietetic internship, but it was the nasal one and I felt crummy for a few days after.  I'll be calling my OB tomorrow.

momtoleo

Just a heads up, if memory serves me correctly (I used to work for the company that makes Flu Mist...the nasal spray), you shouldn't use the nasal "vaccine" if pregnant.

Blueberry85

I got mine back in October - week 15, maybe? Normal side effects afterwards. The pharmacist did give me the preservative-free one when she found out I was pregnant, though I wasn't going to bother asking for it as no one near me had it available when I got it whilst pregnant with DD.

I will also be getting the Tdap later on - I think 28-36 is the ideal time? DH and my mom got their boosters 3 years ago before DD arrived, so they're covered, but I've also asked my brother to get one this time as he works with children and will see this new baby in the early days. Thankfully, he has no problem doing this 

Beckyf321

momtoleo said:

Just a heads up, if memory serves me correctly (I used to work for the company that makes Flu Mist...the nasal spray), you shouldn't use the nasal "vaccine" if pregnant.

Yeah, that I know.  My OB does the actual shot.  Thank you, though!

SnarkasaurusRex

I have an appointment to get my flu shot tomorrow afternoon...I hate how much I've procrastinated! I work in a school and DS is in daycare, so I feel like I have just been dodging bullets all winter long...thankfully there hasn't been much flu activity in our area yet. My OB's office doesn't do them (tiny, tiny practice...one doc and one nurse), or I would have gotten it in November like I usually do. I had the flu once when I was in college and it seriously took me down...I was hospitalized and on IV fluids for almost a week! I have no desire to mess around with that ever again.

I will get TDAP after 27 weeks as recommended per my OBGYN. Just as a heads up, TDAP is one that typically hurts, so if you experience a lot of pain or some minor swelling/bruising at the injection site, just know that that's perfectly normal. A lot of mama's freak out after TDAP (well, at least they did on my old BMB), but that's a pretty normal reaction to it. I think my arm was sore for about a week. DH will also get his TDAP booster at his physical in March (just to be on the safe side), and most of our immediate family got their boosters when DS was born so they should still be covered as well. DS had to be hospitalized for a respiratory virus (not TDAP, they attributed it to out-of-season RSV), and it is so horrible to see little babies struggling to breathe.

Aaand, I'm rambling. Happy Sunday, ladies!

sberries

I got my flu shot in October and had no side effects. I really debated, but figured the OB wouldn't recommend it if it wasn't safe. I'm a little nervous about the TDAP because when I got one in high school I had a reaction including a fever. I'm going to talk to the OB at my appointment on Monday about that to see what he thinks.

Beckyf321

@SnarkasaurusRex, what sucks is I just did the TDap 2 years ago during my internship, too, so I remember clearly how bad it hurt.  I hate that they want me to get it again.  =/

rachelgreene-2

I got the flu shot in November. I had to get the preservative free kind so I couldn't get it at work and had to get it when I saw my midwife. I try to get it every year, since the year that I don't get a shot is the year I get the flu. One year not only did I get the flu but I got pneumonia as a lovely secondary infection. I won't be getting TDap until third trimester. Thankfully my family have all been vaccinated due to my nephew being born about two years ago. I didn't get it since I didn't live with them.

I also found out through a blood test that I am not resistant to the German measles so I will be needing the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) shot. Since it is a live shot my midwife says that I will have to get it after the baby is born, until then I should avoid people showing signs of the measles... great.

SnarkasaurusRex

@Beckyf321 Yea, I kinda hate that it needs to be done every pregnancy. Buuut supposedly the stronger antibodies pass through the placenta (in comparison to the ones that pass through breastmilk), and I had a lot of issues with breastfeeding DS, so I'll go for it. It hurts like a mother, though.

rachelmiller03

I had my flu shot in October. No side effects. I received the d-tap 2 years ago, and other than being sore at the injection site, no other side effects. Plan to have that one done end of January or early February. 

shaunessa

i got my last TDap at the hospital when my son was born 2 years (almost 3 yrs ago).  How often are you supposed to get these?

Magheeta

I got mine in October when I was in the 2nd trimester. When I was pregnant with DS, I got it during the 1st trimester and did not experience any strange side effects - other than a sore arm of course. 

I also got the T-dap when I was pregnant with DS because it had been over 10 years since my last vaccination. If that was the reason I had to get it, I'm guessing I won't have to get it this time around. Don't quote me on that though. Oh, I also made DH and any other family member that would be around DS regularly get the T-dap, too, just to be safe. 

SnarkasaurusRex

@shaunessa It's recommended to get a booster every 10 years. However, it is also recommended during the third trimester of each pregnancy to pass on antibodies for pertussis to the fetus before they're born. Your OB should advise you on what they want you to do.

Blueberry85

shaunessa said:

i got my last TDap at the hospital when my son was born 2 years (almost 3 yrs ago).  How often are you supposed to get these?

Current recommendation is to get the Tdap during every pregnancy between weeks 27-36. That way you pass on the greatest concentration of antibodies.

https://www.cdc.gov/features/tdap-in-pregnancy/

shaunessa

@Blueberry85 & @SnarkasaurusRex

Just read that with EVERY pregnancy it is recommended.  Thanks ladies...good to know!!!  

schef070911

@Blueberry85 @shaunessa @SnarkasaurusRex I had heard every pregnancy too, which stinks because I JUST got the TDap last year after I scratched myself with a rusty nail.  Not sure why they didn't give me a regular tetanus shot but oh well.

Knottie34471835

I did get a flu shot back in the 4th month of pregnancy. I'm glad I got it (haven't gotten sick once yet this fall/winter) but it did make me extremely nauseous for about 48hours following the shot! Ugh... I'm also one of those people that never gets a flu shot so I can't say for sure if that would have happened even if I wasn't pregnant?

pammasu0909

@schef070911 I don't know if there is a plain ole tetanus anymore.  Everyone I know gets TDAP.

SnarkasaurusRex

@schef070911 @pammasu0909 Plain tetanus still exists, but it usually has to be special ordered. I only know because my mom is allergic to the tetanus part of the TDAP shot, and she has to just get the pertussis part (she works for a pulmonologist, so she has to get it pretty regularly to keep her immunity up).