Anyone NOT get vaccines during pregnancy?

[LoveMy2Boys2]

Wondering if anyone else opted out of vaccines during pregnancy? I am 33 wks and have declined all vaccines so far, but I don't feel 110% confident with this decision..... With my first son I never got a vaccine during pregnancy and he was born healthy happy and calm, with my second son I got the swine flu vaccine and he was born with multiple health conditions that kept us in the hospital the first yr of his life, horrid digestive issues, surgeries, skin cancer....... I can't help but want to half blame/wonder if it was the fact I got the vaccine..... He is now 4 and doing well, but it was a heart wrenching struggle the first couple yrs of his little precious life just trying to avoid anything that I can look back and blame myself for God forbid we get another sick child :/
Does my decision seem rational? Am I being rediculous to think such a way? I'm dealing with a bad cold now and starting to second guess my decision :/ yet u just can't bring myself to getting the shots!

 

[moonbear]

I haven't gotten any and don't plan to. I think you've made the right decision. Your baby doesn't need that. Keep yourself eating good healthy foods to build up your immune system. I was sick for a few days in my first trimester with the flu but i let it wear out and let my body handle it (with the help of essential oils, anti-bacterial foods, and rest) and haven't been sick since.

 

[LoveMy2Boys2]

Thanks for your input! I feel so guilty when I leave the dr office after they suggest a shot that I turn down..... I just can't bring myself to do it, maybe just a bit traumatized after my last pregnancy/baby:/ I'm with you on the medicinal foods , been loading up on green tea and lots of fresh squeezed lemons....if u have any other natural remedies you'd like to share please feel free!

 

[Cattia]

I've opted out of vaccines and did in my previous pregnancies too. I understand that it is a highly contentious issue and there are lots of good reasons to get vaccinated. However for me I feel that I have researched the flu vaccine very thoroughly and I am happy with my decision to decline it. I hope I don't get flu, on the other hand my dad and my DD have both had flu this year despite having had the vaccine. The whooping cough vaccine wasn't available during my previous pregnancies but I am declining it this time round. If you decide to decline vaccines you need to be ready for a lot of lectures from a lot of people about it though! I don't take any medication either, including paracetamol and will only take it if I feel that there is a direct risk to my health or the baby's.

 

[Luvspnk31]

Please don't feel guilty. You can always get them after baby is born. I don't ever get them while pg, and not usually after. This time I did get the flu and whooping cough vaccine AFTER my dd was born. She spent time in the NICU due to immature lungs, and she had an infection. In her case, I felt better getting them. I would never forgive myself if she got something I might be able to prevent. We've had flu deaths in our county, and the hospitals are not even allowing visitors under 18.

 

[LoveMy2Boys2]

I am the same, always try holistic remedies before resorting to drugs ..... My youngest son had a horrid reaction to the dtap shot, his entire leg swelled up over 2x size of the other and had a very high fever and lethargic , spent some time in the hospital, and ever sense then I have declined all unnecessary shots the past 2 yrs such as flu shot.... And their pediatrician gets into it with me.... I have also done plenty of research on the flu shot too and what it contains and what the % of it working , I just don't know that it's worth it, I feel this day in age we have the common sense to realize our children or ourselves are sick and we have the means to take what's needed to get better, it's not like the foreign countries that can't do anything for the sick ones..... The whopping cough vaccine I haven't got sense a chid and that's the one my DS had the terrible reaction to.... They all just freak me out anymore.... I have vaccinated them for what was necessary in the school system .... Now they are 4&6 and the shots aren't offered during these yrs anyways ....

 

[Cattia]

Yes I also had my children vaccinated against flu this year for the first time, and my DH has had the vaccine too. I would get it done myself once baby is born but as my due date is the end of March I guess the winter flu season will be over.

 

[minties]

I was never offered any, I didn't even know it was anything to feel bad about until reading this

 

[Alyssa Drough]

The whole point is to get your body to produce antibodies to pass on to the baby, not just to protect you. It protects them until they're old enough to get the vaccination themself.

Whooping cough is making a comeback. There have been various outbreaks over the last few years and those first 2 months babies are pretty much defenceless unless you have the vaccination for them.

 

[Cattia]

The whole point is to get your body to produce antibodies to pass on to the baby, not just to protect you. It protects them until they're old enough to get the vaccination themself.

Whooping cough is making a comeback. There have been various outbreaks over the last few years and those first 2 months babies are pretty much defenceless unless you have the vaccination for them.

Yes, I do understand how vaccines work! My issue with this vaccine is that it is relatively new and there are no studies to show it's long term safety. The last major outbreak in the UK was in 2012. I intend to get the vaccine after delivery and pass on immunity through my milk, there is a risk but to me that's the best decision as I don't want anything going into my body during pregnancy that I'm not 100% sure about.

 

[Ashersmomma]

I was never offered any vaccines during this pregnancy or my last. They offered the Tdap while I was in the hospital after having DS and I imagine they will do the same with DD. I wouldn't get it during pregnancy though, even if offered, but I will get it after. As for the flu shot, I never get it. I tend to get the flu at least twice when I get it, and only once or not at all when I don't.

 

[Geo2]

I refused any flu jabs etc, not only in pregnancy but always, and my children. Its a decision I have made after lots of research. Its a choice you have to make, but we've been having healthy babies throughout history without them so why start poking needles now? Do you know all the ingredients in these vaccines and who manufactures them and how? Good questions to ask yourself before you make an informed decision.

 

[Geo2]

sorry I didnt fully read your post. I would definitely stick by your decision, who knows if what happened to your last baby was due to vaccine or not, we cant prove it, but you can certainly be reassured that we dont need any vaccines to produce healthy children. Dont feel guilty, I dont, making an informed decision is your duty as a parent, and your exercising your right!

 

[Perplexed]

I don't take vaccines during pregnancy because they aren't recommended where I live.

 

[LoveMy2Boys2]

Thanks for all the comforting words here!! I never thought about getting the dtap right after baby is born... Definitely an option to consider..... I'm just terrified after our past experiences :/ at least if I got it after and had a reaction it wouldn't be while carrying baby .... I now feel much better with my decision ..... So tough !!

 

[SAmummy]

I never heard of getting vaccines during pregnancy until now ! Not once been offered or encouraged to take any.

I am very pro vaccines in children for serious diseases, but not for things like flu. And yes I know flu can be very serious etc, but too many people I know of that got flu vaccines and went on to get really bad flu of another strain Don't think that's worth it in my opinion.

 

[Perplexed]

I never heard of getting vaccines during pregnancy until now ! Not once been offered or encouraged to take any.

I am very pro vaccines in children for serious diseases, but not for things like flu. And yes I know flu can be very serious etc, but too many people I know of that got flu vaccines and went on to get really bad flu of another strain Don't think that's worth it in my opinion.

I agree with this. I'm pro vaccines just not the flu. And like you I've witnessed family members take the flu vaccine then catch a different strain of the flu later on. Never taken it myself and declined it for my dd.

 

[ispeakinsongs]

I din't get vaccines in either pregnancy and had no problems with that at all.
I don't think the vaccines have been researched enough and there are no long term studies regarding the side effects etc so I chose not to get them.

 

[emeeorevan]

I'm in the US and no vaccines are suggested here (at least by my docs) except the flu which I did get around 28 weeks and didn't help as i still had the flu but it was a much milder case than my ds's flu.

 

[sheebee]

I haven't had any (offered flu and whooping cough). I understand if there are under lying health conditions but I don't have any. I also get a little concern when I hear news report from the NHS saying they need kiddos to get flu jabs to protect the elderly, even though the elderly have the flu jab themselves! The same with whooping cough, the whole point of getting it when you're preggo is so the baby has some immunity before their jabs (8weeks I think?!), so therefore why do others who will be around the baby need to have it? Surely thenpiint of us getting it is so that baby is protected?! It sounds a bit like there's money to be made....