There's a breakout of whooping cough around where I live due to anti vaxxers, putting newborns and children who cannot be vaccinated at serious risk. Irresponsible and they should not be allowed to have their children in public school ...in my opinion. If it's known for shedding (which I do not know of) if people aren't already vaccinated don't have them around your baby.
My SIL tried to tell everyone that they had to get it before seeing there baby. Turned out nobody but her DH got it therefore she got real pissy when she had no one to help her after birth, no visitors in such a joyous time. She changed her tune real quick and we all got to visit 2 days later.
EDIT: Whoops forgot to give my own opinion. No i will not require friends and family to get it.
I agree with @skruhmin -you (and anyone) should do their own research. Even if you just visit the CDC site you can make opinions both ways (for and against). For the record though, all 5 of my children are healthy and weren't sick as children and I didn't make my family members get any shots before being around the babies. As for the "anti-vaxxers" comment- just do actual research before pointing fingers.
March '16 December Siggy Challenge - Favorite Christmas Movies/Quotes
I'm not having visitors get the shot before they come visit the baby. I've never required this for my other children(3) as well and mine were also all healthy. When my first one was born the shot didn't exist even. I'm not against vaccines. I also don't believe it's healthy for us to keep injecting ourselves with everything new that comes out.
1) I caught whopping cough when I was 6 weeks old. My 3.5 weeks premature lungs did not enjoy the virus. I'm quite fortunate I lived even though I was in the hospital for a month. Thank goodness for Canadian free health care or my parents would have been bankrupt - the first 10 weeks of my life I spent 6 of them in PICU. Having said that there was an outbreak of whopping cough at the time (don't forget this is the early 80s) and my Mom brought me in my little baby carrier to her sister's elementary school play.
2) Because of this my hubby and I researched the heck out of vaccines and whether care givers should be vaccinated. We're not ones to type in stuff to google - hubby is 6 months from finishing his PhD (in physics, not microbio) but he's an avid science junkie. We found nothing about the pertussis vac shedding. Vaccines don't work like that, they don't contain a live virus. Boosters are needed because immunity diminishes after decades.
For us we decided that the babies two primary care givers (aka mom and dad) needed boosters (you can get them when pregnant, I think I was in 2nd trimester), but it wasn't necessary for others. We're kinda lucky though because 3/6 grandparents are teachers and receive boosters and my two best friends are nurses and receive boosters.
We were strict (and our friends and family had common sense), so no visitors under the weather were allowed. Everyone who visited washed their hands when they came in. They were never prompted, everyone said "oh let's wash up" I got tired of washing towels so I put paper towel in our bathroom LOL. Having said that... if there was an outbreak in our area (or even cases) then I'd change my tune pretty quickly and ask for the grandparents and friends who didn't have boosters to have them.
I'm not having visitors get the shot before they come visit the baby. I've never required this for my other children(3) as well and mine were also all healthy. When my first one was born the shot didn't exist even. I'm not against vaccines. I also don't believe it's healthy for us to keep injecting ourselves with everything new that comes out.
I could be mistaken of course, but unless you are really freaking old, I am pretty sure the shot existed when you had your first baby - the whooping cough vaccine was introduced in tbe 1940s and is part of the tDap/DTap (the tetanus combo).
March 2016 siggy: babies - expectation vs reality
Brian's Whovian wife (5/'09)
AP, BF, BW, CD, CLW, CS, ERF, Catholic mama
to Evan (7/'10), Clare (8/'11), Dean (3/'14), ^F(12/'15)^, Rose (3/'16)
*no longer a Timelord ~ WibblyWobbly BabyWaby is here!*
but i still feel bigger on the inside Autism mama!
i don't make anyone do anything against his will (except maybe my kids cleaning up their toys haha). If visitors want to get the vaccine bc they have decided it's what is right for them and their families, then great - they can snuggle my baby; and if they decide they don't want to get the vaccine bc that is what is right for them and their families, then great - they can snuggle my baby. I don't feel like it's my place in the world to demand that someone else puts or doesn't put a substance into his body.
March 2016 siggy: babies - expectation vs reality
Brian's Whovian wife (5/'09)
AP, BF, BW, CD, CLW, CS, ERF, Catholic mama
to Evan (7/'10), Clare (8/'11), Dean (3/'14), ^F(12/'15)^, Rose (3/'16)
*no longer a Timelord ~ WibblyWobbly BabyWaby is here!*
but i still feel bigger on the inside Autism mama!
I didn't have to "make" anyone get a whooping cough booster - when my parents and in-laws learned that the immunity from the vaccine wears off, that whooping cough is deadly for newborns, and that we were having an outbreak in our community, they voluntarily got it.
I was pretty adamant about my parents and grandma getting the booster as well as the flu shot prior to ds3 being born. He was born dec 2 as it was so i wanted to take any precautions we could. Fortunately they agreed, but I decided ahead of time I wouldn't have been a total a$$hole and forbid them to see the baby or anything if they didn't agree. My aunts and cousins also saw and held the baby and I don't know the status of their immunizations but my parents and grandma were around him several times a week. Obviously won't be an issue as this baby is only 2 years later I think the dtap is still effective for them.
I agree, do your research, and if you choose you can ask people to do it but you really can't make them in the end.
And honestly at the very least, it is ok to request that if people are sick, that they stay away from baby. That is a more than reasonable request. And people should do that out of common sense anyway.
DS1 - 9/21/11
DS2 - 7/4/14
DS3 - 2/21/16 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Our family of 5 is complete!! Love our boys!
I wouldn't forbid anyone from coming around baby, but I have already brought it up to DH, my mom and MIL. MIL is already semi-recently vaccinated (thanks SIL for having a baby 4 years ago!) and my mom will likely get it as well. I wouldn't be upset if she didn't though. I need to do some of my own research, but we are generally pro-vax so I am sure whatever my doc recommends I'll go with.
I'm very pro vaccine, but won't be insisting that anyone get it besides myself and my husband. Washing hands when you get to the house and staying away when sick are enough for me. If there was an outbreak in my area, then I might consider asking my parents to (because they are around us the most) but otherwise I don't find it necessary.
I asked MIL and my parents to get the vaccine (if they were due for it) because they were ones I expected to be around DS a lot when he was born, and of course DH and I got it. My mom was the only one that needed it, MIL and my father were up to date. Everyone else I didn't worry about, but if people are up to date on their tetanus shot then they've likely had a pertussis vaccination in the last 10 years.
I have a very pro-vaccination stance, but couldn't imagine requiring people to be vaccinated in order to hold my baby. Proper hand washing and staying away if you're sick is good enough for me. My husband just got his DTAP when he needed stitches, but just knowing him and I are up to date is good enough for me.
March 2016 Moms: January Siggy Challenge "Pregnancy Problems"
Lurking from Feb16...I'm only asking the grandparents to get the flu and pertussis vaccines because LO will spend a significant amount of time with them. Everyone else will be asked to refrain from holding him if they are sick and/or have a cough.
Sidenote, every time I see @DrillSergeantCat's siggy, I want gummy bears. I might have to ban you from March '16's board on this premise alone
That gives me the sads! Additional sidenote back...I bought a 6 pound bag of gummy bears at Sam's 3 weeks ago. It was probably the best decision of my life.
Sidenote, every time I see @DrillSergeantCat's siggy, I want gummy bears. I might have to ban you from March '16's board on this premise alone
That gives me the sads! Additional sidenote back...I bought a 6 pound bag of gummy bears at Sam's 3 weeks ago. It was probably the best decision of my life.
Don't know if you are in the US but my absolute favorite TCBY combo is white chocolate mousse frozen yogurt with gummy bears. Oh. My. Word.
DS1 - 9/21/11
DS2 - 7/4/14
DS3 - 2/21/16 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Our family of 5 is complete!! Love our boys!
Sidenote, every time I see @DrillSergeantCat's siggy, I want gummy bears. I might have to ban you from March '16's board on this premise alone
That gives me the sads! Additional sidenote back...I bought a 6 pound bag of gummy bears at Sam's 3 weeks ago. It was probably the best decision of my life.
Don't know if you are in the US but my absolute favorite TCBY combo is white chocolate mousse frozen yogurt with gummy bears. Oh. My. Word.
Cold Stone Creamery cotton candy ice cream with gummy bears mixed in. Soooo goood.
March 2016 Moms: January Siggy Challenge "Pregnancy Problems"
Don't know if you are in the US but my absolute favorite TCBY combo is white chocolate mousse frozen yogurt with gummy bears. Oh. My. Word.
Cold Stone Creamery cotton candy ice cream with gummy bears mixed in. Soooo goood.
I am in the US, but we don't have TCBYs around here. We do have a Cold Stone Creamery around the corner, but I don't like cold gummy bears. They stop being gummy.
Oh! I have to try the cotton candy ice cream. When I go to cold stone i usually go with strawberry ice cream and mix in the gummy bears and strawberries. Makes them taste extra sour somehow.
@DrillSergeantCat you just need to save some for the end when the ice cream is sort of melted and they're gummy again.
All this ice cream talk makes me sad, I can't have any of the ice creams I like and want during pregnancy because I get super lactose intolerant. Bad part is, with the last 2 it has decided to stick around
March '16 December Siggy Challenge - Favorite Christmas Movies/Quotes
Don't know if you are in the US but my absolute favorite TCBY combo is white chocolate mousse frozen yogurt with gummy bears. Oh. My. Word.
Cold Stone Creamery cotton candy ice cream with gummy bears mixed in. Soooo goood.
I am in the US, but we don't have TCBYs around here. We do have a Cold Stone Creamery around the corner, but I don't like cold gummy bears. They stop being gummy.
I agree. Chocolate covered gummy bears, on the other hand, are divine.
All this ice cream talk makes me sad, I can't have any of the ice creams I like and want during pregnancy because I get super lactose intolerant. Bad part is, with the last 2 it has decided to stick around
Oh I hope it doesn't stick with me I have become lactose intolerant this pregnancy but find that if I really want ice cream, just a scoop doesn't hurt to bad. And besides, sherbet is a pretty good alternative
@red3ye I'm lactose intolerant and in my 3rd trimester I CAN tolerate lactose because your body produces more lactose enzymes (or something like that. I became lactose intolerant after getting sick in first year university for 3 week (just a virus), apparently excessive throwing up (looking at you morning sickness) can trigger it. Try some ice cream in your 3rd trimester and see what happens!
@kynbar5 that really sucks. I stocked up on DQ blizzards and cheesecake while I could.
Chocolate peanut butter coconut milk ice cream is ridiculously good. It doesn't taste like coconut just creamy deliciousness. It's expensive and don't read the calories (seriously worse than dairy ice cream) but it's soooo good.
I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the Lactaid brand ice cream is really good lol. That's the milk brand we buy as a few of the kids and my husband are lactose intolerant also.
March '16 December Siggy Challenge - Favorite Christmas Movies/Quotes
We live in a "hot spot" and had a TON of outbreaks in 2014, not sure what the status is now. We asked everyone who was going to have frequent contact to get it. Most everyone spoke to their docs, those whose docs advised them to get it, did. Those whose docs said they didn't need it, didn't.
This time around, I'm going to ask our ped if 2 of my big kids need it (but 90% sure they don't.) and I'm going to ask my father to look into it as well, since his doc said he didn't need it in '14.
Of course I'll be getting it in 3rd tri again. No brainer. We had a lot of newborns around here hospitalized, and several died. Broke my heart. Anything I can do to protect my child, sign me up.
@LilLump2 I don't blame you for wanting peace of mind in an outbreak area. The vaccine is DTap so if any of your family steps on a rusty nail they're covered, I talked about the vaccine with my hypochrondria father and he was like "why wouldn't I get it!". I'm pretty sure he got it, but they live 4 hours away so they honestly don't see us often enough that it was necessary.
I don't think I can force anyone to get it, but I'm definitely recommending it to all the grandparents and relatives wanting to see the baby. I'm not going to forbid them not to see the baby if they don't have it though.
I know this is old but didn't want to start a new thread.
I just found out today that DH hasn't had his TDaP! I told him months ago to get it... Anyway I can't be responsible for all of my crap AND everyone else's shots too. I'm 39 weeks and the doctor is thinking about inducing me tomorrow after my ultrasound and appointment if my blood pressure is still high. I called the doctor to see if they could give it to him tomorrow. The baby should have a little immunity from when I got my shot right? Did anyone else's DH not get the shot?
Also so can I vent just a moment? When I called DH to talk about the shot, he told me he can't come to the appointment tomorrow! I'm like, "I don't think you understand DH, we have some important decisions to make about induction and I kinda need your support tomorrow..." I'm not asking him to take the whole day off, just for the morning 8am appointment. So he tried to say that if he comes to the appointment tomorrow he won't be able to take off for when the baby is born! I have a career too where people depend on me... Anyway I just wanted to vent that I think he's being a big baby.
@CalebsHabibi Tell your DH to go get the shot at CVS or an equivalent pharmacy tonight, if he can't make it to the appointment. They have the shots and they are generally covered by insurance and he can get it right away. That's where I got mine because my OB's office just tells you to get it but does not provide it. Took 5 minutes and I didn't even have a copay.
I am so sorry he might not make it, I have big induction decisions to make at my 39w appointment on Friday too and my husband is... quite happy just letting me decide everything. It's almost torture to get him to express an opinion or reassurance, argh. Good luck! You'll make the right choice, I hope you can find the support you need!
I'm pretty paranoid about whooping cough so I made my husband and the grandparents get their DTAP since they would be around baby alot. I also kindly asked my close friends to get it and a lot of them did since two of our friends are having babies around the same time. I haven't been overly strict with other visitors, just making sure their hands are washed and no colds.
This has been a big one for me - I got my tdap booster months ago and my husband will hopefully get it within the next few days - I won't be asking relatives to get it but I WILL ask that people who are sick not come and visit especially at the hospital, I think it's a reasonable request. There will be a big bottle of hand sanitizer placed in full view right next to my baby too for anyone that doesn't have the common sense to come in and wash their hands
We have school age kids (my stepkids) in 4th and 6th grade - both got pertussis vaccines on a normal schedule, but it is not required so they are in school with kids that have not been vaccinated. My husband got the vaccine a few years ago when his primary care doc suggested it since we have school age kids. I got it at 28 weeks. I'm not requiring that anyone get it to see the baby, but my mom is coming to help for two weeks, and when she told her primary care doc she was doing this, they suggested she get a Tdap because her tetanus vaccine was expired anyway, so she went ahead and got it.
My husband just told me his mother doesn't want to get it.I do live in an outbreak area which is why all the doctors are adamant about caregivers getting the shot. This seems to be a common reaction of grandparents lately. I'm not sure what we are going to do. My husband wants to tell her she can't see the baby until he gets his first round of vaccines at two months.
Re: Whooping Cough Vaccine
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our family of 5 is complete!! Love our boys!
1) I caught whopping cough when I was 6 weeks old. My 3.5 weeks premature lungs did not enjoy the virus. I'm quite fortunate I lived even though I was in the hospital for a month. Thank goodness for Canadian free health care or my parents would have been bankrupt - the first 10 weeks of my life I spent 6 of them in PICU. Having said that there was an outbreak of whopping cough at the time (don't forget this is the early 80s) and my Mom brought me in my little baby carrier to her sister's elementary school play.
2) Because of this my hubby and I researched the heck out of vaccines and whether care givers should be vaccinated. We're not ones to type in stuff to google - hubby is 6 months from finishing his PhD (in physics, not microbio) but he's an avid science junkie. We found nothing about the pertussis vac shedding. Vaccines don't work like that, they don't contain a live virus. Boosters are needed because immunity diminishes after decades.
For us we decided that the babies two primary care givers (aka mom and dad) needed boosters (you can get them when pregnant, I think I was in 2nd trimester), but it wasn't necessary for others. We're kinda lucky though because 3/6 grandparents are teachers and receive boosters and my two best friends are nurses and receive boosters.
We were strict (and our friends and family had common sense), so no visitors under the weather were allowed. Everyone who visited washed their hands when they came in. They were never prompted, everyone said "oh let's wash up" I got tired of washing towels so I put paper towel in our bathroom LOL. Having said that... if there was an outbreak in our area (or even cases) then I'd change my tune pretty quickly and ask for the grandparents and friends who didn't have boosters to have them.
March 2016 siggy: babies - expectation vs reality
Brian's Whovian wife (5/'09)
Autism mama!
March 2016 siggy: babies - expectation vs reality
Brian's Whovian wife (5/'09)
Autism mama!
Married Bio * BFP Charts
I agree, do your research, and if you choose you can ask people to do it but you really can't make them in the end.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our family of 5 is complete!! Love our boys!
Me: 29 DH: 31
Married 10/13/12
TTC Since 8/2016
March 2016 Moms: January Siggy Challenge "Pregnancy Problems"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our family of 5 is complete!! Love our boys!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our family of 5 is complete!! Love our boys!
January siggy challenge - Pregnant lady problems
Cold Stone Creamery cotton candy ice cream with gummy bears mixed in. Soooo goood.
March 2016 Moms: January Siggy Challenge "Pregnancy Problems"
@DrillSergeantCat you just need to save some for the end when the ice cream is sort of melted and they're gummy again.
I agree. Chocolate covered gummy bears, on the other hand, are divine.
I became lactose intolerant after getting sick in first year university for 3 week (just a virus), apparently excessive throwing up (looking at you morning sickness) can trigger it.
Try some ice cream in your 3rd trimester and see what happens!
Chocolate peanut butter coconut milk ice cream is ridiculously good. It doesn't taste like coconut just creamy deliciousness. It's expensive and don't read the calories (seriously worse than dairy ice cream) but it's soooo good.
I just found out today that DH hasn't had his TDaP! I told him months ago to get it... Anyway I can't be responsible for all of my crap AND everyone else's shots too. I'm 39 weeks and the doctor is thinking about inducing me tomorrow after my ultrasound and appointment if my blood pressure is still high. I called the doctor to see if they could give it to him tomorrow. The baby should have a little immunity from when I got my shot right? Did anyone else's DH not get the shot?
Also so can I vent just a moment? When I called DH to talk about the shot, he told me he can't come to the appointment tomorrow! I'm like, "I don't think you understand DH, we have some important decisions to make about induction and I kinda need your support tomorrow..." I'm not asking him to take the whole day off, just for the morning 8am appointment. So he tried to say that if he comes to the appointment tomorrow he won't be able to take off for when the baby is born! I have a career too where people depend on me... Anyway I just wanted to vent that I think he's being a big baby.
I am so sorry he might not make it, I have big induction decisions to make at my 39w appointment on Friday too and my husband is... quite happy just letting me decide everything. It's almost torture to get him to express an opinion or reassurance, argh. Good luck! You'll make the right choice, I hope you can find the support you need!
This seems to be a common reaction of grandparents lately. I'm not sure what we are going to do. My husband wants to tell her she can't see the baby until he gets his first round of vaccines at two months.