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December 2015 Moms
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Whooping cough vaccine, flu shot, and family

LLWilson2013LLWilson2013 member
in December 2015 Moms
Both my doctor and our pediatrician have expressed how important it is for everyone who will be around the baby, especially grandparents, aunts, and uncles to get their flu shot and whooping cough vaccination at least 2 weeks before the baby is born (to build up antibodies). We live in a cold weather state and its flu season. My husband has asked his parents twice to do this and I've (kindly, but directly) told them once.... They still have not "gotten around to it." I find it incredibly frustrating, especially given there has recently been a bad outbreak of whooping cough in our county and its deadly to infants. I don't know how hard it is to go get two shots, both of which are covered by their insurance... But I'm so sick of having to ask them. Our baby is due this week, so the antibodies will obviously not have had time to build up even if they did go out and get it today. We are seriously considering telling them they are not allowed to visit the baby. Not willing to put our newborn at risk to protect others' feelings. Is this too harsh? How would you deal with this?? Is anyone else having a difficult time getting family to get shots??
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Re: Whooping cough vaccine, flu shot, and family

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  • LLWilson2013LLWilson2013 member
    Our thoughts exactly! Thank you for making me feel like I'm not just being some crazy FTM germaphobe. My MIL even works at a doctor's office... that's the kicker I think!
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  • Court11152325Court11152325 member
    We've actually had several threads about this. You could do a search and find a few threads about this.
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  • LLWilson2013LLWilson2013 member
    @LMJL THAT is ridiculous. Of ALL people, she should understand, given her profession! At least you can say, hey we sent emails reminding everyone.... and the gorillas, good grief. How hard is it to go get a couple more shots?!
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  • preggoandglowingpreggoandglowing member
    I also don't understand why this is so difficult for people, especially family! I had a hard enough time getting DH to do it mostly because of his work schedule and when he finally went to see a new doctor (previous doctor retired recently) I'm pretty sure the dumbass gave him a TB shot! Because he gave the shot in the forearm and told DH to call if he developed any reaction. So as of now, DH still doesn't have it and it's basically impossible for him to get a day off until after the holidays. I also asked my immediate family and not one person has got it. I asked DH to make sure his parents get it and all he did was casually mention it to them and they both said they got it recently which I highly doubt. I feel like kidnapping my baby to keep her safe. Everyone thinks the cases of babies dying are one in a million but why take that unnecessary risk?? Sorry, I hijacked your post.
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  • redfallonredfallon member
    I wouldn't let anyone anywhere near my baby without getting their shots. Holding them isn't the only thing that would give them the germs. Being around them in close vicinity would do it, too. It's an airborne illness. They don't have to physically touch the baby to give it to them. Maybe if they were told the wouldn't even be able to be in the same room as the baby unless they got the shot, they would think more seriously about it. Pertussis kills babies.

    https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/about/causes-transmission.html

    Transmission

    Pertussis is a very contagious disease only found in humans. It is spread from person to person. People with pertussis usually spread the disease to another person by coughing or sneezing or when spending a lot of time near one another where you share breathing space. Many babies who get pertussis are infected by older siblings, parents, or caregivers who might not even know they have the disease.

    Infected people are most contagious up to about 2 weeks after the cough begins. Antibiotics may shorten the amount of time someone is contagious.


    Jamie


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  • LMJLLMJL member
    @redfallon you are exactly right! My exact words were "if you want to get within sneezing distance of baby" I had originally intended to keep baby home away from all the family, but my parents are suddenly selling our childhood home & it will be the last xmas there, so everyone is coming into town. I still won't go if anyone is remotely sick & plan on myself or my husband wearing baby the whole time to mostly keep folks at bay. But it's an uncomfortable position to be in regardless. Not sure why some folks are so silly about it.
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  • caitlyn5454caitlyn5454 member
    Also dealing with this, to be honest with you. My mother has gone above and beyond to make sure everyone back home that will be in the vicinity of LO has their shots. She even asked my step-grandfather, who has IPF and a compromised immune system if he could get his booster/flu shot -- no problem. SO and his family? His mother JUST got her flu shot this past Monday (I think), and I had to force SO to get his flu shot back in early November. He flitted around about calling his doctor for the whooping cough booster, and now can't even get it until December 22. LO and I are leaving the province to go home just a few days after that, so I'm irritated with him that he would wait until there is pretty much no point in him getting it in the first place. I can only assume that none of the rest of his family have gotten their boosters, so I'm very annoyed with the entire lot of them because they're the ones that will be around him the most for the first month. I was unable to get the booster during the appropriate time as I got it back in July (just a few weeks too early -- damn stray cat bite), so I have absolutely no idea just how well the antibodies have passed from me to LO. I have no idea how to bring it up to any of them other than "you can be carrying it and not know. You aren't allowed in the same room as him unless you shower completely and change all your clothes." It'd get the point across but I'd also be branded crazy.
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  • LMJLLMJL member
    @caitlyn5454 you can get the tdap shot @ Walgreens & most likely other pharmacies. (At least in USA, not sure about Canada.) not sure how much it costs but think it's not prohibitive. My man is going today. I'll let you know if we have to pay out of pocket, but I think insurance will cover it.
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  • LLWilson2013LLWilson2013 member
    LMJL said:

    @redfallon you are exactly right! My exact words were "if you want to get within sneezing distance of baby" I had originally intended to keep baby home away from all the family, but my parents are suddenly selling our childhood home & it will be the last xmas there, so everyone is coming into town. I still won't go if anyone is remotely sick & plan on myself or my husband wearing baby the whole time to mostly keep folks at bay. But it's an uncomfortable position to be in regardless. Not sure why some folks are so silly about it.

    LOVE that you will be wearing baby too. We bought a carrier mostly out of convenience, but my doctor and pediatrician have both mentioned they're great for protecting LO's space. People are less likely to lean in and kiss, touch, breath on the baby if they are on your person and covered with a blanket than if he's laying in his car seat for all to reach over. Christmas is a hard call, but we've decided to skip this year for BOTH sides. He'll only be a few weeks old, so its just not worth it. The in laws weren't thrilled, because when they "had kids no one gave it a second thought..." I'm sure you've heard the stories.... Lol
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  • NellieHarringtonCarterNellieHarringtonCarter member
    Me and my husband got our TDAP vaccine when our daughter was born, and I think it's good for 10 years, so we should be good. And my mother are going to get their TDAP shots (and me too), since they will be around the kid the most. But the flu shot is up to them. I am probably in the minority here, and maybe this makes me a horrible mother, but not really worried about people getting the flu shot in order to be around my kid (keep in mind that I'm only allowing a few close relatives around her at first - not like acquaintances or distance relatives or my husband's hockey buddies). I've never had a flu shot, my DH has never had a flu shot, and my DD has never had a flu shot. And we've never gotten the flu. In fact, I don't think I've ever had the flu - other than the stomach flu, which was a one time thing and possibly just awful awful food poisoning. And I don't think my parents or siblings have ever had the flu. Maybe that's why it's not a big deal to me. 

    My mom said that she will probably get hers, since she is taking care of my grandmother who is undergoing chemo and radiation, and who is recovering from C-DIFF.  

    On a side note, I've been around a couple of new babies lately, and I've never been asked about getting/updating vaccines. I don't think it is an unreasonable request - it's the prerogative of the parents to require something like that - I've just never been asked about them. 
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  • ammnam14ammnam14 member
    I'm in the same situation...except it's my husband! He is procrastinating the TDAP for no reason. We get our vaccines for FREE!!!! It is so frustrating. I don't think you are overreacting at all, protect your LO!
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  • redfallonredfallon member
    @NellieHarringtonCarter said:
    Me and my husband got our TDAP vaccine when our daughter was born, and I think it's good for 10 years, so we should be good. And my mother are going to get their TDAP shots (and me too), since they will be around the kid the most. But the flu shot is up to them. I am probably in the minority here, and maybe this makes me a horrible mother, but not really worried about people getting the flu shot in order to be around my kid (keep in mind that I'm only allowing a few close relatives around her at first - not like acquaintances or distance relatives or my husband's hockey buddies). I've never had a flu shot, my DH has never had a flu shot, and my DD has never had a flu shot. And we've never gotten the flu. In fact, I don't think I've ever had the flu - other than the stomach flu, which was a one time thing and possibly just awful awful food poisoning. And I don't think my parents or siblings have ever had the flu. Maybe that's why it's not a big deal to me. 

    My mom said that she will probably get hers, since she is taking care of my grandmother who is undergoing chemo and radiation, and who is recovering from C-DIFF.  

    On a side note, I've been around a couple of new babies lately, and I've never been asked about getting/updating vaccines. I don't think it is an unreasonable request - it's the prerogative of the parents to require something like that - I've just never been asked about them. 
    It's recommended by the CDC that you get a TDAP shot for every pregnancy in your 3rd trimester so that your LO can get some of the antibodies.

    https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/pregnant/mom/get-vaccinated.html


    Jamie


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  • kawoltkawolt member
    FYI: "Stomach flu" is not even remotely related to influenza.
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  • NellieHarringtonCarterNellieHarringtonCarter member
    redfallon said:
    It's recommended by the CDC that you get a TDAP shot for every pregnancy in your 3rd trimester so that your LO can get some of the antibodies. 

    https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/pregnant/mom/get-vaccinated.html


    Interesting. For my first pregnancy, by OB never mentioned it before hand, and they gave me mine in the hospital the day after giving birth. And I have a completely different OB in a different state this time, and they also haven't mentioned anything about TDAP prior to delivery. I'll have to ask next week at my 38 week appt. 
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  • NellieHarringtonCarterNellieHarringtonCarter member
    kawolt said:
    FYI: "Stomach flu" is not even remotely related to influenza.

    Yep, I know. I kind of just used that point to drive home the fact that I've really really never had the flu. 
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  • LMJLLMJL member
    @NellieHarringtonCarter it's a newer recommendation, I believe, due to the more recent outbreaks of pertussis. Perhaps they also recently discovered the benefits to the baby in 3 tri as well. Most of my siblings have kids that are much older & they didn't experience this. One additional thing to note is that you should get it ASAP to give yourself time to develop antibodies to pass to baby. They recommend 28-36 weeks, I think. Talk to your OB, but definitely get the booster even if it's at L&D b/c they don't know how long exactly the pertussis portion of the tdap lasts, so you could still contract it.
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  • TomekiaBTomekiaB member
    LMJL said:
    @NellieHarringtonCarter it's a newer recommendation, I believe, due to the more recent outbreaks of pertussis. Perhaps they also recently discovered the benefits to the baby in 3 tri as well. Most of my siblings have kids that are much older & they didn't experience this. One additional thing to note is that you should get it ASAP to give yourself time to develop antibodies to pass to baby. They recommend 28-36 weeks, I think. Talk to your OB, but definitely get the booster even if it's at L&D b/c they don't know how long exactly the pertussis portion of the tdap lasts, so you could still contract it.
    According to the CDC the pertussis part of the TDAP is only 30-40% effective at 4 years post vaccination in adults but the official recommendations are really made from the tetanus portion which is typically considered good for 10 years unless you have a known exposure or high occupational risk in which case they'd give you a booster sooner.
    https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/pregnant/mom/vacc-effectiveness.html
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  • NellieHarringtonCarterNellieHarringtonCarter member
    LMJL said:
    @NellieHarringtonCarter it's a newer recommendation, I believe, due to the more recent outbreaks of pertussis. Perhaps they also recently discovered the benefits to the baby in 3 tri as well. Most of my siblings have kids that are much older & they didn't experience this. One additional thing to note is that you should get it ASAP to give yourself time to develop antibodies to pass to baby. They recommend 28-36 weeks, I think. Talk to your OB, but definitely get the booster even if it's at L&D b/c they don't know how long exactly the pertussis portion of the tdap lasts, so you could still contract it.
    Ahh gotcha. To be honest, I fully expected to be given TDAP in L&D, but since no one in my OB office has mentioned it to me and I recently read that it's good for ten years, then I assumed that was why. But yeah, I will definitely get it in L&D. I'm past 37 weeks at this point, and no one has mentioned it, but I will bring it up next week at my appointment. 
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  • LMJLLMJL member

    According to the CDC the pertussis part of the TDAP is only 30-40% effective at 4 years post vaccination in adults but the official recommendations are really made from the tetanus portion which is typically considered good for 10 years unless you have a known exposure or high occupational risk in which case they'd give you a booster sooner.
    https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/pregnant/mom/vacc-effectiveness.html


    @TomekiaB-thanks SO much for this info! I've asked a few medical ppl & did some googling but wasn't able to find info on it. I thought I'd read everything on the cdc website, but there's a lot so I guess I missed it. I'll send this to my sis & anyone else who's asked about this question. Thanks again!
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  • LLWilson2013LLWilson2013 member
    ammnam14 said:

    I'm in the same situation...except it's my husband! He is procrastinating the TDAP for no reason. We get our vaccines for FREE!!!! It is so frustrating. I don't think you are overreacting at all, protect your LO!

    I know how this goes! I'm always the one reminding my husband about dentist check ups, etc. It's all covered by insurance, so why not go?! I ended up just going with him to CVS one weekend to make sure he got flu and whooping cough... Maybe try that? Congratulations on the little one!!!!

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  • TomekiaBTomekiaB member
    @LMJL Yes, the CDC website is a mess, I found it in a hyperlink within the newborn or pregnancy recommendations.
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  • chewie5990chewie5990 member
    we currently live with my inlaws until March and neither of them have got their Tdap vaccines (both did get the flu shot) DH has not got his either yet :| . There have been 3 grandbabies born in the past 2 years and currently 2 of my SILs are pregnant and I'm still all alone in trying to get everyone on board. I tried to get my SIL to help talk to them about the Tdap but she's not really concerned about it. Since we live with them I can't really keep baby away from them either. My parents live 18 hours away and both got the Tdap just for when they come stay for 2 weeks during the holidays. It just frustrating that people can't do such a simple task even if they don't think it's important, it should be enough that it's important to me. 
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  • LMJLLMJL member
    @NellieHarringtonCarter Glad you were able to get it! Tip from the PA who gave me my shot was to try to make big circles with my arm a few times the first day & it wouldn't be as sore the next day. Might be too late since you're already in pain, but thought I'd throw it out there.
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