Will you make visitors get the flu or Dtap shot before seeing baby?

nikki912 · November 2013

This stems from an earlier thread and Im wondering if I'm being too anxious or not anxious enough!

christinanoelle · November 2013

It would be very hard to control this. Unless you ask every person to provide you with health records, you can't be sure that they've been vaccinated.

It is our responsibility to keep our baby healthy with factors that we can control. IMO, this is not one of them.

ETA I answered no

ksulli · November 2013

I say neither, however, my ILs will watch baby on Wednesdays and I'll ask them to get tDap, but that's a lot more than a visit. We also won't have anybody stay with us for more than a weekend.

myschlove · November 2013

I wish one if the options was "I'd prefer they get them, but I'm not going to make them"

maelic · November 2013

DTaP only, but that's because April is the real tail end of the flu season.

And only for regular visitors, like in-laws and close family. Friends, well, I'll just ask them to wash their hands before touching baby.

maelic · November 2013

To add, I am a Nazi about it because I got whooping cough as a toddler and it was horrendous and dangerous. Fuck that.

nikki912 · November 2013

We didn't with my son and I was barely even concerned with germs but after reading the earlier post it seems like a lot of people are worried about it. Plus I was reading there are whooping cough outbreaks in my area that would kill an infant. I was interested if I was being negligible. It's a scary thought- but you definitely can't control people and you have to know when to let go. I'm still undecided.

Sarahjess06 · November 2013

I always forget people are like this.... After DS people would come over and say "oh let me wash my hands first" I'm not THAT mom. I never ask people to wash their hands, let alone to get vaccinated.

Nicole Zook · November 2013

Im asking family - my parents and sis, and my MIL, FIL and 2 BILs to make sure that they get the TDaP. But only because they were be spending a lot of time with the baby and have all lived in third world countries for extended periods of time.

nikki912 · November 2013

We will have my mom and my MIL stay for a week each. I definitely am not THAT mom- pacifiers pretty much just went right back in his mouth no matter where they dropped. But hearing about babies dying scared me. I probably need to chill.

nessabeers · November 2013

I won't be telling anyone what to do especially beccause i think it's common sense to either wash and sanitize before holding a newborn. If someone is sick i'd hope they would stay away. I probably won't let my nieces and nephews hold the twins for quite awhile especially if they are in the NICU, just because I feel they are always sick and a breeding ground for germs.

megs3084 · November 2013

I asked my mom to get both, but she doesn't take care if herself. I'd like my in laws and anyone else that will be near them a lot to get them as well. Last flu season lasted longer than expected w Bad cases. Its especially important to me as a nicu nurse knowing they could come earlier than expected.

AcaAwkward · November 2013

I'm a SS -- I asked the grandparents to get flu and TDaP when DD was born in Feb. My mom works with kids and my FIL air travels 5 days a week on business, and all 4 of them were around DD every day for weeks after her birth (including her NICU stay...not that that was anticipated, but I'm extra super glad we insisted for that reason).

I'm not asking about the flu this time since the flu should be on the outs in April - although my parents already get the flu shot yearly. And the TDaP should still be fine since only 2 years have passed.

Pertussis is pretty bad here in TX at the moment, so I wouldn't hesitate to insist again for people like grandparents who will be visiting in your home for a week after birth, etc. But every person who visits? Nah. Ask them to wash their hands and hope they have enough sense not to visit if they're sick.

snmetz7 · November 2013

my dad is anti vaccine (which is news to me since i was vaccinated with everything as a child) and so if i mandated that they get vaccinated, he would never see his grand kids. will i limit exposure during peak flu season? probably but i can't control other people.

joyfullyfound · November 2013

Forcing people to get a vaccine to get to see your baby is sort of crazy. I'd obviously prefer it, but I wouldn't even ask people if they're vaccinated because I don't feel it's any of my business.

Beachgal72 · November 2013

My doctor (who is also an infectious disease specialist and lectures on vaccines, etc) said only those who are spending A LOT of time with the baby need them (i.e. nannies).

Linnea503 · November 2013

I will explain why it is a good idea and say we would appreciate it, but I'm not going to kick them out if they don't. And I do ask people to wash their hands before holding my newborn. I have no problem being that mom

zoopsiedaisy · November 2013

I put tdap but I meant for my close family who will see the baby often and hold her regularly. My mom gets her flu shot annually without fail due to resporatory issues but I don't know about my in-laws.

eireyes · November 2013

My mom has said she's going to get one, so I assume my dad will. My sister probably already has hers updated since she has small children and works in a hospital. Pertussis has been really bad in my area for the past few years, so I'm gratefuly if people offer and go, but I'm not going to guard my door and check my friends. They're responsible adults, and it's their call - I doubt any of them would come over when their sick in the first place!

Pandamom14 · November 2013

Just bc I'm cranky I'm going to nitpick - the shot adults get is tdap not dtap (that's the children's version)

nikki912 · November 2013

Pandamom14 said:
Just bc I'm cranky I'm going to nitpick - the shot adults get is tdap not dtap (that's the children's version)

Whoops- tried to edit it but it won't let me edit poll options.

Rogue237 · November 2013

Grandparents or people that will be around a LOT, I'll ask to get the TDap (I think it's TDap, right? Not Dtap? I dunno), but other people that aren't around as much, I won't.

KatieKim0815 · November 2013

I have no control over visitors and don't think it's any of my busienss if they get the shots. Our immediate family will.

I do heavily enforce the Purel rule. Some family members are annoyed with them. Oh well! If you're touching my baby - you're purelling.

NYJodway · November 2013

I'll be getting the pertussis vaccine late in pregnancy, and my husband will get it at the same time I do. He and I both already have our flu shots.

The only people who will be holding the baby a lot will be my parents and his parents. They'll all already have their flu shots because they're old and that's how they roll. I won't ask them to get the pertussis vaccine because the baby should already be protected and because they don't have a high risk of contracting it, anyway. My parents will be here at the house through their whole visit, and my husband's parents don't really go out much, so they'll mostly be between their home and ours.

snowclouds · November 2013

I don't even make people wash their hands before touching the baby. Also, DS is in daycare so unless I go ask if all the kids and parents are vaccinated there's not much I can do.

NicoleAnne416 · November 2013

Nope. Whether or not people are vaccinated is none of my business, and we aren't vaccine happy around here. To each their own. Sanitize hands is all I ask, and I will definitely say no you cannot hold her if you are sick, and we will not be at a function indoors with sick people. That's my choice, we will go home in that case.

BuggasMom · November 2013

No. But I would hope people wouldn't come over while sick and use their common sense.

I do make people put on sanitizer before holding baby in the first month or two.. I don't know where those filthy hands have been and figure better be safe than sorry.

After the newborn stage passes I chill out.

zoopsiedaisy · November 2013

Keep in mind too that pertussis is bacteria transferred from moisture in the coughing or breath of an infected person. It's not necessarily a hand sanitizer thing. Hand sanitizer helps if they have coughed into their hands but it is airborne. It also looks like you can have it and not know. It's important for main caregivers to be vaccinated.

This is from the mayo clinic...

"Whooping cough is caused by bacteria. When an infected person coughs or sneezes, tiny germ-laden droplets are sprayed into the air and breathed into the lungs of anyone who happens to be nearby."

And this is the CDC...
"Pertussis is a very contagious disease only found in humans and is spread from person to person. People with pertussis usually spread the disease by coughing or sneezing while in close contact with others, who then breathe in the pertussis bacteria. Many infants who get pertussis are infected by older siblings, parents or caregivers who might not even know they have the disease (Bisgard, 2004 & Wendelboe, 2007). Symptoms of pertussis usually develop within 7–10 days after being exposed, but sometimes not for as long as 6 weeks."

snmetz7 · November 2013

I texted my dad this morning and asked if when his son was born (hes 3 now) if he had the tdap. he responded no i dont think so. So I said, oh well its recommended that anyone in close contact with the baby get one "if you can please do if not thats ok too"
. He says "I am always worried about over use of drugs and should avoid any unless necessary. This goes for all of us including my grandchildren"
ok... number 1. i make the decisions for my children not you. 2. its a vaccine which is not medication 3. i understand that your nephew is autistic but i think that has nothing to do with the mmr shot....andplusalso I'm not talking about the mmr i'm talking about TDAP! 4. I was vaccinated and so was my brother (22) and we are perfectly ok so your experiences show that it works!

sorry post hijack I just needed to get that off my chest. my mom on the other hand got her shot when i was pregnant last year. so i guess she will get more baby time :-P

maelic · November 2013

mummyofsix said:

I have to ask the people who are forcing people to get vaccinated: will you leave the house? We never do any house arrest with our newborns, I would go absolutely insane. We are normally at the playground and moms groups etc ASAP. I have to wonder when I hear people demand everyone who comes in contact with baby is vaxxed, will you just cocoon the baby at home?

Of course I'll leave the house, and often, but it makes perfect sense to have the people who will be around LO very often and for long periods of time (like my in-laws) get vaccinated against pertussis.

And I'm not forcing anyone. They have a choice to not hang out with my newborn if they don't want a Tdap booster.

MamaFantastic · November 2013

visitors? no way. i'd feel downright rude asking people to all be vaccinated before seeing my baby.

last night i did call my parents and mention the tdap thing to them. they are going to call their doctors to ask about it.

Significant · November 2013

Neither. I absolutely insist that people wash their hands before handling my newborn. Last time Grandparents and In-laws on my side of the family all wound up getting a horrible stomach virus that incubates for 4 days before having symptoms (that lasted for 3 days) so they didn't know until they had already visited. (This was in late March BTW) I was terrified when they called me to tell me they were sick, but thank goodness they were great hand-washers though because myself, DD and DH were the only ones in the family who didn't get it. As far as vaccines, no... I think hand-washing is good and also, if you choose to breastfeed, it significantly helps your child's immune system if you have the immunities yourself.

snmetz7 · November 2013

@jellysparkles tell me about it. Not to mention the worst side effect for the is a sore arm for a few days.

Significant · November 2013

jellysparkles said:

I texted my dad this morning and asked if when his son was born (hes 3 now) if he had the tdap. he responded no i dont think so. So I said, oh well its recommended that anyone in close contact with the baby get one "if you can please do if not thats ok too"
. He says "I am always worried about over use of drugs and should avoid any unless necessary. This goes for all of us including my grandchildren"
ok... number 1. i make the decisions for my children not you. 2. its a vaccine which is not medication 3. i understand that your nephew is autistic but i think that has nothing to do with the mmr shot....andplusalso I'm not talking about the mmr i'm talking about TDAP! 4. I was vaccinated and so was my brother (22) and we are perfectly ok so your experiences show that it works!

sorry post hijack I just needed to get that off my chest. my mom on the other hand got her shot when i was pregnant last year. so i guess she will get more baby time :-P
Kiddo'll have a lot more medications if they get whooping cough.

Not trying to be snarky here, just curious... As far as I know baby/(people in general) only gets an antibiotic if they catch whooping cough before the cough is full blown (like within the first 5 days when they are experiencing flu-like symptoms) and then an occasional nebulizer if they have wheezing. If you don't realize it until they have the full blown cough then antibiotics are useless and you really just have to wait it out besides nebulizing to help with their airway. Is there something else?

snowbound · November 2013

I politely suggested that my MIL talk with her doctor about getting the vaccine. I didn't want to seem pushy but I let her know it was on my mind and recommended by the pharmacist. She would take the doctors advice over mine any day.

Rrrrrachel · November 2013

I remember reading that the vast majority of the time when a kid catches pertussis it's from their parents, usually the mom. So husband and I will be sure to get vaccinated (actually I guess husband is still good from last time, so just I will) but I won't worry much about everyone else. It would probably take a lot of convincing to get my mom to do it, anyway. She's not anti vax, exactly, but she barely ever goes to the doctor.

SeattleMomma · November 2013

I'm making my bf and mother get the whooping cough shot.

J&NL · November 2013

No. That's silly, IMO. Hand sanitizer if anything.

nikki912 · November 2013

Yeah didn't think about the different interpretation of the word. Should have been more clear. I was thinking about guests who would stay at the house with the newborn for more than a day or so. I think asking day visitors to get a shot is pretty ridiculous. I think I'll mention it to my mIL and my mom since they will be here for a week each.

pannk · November 2013

We've asked both of our parents to get TDaP but not sure if they will.

Reading that PP about how whooping cough is spread through air and not necessarily by touch actually makes me want to push it more. They will all be flying here and who knows what kinds of gunk they could catch from the plane/airport.

I am a super not-germaphobe. I'll just hope none of our friends will visit if they are sick. Hand wash or purell maybe? Depends on how mama-bear I get after the birth

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