LGBT Parenting

Flu Shot, or Not...

Good morning!
So... At our next mw appointment, I am going to have to decide on whether to get the flu shot or not. I CERTAINLY don't want to start a full out vaccine discussion.... But I wanted other people's experience of getting the shot/not getting the shot. Why did you choose either way for your self/situation? What was the outcome?

Baby Hayden Frances born 12/20/14 at 11:11 a.m...  Our perfect little miracle.  Here's how we got here:

My lovely wife:

5 IUI's January 2013-June 2013- 3 Cycles with Clomid- BFN

 

Myself: Genderqueer guy who hopped in the driver's seat of the baby making train

IUI #6- 7/23- Monitored and Trigger on Day 12, with one 16mm follicle and one 18mm follicle- BFN

IUI #7- 8/21- Not monitored, 50mg Clomid- BFN

September and October: Missed Cycles due to vacation and a Half Marathon

IUI #8- Monitored and triggered on day 15, with one 23x18mm follicle- BFN on 11/19/2013

December:  Moved onto to see an RE to make a good plan.

IUI #9- 1/1/2014 Natural Cycle, BFP on 1/15/2014,  6W Ultra-Sound Reveals nothing in Gestation Sack... Natural M/C at 7W, 2/3/2014

IUI #10 3/21/2014- Natural Cycle- BFP on 4/1/2014 (please don't be an April Fools.  Beta #1 13dpiui- 48, Beta #2 16dpiui- 416, Beta #3 1018...

1st Ultrasound- 4/22/2014- 6w4d HB- 134!

Check out my Blog at: http://pregnantboithinksoutloud.blogspot.com/ 

Re: Flu Shot, or Not...

  • I work in a hospital and it is mandatory to get a flu shot...so that takes care of that. But yes, we get the kids (and DP) flu shots every year. No, you can't get the flu from the shot and yes, people die from the flu and associated complications so it is a no-brainer for us. :)
    Lilypie Kids Birthday tickers
  • I got the flu shot while I was pregnant last year. I was still in the first tri -- I think 8 or 10 weeks along when I got it. It was recommended by my OB, and I asked the nurse before she administered it about my being pregnant, and she agreed it was a good idea. I have been told there is no risk to the baby, and it is good because it not only protects you from getting the flu, but also the baby. Since you are having a baby in the middle of cold and flu season, I would say it is probably a great idea if you are comfy with it. You have to do what feels right for you, but I have heard of no risks, and I had it and all is well for us! :)

    Me - 30, My wife - 31 , Together for 10 yrs - Married August 2012

    5 medicated IUIs w/ RE (March - July 2013) = BFN

    Fresh IVF Cycle in September 2013 resulted in 18 mature eggs, 16 fertilized, 12 made it to day 5. Transfer of 2 Grade A blastocysts on 9/15/13, and 10 embryos in the freezer!      *****BFP on 9/25/13 - betas: @10dp5dt = 232; @12dp5dt = 465; @15dp5dt = 1,581   *********William George born June 4, 2014*********
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  • I work with the general public so my employer provides free flu shots to all employees every ear.  I have never had a negative reaction to the shot.  Also getting the flu while pregnant is more dangerous for both mother and baby from what I have heard so it is safer to just get vaccinated even if this is the only time you ever do it.  I am dealing with convincing R to get vaccinated because she thinks she is too tough to get the flu yet in my opinion this is the one time it simply isn't worth the risk.

    Me: 30  DP: 30

    TTC#1

    IUI#1 9/26/13 BFN

    IUI#2 10/26/13 BFP beta #1 99 #2 456

    2/20/2014 Brynlee Madeline is taken too soon at 19weeks she was perfect

    IUI#3 6/10/14 BFP beta #1 276 beta #2 722 20w A/S shows we are having a girl

     

     

     

  • This supposed to be one of the worst years in recent history for the flu. There are very few risks associated with the shot and a ton of risk associated with the flu, especially if you spread the flu to the baby after it is born. I would get the shot and have everyone in my family get the shot. 

    I consulted for a hospital two years ago that had so many flu cases coming into their ER that they ended up needing to put up tents outside to triage people. I am honestly much more worried about the flu than Ebola. 
    Same-sex couple- In love with my awesome wife, A, since 2007
    Our son M was born 6.2013 

    M was conceived via IVF using donor sperm and my wife's eggs. My wife carried. 

    Now I am starting my second FET with embryos from A's IVF cycle...this is our last shot.

    ET 9/15- BFN

  • DW and I got the flu shot while I was on hospital bed rest before the baby came. We also got the Tdap shot. I think I had the Tdap shot after the baby was born, but my timing is all kind of a blur from the week I was in the hospital. DW had to get both her flu and tdap at walgreens. Since I was a patient of the hospital at the time, I was able to get it there. 
  • I usually get one due to having Grave's, but until now haven't thought about it this year.  Thanks for the reminder.  :)
    "S15 January Siggy Challange - Happy Dance"
    Jimmy Fallon Dance

    Married: 10/4/2013
    TTC Since September 2014
    BFP 11/30/2014 ~ EDD 8/13/2015 ~ CP 12/5/2014
    BFP #2 12/30/2014 ~ EDD 9/13/2015 Stick bean stick!
  • When I was pregnant with Averie last fall/winter I did not get my flu shot only for the simple reason I have never gotten it and I felt like my immune system does such a kick ass job by its self and I didn't want to risk making it less effective. We did however get Addy hers and Heather was required to get it due to work. Knock on wood I have never had the flu except the 24 hr stomach flu last yr.I will not be getting it this yr either. No I'm not anti-shots I just don't like the idea of the flu shot for me personally.
  • ATXmommasATXmommas member
    edited October 2014
    I got one while pregnant and just got mine for this year a couple weeks ago. I agree with PPs that the risk of contracting the flu while pregnant or passing it to baby are much greater than the shot. And I've had no adverse reactiona to the shot.
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
  • I had no reaction to the flu shot either! In fact, it was much preferable to the TDap (huge sore bump on my arm for a week!). 

    I work with small children, so I figure the benefit for me outweighs any risk associated with the short. Plus, I'll admit, the flu scares me! 

    The flu shot was the right choice, for me. :) 
    Daisypath Anniversary tickers


    BabyFruit Ticker
  • I didn't get the flu shot while I was pregnant. As soon as I didn't live with my little niece anymore, I never got sick anymore. I don't work with other people really, so I wasn't too worried about getting the flu. I wasn't opposed to getting it and probably would have if my stepmom didn't get so sick right when I got pregnant and we were just consumed with everything going on with her and our family. If I did it again, I'd get the vaccine. 


    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
  • 100% Team Flu Shot.

    The risks of getting the flu are grave.  Fever can cause brain damage to your baby, and with a suppressed immune system the flu could morph into pneumonia and potentially be fatal to both the mother and the baby.

    The shot itself causes your arm to be sore for a day or so but otherwise there are no side effects.

    To me, the choice was simple.

  • Also 100% flu shot.

    Got it while I was pregnant, no problems. I didn't want my December baby to get sick from me, for sure! My son got it as an infant and this year as a toddler, as did I. The last time I didn't get the flu shot I got very sick and missed a week of work. I can't imagine being that sick while pregnant or with a baby. 

    Babies die from the flu. As others have mentioned, the risks of getting the flu far outweigh the risks of getting the shot. 
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
  • DW wanted to ask the OB so we did, and she said YES YES YES, get it. 

    However.... I am just avoiding it until it's too late and then not getting it, because:

    1) I dont get sick often, and when i do it's not as bad as most

    2) I will pass out when i get the shot-- although I have prepared myself very well and not passed out during any blood tests, etc from RE or OB, the last time I passed out was when I got a shot of steroid for poison ivy.  And it was mental but this would be too.  That's who I am and I can't get rid of this (neither can the cardiologist or neurologist). 

    Married 9~20~13
    L- 34 M- 29
    First IUI (L) 5/27/2014 triggered- BFP
    Singleton due 2/17/15


    ... cantAloupe ... 
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  • edited October 2014
    100% flu shot.my MFM joked she'd block the door if I didn't. Her reasoning resonated with me: "If you get a severe strain of the flu, we will treat you to save your life, but that treatment will hurt the baby and could be fatal to her." I cheerfully rolled up my sleeve for the shot. And I just got this year's shot at my postpartum visit last week.
    Lil'mamaz was born on Aug 21, 2014! She's PERFECT!

    It's been a long road to here...
    Me (43) and J (45) - same sex couple. And we don't feel 40+!
    June'12 - First RE Visit
    Sept. '12 - Tubes removed
    Dec. '12 - Donor Egg/Donor Sperm IVF Cycle - 4 good embies!
    Dec. '12 - Fresh transfer, BFP! EDD 8/29/13
    Mar. '13 - Missed m/c at 16w1d, baby boy stopped growing at 15w4d
    Loss due to umbilical cord clot...baby was perfect. :(
    Jul '13 - FET#1 - c/p
    Sept. '13 - FET#2 - BFN
    Dec.' 2, 2013 - FET#3 with our last chance embie - BFP!!!
    Dec' 26, 2013 - hb!!
    EDD 8/20/14 with a baby girl!
    Little S was born on 8/21/14 - 8lb, 14 oz and 20 inches long.
    We live in Seattle and used SRM for our donor egg IVF cycle


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  • @mrs&mrsk, I don't know the details of your condition, but I would personally feel that the risk of passing out would be nothing compared to the risk of losing my baby to a disease I could have prevented. Pregnancy weakens your immunity -- just because you don't normally get sick does not mean you won't while pregnant.
    Married my wife 8/2007 ~ TTC #1 since 7/2011
    9 IUIs = 9 BFNs
    IVF October 2012: 22 eggs retrieved, 17 fertilized, 5 frozen
    ET #1: 1 blast = BFP; Blighted ovum discovered at 7w5d; D&E
    FET #1: 1 blast = BFP; Missed m/c discovered at 9w5d; D&E
    Karyotyping: normal ~ RPL Testing: normal ~ Hysteroscopy: normal
    FET #2: 1 blast transferred 10/25; BFP 10/31!
    EDD 7/13/14 ~ Induced at 37w4d due to pre-eclampsia ~ Born on 6/28/14
    *Everyone welcome*

    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
  • I did not get the flu vaccine while pregnant or any other year, for the last 10 years.  I could be a coincidence but the only year I got a flu shot I got so sick I ended up in the hospital.  I stay at home and our kids will not be in day care, so their exposure if more limited than some.
    T & G My wife and I married 9/10/11 in Niagara Falls, NY
    HSG 12/12/12        
    #1 ICI 12/15/12              BFN on 12/29/12
    #2 ICI  1/11/13                BFN 1/28/13                       
    #3 ICI 2/11/13                 BFN
                   
    #4 ICI August 2013,  Clomid 100mg    BFN on 8/30/13 
    #5 ICI September-Clomid 100,  mg ICI 8/15 and 8/16,  BFN on 9/3
    #6 ICI October-Clomid 150 mg for 5 days   BFN 10/27
    uterine laparoscopy on 11/14-no endo or cysts
    #7 IUI December-Clomid 150mg    BFP 12/21
    12/23 Beta 51     12/26 Beta 209!
    First ultrasound on January 8th 2014-great healthy heartbeat
    Second Ultrasound January 23 (8 weeks) we got to see and hear the heartbeat
    Third Ultrasound Feb 4th(10 weeks), then will  released to OBGYN'
    It's a GIRL!
    We welcomed Adalyn Cooper Elizabeth on 8/29/14
    She was 7lbs 11oz and 19.6 inches long

    Proud foster parents to two little girls ages 2.5 yrs old, M,  and 1 year old, K



  • I haven't gotten the flu shot in years past but I'm getting it this year. Our nephew is due mid-November in prime flu season. I really don't like shots but it's worth it :-)
  • Thinking about it.

    I have a very strong immune system. I have never had the flu and, aside from the pregnancy snuffles, I've only had colds during the summer months since I was a little girl. I've only been physically sick once since I was 15 (and that was food poisoning, not a bug)

    Needles don't scare me.  The flu shot, however does.

    Nonetheless, we are still considering the flu shot.  Protecting our baby is of the utmost importance.

  • mrs&mrskmrs&mrsk member
    edited October 2014

    @mrs&mrsk, I don't know the details of your condition, but I would personally feel that the risk of passing out would be nothing compared to the risk of losing my baby to a disease I could have prevented. Pregnancy weakens your immunity -- just because you don't normally get sick does not mean you won't while pregnant.
    I wouldn't be so worried about passing out if ANY doctor actually listened to me when I explained it and did the "right" thing to prevent me passing out.  However, they all think they know best.   Basically, passing out for me isn't just 30 seconds.  Over the years, it has come to the point where it spans over a few minutes (one Dr said 10, not sure how accurate that was) where i lose muscle control completely and start shaking in a seizure like manner where actual DOCTORS have said i was having a grand mal (sp?) seizure -- which wasn't actually valid...   Either way the length and severity cannot be good for a fetus :(
    Married 9~20~13
    L- 34 M- 29
    First IUI (L) 5/27/2014 triggered- BFP
    Singleton due 2/17/15


    ... cantAloupe ... 
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  • @valeriegp How old was your son when he got the flu shot for the first time? Averie is 3 months and the doctor told me she is too young to get it this flu season. So I'm just curious if maybe my doctor is just iffy about babies that young getting it and would prefer to wait till she is older.
  • @valeriegp How old was your son when he got the flu shot for the first time? Averie is 3 months and the doctor told me she is too young to get it this flu season. So I'm just curious if maybe my doctor is just iffy about babies that young getting it and would prefer to wait till she is older.

    Hope you don't mind my jumping in!

    I think the standard is 6 months for an infant to get the flu shot. That is what I had read, and I asked our pedi at our 4 month visit, and she agreed. Will is going to get his flu shot at his 6 month check-up.

    Me - 30, My wife - 31 , Together for 10 yrs - Married August 2012

    5 medicated IUIs w/ RE (March - July 2013) = BFN

    Fresh IVF Cycle in September 2013 resulted in 18 mature eggs, 16 fertilized, 12 made it to day 5. Transfer of 2 Grade A blastocysts on 9/15/13, and 10 embryos in the freezer!      *****BFP on 9/25/13 - betas: @10dp5dt = 232; @12dp5dt = 465; @15dp5dt = 1,581   *********William George born June 4, 2014*********
  • Ash had a series of two flu shots one month apart at 9 and 10 months.
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
  • Yikes, @mrs&mrsk, that is intense.  It sucks that you haven't found doctors to be sympathetic/helpful when dealing with your condition!  Is there a plan in place for L&D?  I would think there could be issues if you need an IV, epidural, etc?
    Married my wife 8/2007 ~ TTC #1 since 7/2011
    9 IUIs = 9 BFNs
    IVF October 2012: 22 eggs retrieved, 17 fertilized, 5 frozen
    ET #1: 1 blast = BFP; Blighted ovum discovered at 7w5d; D&E
    FET #1: 1 blast = BFP; Missed m/c discovered at 9w5d; D&E
    Karyotyping: normal ~ RPL Testing: normal ~ Hysteroscopy: normal
    FET #2: 1 blast transferred 10/25; BFP 10/31!
    EDD 7/13/14 ~ Induced at 37w4d due to pre-eclampsia ~ Born on 6/28/14
    *Everyone welcome*

    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
  • Yikes, @mrs&mrsk, that is intense.  It sucks that you haven't found doctors to be sympathetic/helpful when dealing with your condition!  Is there a plan in place for L&D?  I would think there could be issues if you need an IV, epidural, etc?
    I am taking Hypnobabies because I believe that it is made worse by my thoughts- sort of like anxiety.   We start Nov 8.  From there, I will decide about the epidural plan. The IV does scare me but the hypnobabies teacher actually tried hypnobabies (way back when) because of the IV too, so hopefully she has some good insight. 
    My old gyno actually had vasovagul too (not as bad as me) and I had passed out in her office once, so I would have preferred to stick with her but she was an hour away from where i now live, and her associated hospital was a little further :(  So, I found a new OB who seems to "get" it and I really like her.   
    My other issue with doctors was that since I rarely get sick, when my old Dr retired I never found a new one- so I went to a local urgent care and they didnt listen too well!  That was dumb on my part :( 
    My mom and my sister have vasovagul too, but my mom hasn't passed out since her teenage  years and my sister passes out like a "normal" person.  I dont know why I am so bad! :(  But, my mom got through having twins so I am thinking I will be ok. 
    POSITIVE THOUGHTS ! lol 

    Married 9~20~13
    L- 34 M- 29
    First IUI (L) 5/27/2014 triggered- BFP
    Singleton due 2/17/15


    ... cantAloupe ... 
    BabyFruit Ticker


    image
  • Married my wife 8/2007 ~ TTC #1 since 7/2011
    9 IUIs = 9 BFNs
    IVF October 2012: 22 eggs retrieved, 17 fertilized, 5 frozen
    ET #1: 1 blast = BFP; Blighted ovum discovered at 7w5d; D&E
    FET #1: 1 blast = BFP; Missed m/c discovered at 9w5d; D&E
    Karyotyping: normal ~ RPL Testing: normal ~ Hysteroscopy: normal
    FET #2: 1 blast transferred 10/25; BFP 10/31!
    EDD 7/13/14 ~ Induced at 37w4d due to pre-eclampsia ~ Born on 6/28/14
    *Everyone welcome*

    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
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