Keeping Baby Home Til Vaccinated?

hidingangel82 · August 2014

Ok, so DH dropped the bombshell that if he has to get whooping cough & flu vaccine for the baby, as will my parents who live in town, then we shouldn't allow ANYone without this vaccines come into contact with LO until he gets his vaccines. No friends, extended family, coworker visits, or even grocery store...
Ugh, I'm going to be home for 8 solid weeks, aline during the day, and can't take our son anywhere til after the new year? I don't get to show him off at all? Idontthinkso.
I mean, common sense says don't take him to the movies or crazy busy places especially before his shots, but now DH is turning into a germ-phob... or am I being a crappy mother for considering exposing my baby to potential harm?
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Also, when *will* he get his shots?
Really appreciate any thoughts & suggestions!

crizz13 · August 2014

I don't know the answer about when he will be getting his shots.... But I think the point of pregnant women getting the tdap in the 3rd trimester is that the immunization transfers to the baby...

ETA: I know that babies still get three rounds of dtap after they are born, but my doctor said that some of the antibodies will transfer to the baby and offer a little protection early on.

hidingangel82 · August 2014

@crizz13‌ excellent point! And I'm getting that shot tomorrow.
Thanks!

clumsyatheart · August 2014

I'm a fan of not putting baby in a bubble, but i understand the trepidation here. You do still need to go out, and it's nearly impossible to not expose baby to something. I have nothing to really add here except that you do still need to live your life, just be cautious?

Ngl, i'm terrified of unvaccinated children coming into contact with baby, my mom (she has lupus and her immune system is screwed), or me, so totally get it. Gah let's just try not to think about all the germs :-S

Kristy774 · August 2014

We will be leaving the house but not every day. And I will wear him whenever I am out.

jac409 · August 2014

I agree with PP. Just baby wear or keep the baby in the infant carrier with a blanket over top. If I had to hole up in my house for 8 weeks, I would lose my mind!

KTgator · August 2014

We pretty much stayed close to home with dd for the first 8 weeks, but we are both teachers and wanted to keep her away from all tre nasty back to school germs (she was born in the summer) and there was a huge stomach bug going around at the time. My hubby would shower after he got home from work just to hold her.

I also second babywearing-- it will keep people's grubby hands away from baby. Also-- bfing really helps with immunity-- ESP the colostrum in those first early days. My daughter never got a cold/ sick until after the age of 2 when she started school for the first time. Yay for bfing!

abbyful · August 2014

Yeah his expectations are a bit ridiculous. Just keep baby close to you and away from germy strangers.

DS goes to daycare, now THAT is a petri-dish of disease! (But at least the kids and teachers are all vaccinated.)

ElinJ · August 2014

Ehhh… I think he's overdoing it. I think as long as you limit close contact/touching, and are super diligent about hand washing (maybe even attach a bottle of hand sanitizer to your baby carrier?), you'll be fine. I wouldn't pass the baby around in church or anything… but I sure as hell won't be locked up at home!

Not gonna lie though. Very much glad this baby gives us an excuse NOT go to around to our extended families for Thanksgiving. May even try to get out of Christmas. By extended I don't mean our parents & siblings, I mean our aunts, uncles, grandparents, tons of cousins, and all their germs kids. His family especially has a TON of kids age 3-10. Don't want to risk this baby getting RSV. My son's first Christmas when he was 6 months old, my cousin's toddler daughter got RSV the DAY after our family get-together. I was so scared my son would get it too! Luckily he did not.

mb314 · August 2014

I agree with others - just keep your LO close to you, like in a carrier/wrap, when out and about. There's not need to be a hermit for 8 weeks. You'll go bonkers! With DS1, I even dropped him off at the Y daycare at 6 or 7 weeks before he had shots because I needed to get out! Many people send their kids to daycare at 6 weeks, so it is common to have your baby out of the house earlier than the first round of shots. Breastfeeding will help give your LO some immunity. Use common sense, and keep him away from people who are visibly sick.

We're flying for Christmas, which makes me a little nervous because planes are germ factories. But I'll just wash my hands a ton and keep DS2 in the wrap the whole time.

Maelara · August 2014

I have a toddler, there is no way I can just stay home! We will be out and about quite often. Only if there is an outbreak will we stay home. We routinely get whooping cough and measles outbreaks here so if that happens this year again I will be more cautious but I can't not go grocery shopping or visit family, I'd to insane for one, and malnourished for another

momtojad · August 2014

We left on day 2. He got his first round at like 8 weeks. I would definitely be depressed if we stayed home. We also went to the movies for mommy and me matinees and i didnt think twice. Even the inital shots arent an end all and be all because most of them reach their full potency after multiple doses.

mrsodonnell12 · August 2014

We stayed home with Kendall and severely limited visitors until she was about 6 weeks old. It was January in the middle of one of the worst influenza/RSV seasons.

I hope we don't have to do that this time....

montella1064 · August 2014

Unfortunately this baby will be leaving the house...even within the first couple weeks. DS just started Kindergarten and DH works in fire rescue so his schedule is 24 hours on/48 off. The days we works I will have no choice but to bring the new baby into the school to pick up DS.

dr_pr · August 2014

I'm late replying here.

I think of going out in public like walking your dog. You don't expect all other dogs to be vaccinated, so if yours isn't, you just make sure it's not getting too friendly with any other dogs (for a baby that means baby wearing or keeping an eye on people who come too close to your stroller or car seat).

Having people visit you is like going to the dog park. Again, not all are vaccinated, but you trust the other owners to keep their dogs home if they're sick.

Having overnight guests is like boarding your dog. Rules are that everyone is vaccinated. And that includes parents and anyone else who expects to cuddle baby for a long time.

Dumbgurl04 · August 2014

Well you can tell your Hubby that if he wants the LO to stay inside until his shots then when he gets home from work he can baby sit while you get some time out of the house. Sure you don't want go out all the time but to stay inside a FULL 8 WEEKS seems a little extreme.

hidingangel82 · August 2014

Thank you all so much! I am glad to hear that I'm not already failing as a mom, hahaha! I agree with all of you, my vaccinations plus bf'ing start him off well, and there's another reason for me to splurge on the k'tan carrier I want

I go crazy spending a long weekend at home, and have been looking forward to occasional visits to coworkers, friends, and family during maternity leave.
Can't wait to see what the rest of this journey brings to us all, and i love you all for your support!

Keeping Baby Home Til Vaccinated?

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