Did you ask family members to get this before your baby was born? We live in Washington state where there has been a pretty bad epidemic, and asked our siblings and parents to get it, but MIL is putting up a fight since she had the TDap in 2009. I really want her to get a booster and am worried this is the start of a power struggle. Just curious to hear what others did.
I made it non-negotiable. I said, "per the pediatrician we have selected, all grandparents and other close relatives need to have their pertussis vaccinations current to see the baby."
Yes, I asked everyone to be up to date. However, my understanding is that you only need a booster every 10 years, so I think your MIL should be good. My FIL was the only one who didn't get it because he was above the recommended age for the shot (although my 85-year-old grandmother managed to get one anyway.)
FWIW--H's aunt is a pediatrician and she posted this on FB to someone asking her opinion on not vaxing:
My opinion is to vaccinate is the best idea. Large studies with thousands of babies have not shown any connection between immunizations and autism. The one small study that did show an association was done by a "researcher" who was investigated and it was discovered that he had fabricated his results. Pertussis (whooping cough) is a vaccine preventable illness, and it can be deadly to little babies --- there is more of it around now than in past years, because of parents declining immunizations because of their fears. If you had ever seen a little baby in the hospital desperately ill with Pertussis, you wouldn't think twice about immunizing your grand baby. NAME brings up also that Measles is increasing -- this is also because of people declining immunizations for their children. Many people do not know that Measles can be deadly -- patients can develop encephalitis and secondary pneumonias and can die. How about tetanus? That is a terrible, deadly illness people don't even think about any more because of immunizations.But it's still around. H flu meningitis? When I trained I saw babies die of this, and we always had a baby in the hospital with it, but the immunization changed that. Pneumococcal meningitis? It is a terrible disease -- it can kill or cause permanent deafness or disability -- I also saw a lot of this when I trained, but it is now preventable. Ever heard of diphtheria -- horrible illness which is still not totally gone. Polio -- pretty much eradicated BECAUSE of immunizations, but could come back. Hepatitis B -- a huge cause of chronic illness and liver cancer -- can be prevented with immunizations. 95% of cervical cancer in women is now preventable by a vaccine given to teens. I know you are asking because of your love and concern for your grand baby. My advice is get the immunizations, and get them in the order recommended by the CDC. In other words, don't pick and choose which ones to get when -- let your doctor do that. When my kids were little, I also worried about possible side effects from immunizations. But I had seen in the work place what a difference having the vaccine can make. If your baby had a serious illness or worse from one of these preventable diseases, you would never forgive yourself.
I made it non-negotiable. I said, "per the pediatrician we have selected, all grandparents and other close relatives need to have their pertussis vaccinations current to see the baby."
Nobody argued with me, thankfully.
The problem is that MIL is saying she is current since she had it in 2009, but our state department of health website states they don't know how long the vaccine lasts for. I sent her the link last night so hopefully she will change her mind. I don't understand why she doesn't just get it, whopping cough is serious for babies and the vaccine is such a simple thing to do to prevent it! All other family members got it right away.
I wouldn't actually push this one, 7costanza. They don't know how long it lasts, but it's only recommended by the CDC to get the TDaP once as an adult now for most people.
The grandparents got it for DS, but they were all due for a tetanus shot anyway.
Post by MadamePresident on May 23, 2013 9:09:55 GMT -5
I didn't ask anyone to get vaccines. Family members were respectful and stayed away when they were sick and I feel like you can just as easily pick it up from interacting with the public.
I made it non-negotiable. I said, "per the pediatrician we have selected, all grandparents and other close relatives need to have their pertussis vaccinations current to see the baby."
Nobody argued with me, thankfully.
The problem is that MIL is saying she is current since she had it in 2009, but our state department of health website states they don't know how long the vaccine lasts for. I sent her the link last night so hopefully she will change her mind. I don't understand why she doesn't just get it, whopping cough is serious for babies and the vaccine is such a simple thing to do to prevent it! All other family members got it right away.
Both my primary care doctor and ped said that my DTAP booster was good for ten years. I can see not wanting to risk side effects of another vaccine when it has been less than five years. You are the parent, so it is your choice.
We mentioned it but didn't push it. Pertussis was added to the tetanus booster in like 2006-2007, so as long as they've had it since then, I wouldn't worry about it.
The recommendation is for moms to get the booster every time they get pregnant now (in 3rd tri), but that's just for the moms, not for all other adults.
The recommendation is for moms to get the booster every time they get pregnant now (in 3rd tri), but that's just for the moms, not for all other adults.
And it's really for the baby - some immunity gets passed on from the mom's immune response. The mom herself was already protected.
I see this as very different from an "OMG! No vax!" argument and wouldn't want to make a big stink over someone that has had an adult booster.
Post by schrodinger on May 23, 2013 9:31:31 GMT -5
We're also in WA state and DD was born in the middle of flu season. We asked everyone to get the TDaP and a flu shot. The only person that didn't was my mother, but she had Guillen-Barre (sp?) in her 20's and can't get updated boosters. None of my inlaws argued the point and they understood that we were just trying to protect DD.
I asked everyone to get it (figuring it was a good idea to be up on their tetanus shots anyway). My mom had gotten her booster in 2008 though when my niece was born so she didn't get a second one. I didn't push it....no reason to. She works with vaccine research etc and her boss (an expert in immunizations) said she was fine.
I personally would be fine with the 2009 booster. I had kids in 2007, 2010, and 2013. I have not insisted that the grandparents get new boosters for each kid, although they have all had at least one recent booster. My mom and step-dad got new boosters while I was pregnant with DS3 since it had been a while, but my ILs last got one in 2010. Everyone got them on their own initiative, but my dad and step-dad are doctors and my MIL is kind of obsessive about health care, so they tend to be pretty up on preventative health care.
No, I didn't. I don't even remember if I asked our nanny if her vax were up-to-date. In your case particularly, isn't a 2009 shot still valid? I had a Dtap booster just after DD was born (2008) and the doctor told me it was good for 10 years.
I asked everyone to get the TDaP booster and flu vaccine. They did without argument. I also would not fight a 2009 booster. I have also read it lasts 10 years. Even *IF* that's the high range, she only got it 4 years ago. That should be more than fine.
Absolutely, but no one put up a fight about it. If someone had, I would have nicely told them that it's absolutely their right to not have the vaccine, but that I hoped they understood that they would not be able to see the baby until he had been fully inoculated.
I agree that a 2009 booster should be sufficient. Do make sure everyone who will be around your baby gets the latest flu vaccine when it comes out later this year.
We did and they got it without hesitation. My parents had a booster in 2010 when my niece was born and that was fine with us. I would not push your MIL to get another one in your shoes.
I didn't ask anyone to get a vaccine, but our family members live over 300 miles away and won't be around DS for extended periods of time anyway. I did make sure that our in-home daycare requires the children to be vaccinated and that the caretakers (and her children who are around) are fully vaccinated. To me, daycare was a much bigger risk factor that my parents, siblings and in-laws.
Post by noodleskooze on May 23, 2013 10:41:39 GMT -5
The only push back we have received is from my MIL, who "doesn't do vaccinations." We haven't decided what we will do about that yet. I know technically we should forbid her to be with the baby until he can start getting the vax himself, but I really don't want to do that. We will probably just limit her time with him.
Yes we asked family members that would be spending a lot of time with DD to get the tdap. Most were more than willing and those that weren't had to wait until she got her vaccine to spend much time with her.
As for the tdap in 2009, I'm pretty they last about 10 years but I could be wrong about that. I would check with your doctor.
I wouldn't even ask family members to get it who have never gotten it other than my husband. I'm thinking about suggesting it to our nanny, but I wouldn't "require" it (and I don't know that I even could). I did ask her to get the flu shot this year.
Yes, we asked. We're in WA too and it was pretty bad last fall when DD was born. I think everyone got their booster. I didn't push it, but everyone was respectful of it.
Now, getting my FIL to wash his hands every time he wanted to hold DD was a total PITA. But it was non-negotiable and I wouldn't let him hold her if he didn't. I'm the one who would've had to deal with a sick baby, not him, so I won. (ETA: Admittedly, my FIL isn't my favorite person, so I was being hard-headed about this mostly because I could.)
I didn't ask anyone to get vaccines. Family members were respectful and stayed away when they were sick and I feel like you can just as easily pick it up from interacting with the public.
i didn't either. dd was born in the middle of the summer and the risk was minimal. had she been born during the cold/flu season i might have requested that people STAY AWAY if they were sick.
Yes. We were probably overly paranoid because dd has a heart condition but we only asked our relatives who would be seeing her frequently (MIL, my mom, and sister). Thought I would get resistance but they were more than willing.