What's your feeling about family/friends and flu shots?

[chicago]

I know this has been discussed here before, but I think it's been a while.  If your LO will be born or if they were born during flu season, what was your feeling about family members and shots, etc?

I'm typically not super alarmist, but DD will be born in March and flu season tends to linger around here.  Also, IL has had one of the highest rates of pertussis in the past few years.  I work in a school, so my friends who are colleagues will have all had their flu shots from school.  

My entire immediate family already went out and got shots, H's mom did too, but a few of H's family members don't think it's necessary and don't want to get them.  I started this conversation through an easy breezy email back in the fall, but we haven't brought it back up since then and she's due in 7 weeks.  I don't want to be bitchy and it's each person's prerogative whether or not they want to get flu/dtap shots, but I also feel like "our child, our choice" regarding who can be around the baby.  If we stand our ground, we WILL have drama in the family and I don't want that, but I also don't want to put DD at risk.  

[simpsongal]

I pushed my folks to get the TDAP, but they didn't get flu shots. I mentioned it but I was happy that they got the TDAP, so I figure I should quit while I'm ahead. I'm so glad they got them too b/c my neighbor has whooping cough.

We haven't said anything to friends. People can visit after a few weeks as long as they're not sick.

[VillainV]

I'm undecided. I think flu season will mostly be over by the time LO is born, so I'm not TOO worried about it. H and I have both had the flu shot. The only other visitors we are expecting are my parents for two weeks, and I'm pretty sure they both have had flu shots too (definitely my mom, not sure about my dad).

[robinsbff]

i'm having a summer baby but am more concerned about the TDaP/whooping cough vaccine. our family is not local so there is no one but the two of us who will have extended contact with baby but if they were i would mention that the dr asked anyone with extended contact with baby to get their vaccine renewed. i am sure all of the grandparents would if we asked. i don't know who i would ask beyond that, maybe siblings too.

[blushing]

I might be a bit too laid back about this, but I am not too worried. This baby will be born at the end of September so will be around for flu season and I have a school aged child. The baby will get the flu shot as they offered to children under 2 here (not sure if there is a minimum age), but no one else will. We have not had any problems yet (in DS's lifetime). I do anticipate that the baby will get sick often in the beginning because he has a school aged big brother, but oh well, it will help build the immune system and breastfeeding provides protestion as well.

[cmarie11]

I'm due in May, so I'm not too concerned about flu shots, however, I did email our parents and ask that they consider getting updated Tdaps. I sent them a CNN article about the pertussis outbreak, and it specifically mentioned parents/grandparents getting updated Tdaps, which I thought would help convince them. Plus DH and I are both in healthcare, so it shouldn't come to a surprise to them that we're being a little proactive.

[blushing]

Jan 20, 2014 13:14:30 GMT -5 robinsbff said:

i'm having a summer baby but am more concerned about the TDaP/whooping cough vaccine. our family is not local so there is no one but the two of us who will have extended contact with baby but if they were i would mention that the dr asked anyone with extended contact with baby to get their vaccine renewed. i am sure all of the grandparents would if we asked. i don't know who i would ask beyond that, maybe siblings too.

They offer all pregnant women the whooping cough vaccine between 28 - 30 weeks pregnant here. The reason being that the immunity passes onto the baby until it is old enough to have the vaccine.

[lulu21]

We've all been vaccinated. Also we encouraged our parents to get the TDap shot since they will be spending time around the LO.

[robinsbff]

Jan 20, 2014 13:17:07 GMT -5 blushing said:

Jan 20, 2014 13:14:30 GMT -5 robinsbff said:

i'm having a summer baby but am more concerned about the TDaP/whooping cough vaccine. our family is not local so there is no one but the two of us who will have extended contact with baby but if they were i would mention that the dr asked anyone with extended contact with baby to get their vaccine renewed. i am sure all of the grandparents would if we asked. i don't know who i would ask beyond that, maybe siblings too.

They offer all pregnant women the whooping cough vaccine between 28 - 30 weeks pregnant here. The reason being that the immunity passes onto the baby until it is old enough to have the vaccine.

yes i will get the vaccine when my doc offers it (she mentioned early 3rd tri) and DH will get an update as well but i'd still prefer anyone with extended contact with the baby to get it as well.  it can only offer more protection if people around the baby are recently vaccinated.  

[chicago]

Ok, well I guess we are mostly covered. Grandmas will have extended contact since they'll watch her for a few days when I have to go back to work, but they both had flu and tdap. I'm mostly just annoyed at my one SIL who was like, "I'll email my friends who are moms and see if it's necessary." and them emailed me some response from her friend who had a reaction to a flu shot and who said about pertussis, "Oh, it's not really all that common and if the baby gets it, it's super rare that they actually die." Every time I think about that email, I fume. I wish I could tell her she can't hold the baby, but I'm being a brat.

[pinotgrig]

With a June due date, I'm not too worried about flu. I am
concerned about ppl getting their tdap shots. My parents have already gotten theirs so I need to start talking with the il's and other family members who will be around the baby.

[JayhawkGirl]

We, our parents and my sister and her husband all got flu shots and TDaP boosters. Their kids got flu shots and are current in DTaP based on their ages. This covers the people who see the baby the most.

I'm a stickler about hand washing and ask everyone to wash their hands before holding her. My in laws, esp DH's aunts and uncles are a little eye roll-y about it but oh well. My baby my rules. And purell doesn't count.

[JayhawkGirl]

Jan 20, 2014 13:43:57 GMT -5 chicago said:

Ok, well I guess we are mostly covered. Grandmas will have extended contact since they'll watch her for a few days when I have to go back to work, but they both had flu and tdap. I'm mostly just annoyed at my one SIL who was like, "I'll email my friends who are moms and see if it's necessary." and them emailed me some response from her friend who had a reaction to a flu shot and who said about pertussis, "Oh, it's not really all that common and if the baby gets it, it's super rare that they actually die." Every time I think about that email, I fume. I wish I could tell her she can't hold the baby, but I'm being a brat.

Having waited for a negative pertussis test on a friend's three week old who was hospitalized for a week with respiratory illness and distress, her friend can fly a kite.

[greencrayon]

I was due yesterday... I made everyone in my immediate family get a flu shot. All my coworkers have one as well. I think it's very important.

[timorousbeastie]

Everyone who knows me knows that vaccines are a huge deal to me (in that I'm very pro, not anti), so I lucked out and didn't have to ask anyone to get vaccinated. I had a couple people ask what I recommend, so I did tell them that I'd recommend both flu and TDaP even if I wasn't pregnant. Everyone else told me they got both shots without me having to say anything. People who refuse to vaccinate (aside from an actual medical reason) royally piss me off, so I'd have no problem telling them they can't be around the baby until flu season is over or until the baby is vaccinated.