Going to a wedding flu season

minervacullen

My step-cousin is getting married next weekend. When we got the invite I RSVP'd that we would go and personally talked to the bride about bringing a nb since I am breastfeeding. She will be 3w5d on the day of the wedding and to be honest I am freaking out about the flu. It is everywhere and my pediatrician has made me even more paranoid (I'm neurotic as it is about this stuff) about LO getting sick. He told me not to go to church, family functions...., because influenza is so bad right now. I get it, but my step-moms family think I am ridiculous. I thought that if I wore DD in my moby that we could just avoid person to person contact, but now DH says we should just not go. DD and I are staying home tomorrow while DH and DS go to church and then an extended family Christmas, I know some people will think we are crazy about that too. But come on, if she gets sick she's pretty much guaranteed a hospital stay or worse. What would you do?

LittleFish1

DH almost had us skip out on his family Christmas with LO being exactly 2 weeks old. To me that was a need to go if possible, we didn't stay long and there were some other circumstances that made it a must go ij my mind; a wedding is a different story not necessary and would be more challenging to control environment and would last a lot longer. Personally, I would stay home.

kimski

Honestly I don't understand living like a hermit with a newborn. Not that I want her to catch anything but considering when we're out she's in her carrier covered by a blanket 95% of time- We avoid letting people hold her that are sick. Now if she had an abnormal immune system i may think differently. This is the second child I've had through flu season and did the same with the first if we wanted to go out we did and if we didn't we didn't.

4910bride

I don't blame you one bit. This LO was 2.5 weeks old during Christmas festivities and we only went to two family functions and made sure everyone who saw/touched/held him were healthy and washed their hands. Yet he still wound up with RSV and in children's hospital for three days of antibiotics.. I'm neurotic now about everything, so I don't blame you.

Notwifezilla7

What's the current flu situation like in your direct area? Do you know any friends/family members who have it currently or in the recent past?

For us in the greater Philly area, I haven't really heard too much about the flu here, so in the situation you described, I'd probably go w/the idea that no one would touch/hold the LO.

Now if it's more prevelant, than I'd skip the wedding. Sucks, yes, but a sick baby sucks more.  

coolhandjade

I think you're safe to go if you want to go. Baby has all your immunities if you're breastfeeding. Did you get a flu shot while pregnant? Just don't let anyone hold her or only let trusted people hold her after they wash their hands. People are more understanding than you'd think. If you really don't want to go, that's understandable too.

minervacullen

I know several people who have the flu right now. I did get the vaccine while pregnant, but the strain that's been really bad around here is A, not the ones that were in the shot. Thank you for all of your advice, it really helps.

Emerson2007

I would use the "I just had a newborn and I am still recovering card" First off, flu is very bad here, or it was a couple of weeks ago, 2nd, the shot didn't really work this year. It may help lessen the severity, but a different strain is going around not in the shot. 3rd, all it takes is a cough or a sneeze 6 feet away. So, even if your baby doesn't get sick, you might and then pass it on. At the very least, you could just go to the ceremony, not the reception and stay towards the back away from people. Personally, I wouldn't go. Not worth the risk IMO, unless you live in a state where it isn't too bad right now. They did just approve Tamiflu for infants, but my pedi says a side effect is bad diarhea which can dehydrate them.