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Whooping Cough vaccine ?
I have been following several of the vaccine threads that have been popping up lately on my tri and BMB. Apparently, now whooping cough is making a comeback and a serious threat to small babies?
I know I haven't had any vaccines in years and years. Should I get the pertussis vaccination? Is that something you have to do before or after delivery? Since I'm planning on delivering at home with a midwife, when would I get this vaccination? And I'm sure the baby can't have the vaccination for awhile, right? I forget when. I know I've done this twice before, but I can't remember.
Also, my two older children who are 5 and 3 and have had all the normal vaccinations except flu shots - they should be current on pertussis, right?
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Re: Whooping Cough vaccine ?
Your kids, yes. You may have gotten it with your last one. You should ask. I think they started pushing it about 2 years ago. The reason to get it:
Pertussis mortality in NB's is 90%. In infants under 1, 80%. In 2010, there were 29 deaths related to pertussis, and all but six were infants. I don't have a lot of soap boxes, but THIS is one of them, along with SIDS.
Adults are often asymptomatic. and can pass it to kids without knowing. But, kids need the vaccine, too. If hers are current on their vaccines, they've got it. They just can't have the TDAP vaccine until 1yr.
I know I didn't get it with my last delivery three years ago, which was in a hospital. So this time I should get it before or after I deliver? Probably after right? I guess I would be concerned that even the vaccine can cause illness, but I can talk to my MD about that. Should my husband and father-in-law get it too (FIL lives with us)?
We asked grandparents to also get the pertussis vaccination. I absolutely would have your husband and FIL get it. Basically, anybody that we knew would be in close contact with/holding our NB before his 2 month shots got the vaccine.
ETA: different OB's have different protocols for giving the vaccine to pregnant women, so I would talk to your doctor. But your husband, FIL, etc can all easily get the vaccine at Rite-Aid or Walgreens for like $20, if not easily at their own doctor's offices.
I've heard that a lot of pregnant women are getting it in their 3rd trimester. I'll be asking my MW if she recommends it or not. My DS is vaccinated but my DH and I have not been. I would talk to your MW or OB about their thoughts, any potential side effects, recommendations, etc.
I think it's a little much to ask anybody that will come into contact with your NB to get it but I can understand people doing it that way. We flew across country with DS at 6 weeks and 8 weeks so maybe I'm just more lax than others. Plus, I can't imagine all of my IL's going out and getting vaccinated. They thought I was ridiculous for not allowing them to hold DS after smoking without changing clothes and washing hands and face or even just asking them to wash their hands first.
I read it was safe in the third tri, and that some of the antibodies will actually cross the placenta into baby. However, my OB prefers to wait until after delivery. Since I'm a boob juice mama, I know he'll still get the anitbodies from me.
Anyone who has close contact with Baby should get the shot. My parents, sister and BIL had theirs when my nephew was born. My daughter and I lived in Tulsa at the time. My daughter is current because of school. If JF wants to see Alien, he'll be getting the shot, too, along with his latest soul mate.
My doctor had me get it a month before my IVF, otherwise they said I would get it after giving birth. DH will be getting his this week.
I had a homebirth and DH and I both got it at Carly's first pedi apt. at 5 days PP. We had to pay $50 a pop, but it was worth it to not have to make separate apts. with our primaries.
Lily is already vaccinated since she is on the normal schedule.
It just seemed like a no brainer to me. ::shrugs::
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I got it after I delivered in hosptial;DH and the grandparents chose to get it before I gave birth. I didn't have to bully or insist - it turns out that as adults, they all wanted to do the sane thing to keep Owen safe from a deadly disease. Plus, they all were pretty much due for a tetanus booster anyway.
As for "vaccine injury"... sure, a rare child will react. A rare unvaccinated child will die. I know which risk I'd rather take.
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You should probably get the TDP booster (I would vote for right after you give birth), but I think a lot of people think getting a vaccine gives them total immunity from diseases, and it doesn't. I get so p*ssed when people say things like, "My doctor said I can't get or spread pertussis because I am vaccinated!" because their doctors were not telling the truth, and they totally bought it. Even if you get the shot and everyone in your home has it, you should be very careful about where you go and where you take your newborn. I should know--I was one of those people who believed vaccines were some amazing miracle cure...up until I got pertussis. Since I was initially told it was "impossible" that it was pertussis since I was vaccinated, and that it was probably just bad seasonal allergies, I went ahead and went to a children's birthday party and infected some kids. I also went to the mall (shopping for the birthday present) and probably infected who knows how many people there before it got so bad that it was clearly not allergies. When I found out the truth, I was shocked, angry, and felt like a real @sshole. There are a lot of people walking around thinking that it is impossible for them to get your kid sick because they are vaccinated.
You can get the TDP vaccine at most doctor offices. Sometimes chain pharmacies like Walgreen's and CVS also offer them.
Also the reason I recommend after birth and not during pregnancy is because the official sources have been going back and forth for years over whether or not it's a good idea to get while pregnant. Whenever there is disagreement or frequent change in medical opinion like that, I think it best to err on the side of caution. There is also some data that suggests having it while pregnant can make the vaccine less effective when your child gets it later.
Thanks all! We may have to make a special trip to our family doctor after the birth. I'll definitely have my husband and FIL get it before.
Eleanor reacted one year to the flu vaccine, so I don't get that for the kids anymore, but neither of my kids have ever reacted to anything else.
Since pertussis seems to be very dangerous, I like to err on the side of caution also and make sure I do all I can to protect my newborn from it.
This will be a first homebirth for me, and can you tell I'm a little anxious about all the details?
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You're not really acknowledging that whooping cough is also dangerous, though. It's not a decision where one side is safe and one side is not (like using a car seat), it's a balance of two risks. I'm sorry you had such a terrible experience. That really is rough. That doesn't mean for one single second I'll consider not vaccinating my own child.
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Of course not. I think it's ok for people who have suffered through vaccine injuries to voice their opinions, experiences and the very real risks to vaccination many choose not to see. Yes, whooping cough is a serious illness. I acknowledge that. I'll also be honest and say that I'd have happily taken whooping cough any day of the week vs. watching my son become brain damaged, self injure, scream 10 plus hours a day, be unable to walk or talk or even move for more than 15 minutes a day. And those things are only a drop in the bucket. He's not alone, the risks and injuries are real. I was VERY pro-vaccine before his injury. His story or experience won't change your mind, that's ok. It doesn't change the fact that there are very real risks, on both sides.
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