Anyone planning on NOT vaccinating your baby?

[staralfur]

Nobody here is condemning those who cannot get immunizations for reasons such as you are describing. In fact, it is to protect children like yours that herd immunity needs to be achieved.

Exactly.

 

[Foogirl]

Yep, totally agree. Anyone with a family history of proven problems with vaccination can be rightly wary. And those whom are going on sound medical advice from their own GP about the likely risks to your individual child should never feel they are risking other children. The likelihood of your child
giving measles to another child who has a problem with vaccinations (outwith your own family) are statistically very small. That's why we need the 95% who don't have that problem to take up the vaccination. I'm all for vaccinating my child to protect yours.

 

[Natsku]

Exactly what the others said.

 

[A1983]

Yes I agree with the above posters on that point..Abigail, it's so stressful isn't it and my baby hasn't even been born yet! I have one mum-friend of a friend-whose baby contracted w/cough at 6 weeks and she is understandably terrified of the disease and so has been asking me regularly if im going to get vaccinated not only in my pregnancy for the wc booster but my baby to also be vaccinated. (Her baby survived btw but may have long term chest issues). I have to weigh up a family history of brain damage from the vaccine (my half sister 50 yrs ago) or being terrified of anyone coughing near my baby! Im supposed to be a new mum soon sharing my baby with others and be overwhelmed with joy, not fear...

With regards to the controlled environment, has your little girl reacted ok to vaccinations so far? Did you say she hasn't had anything related to mmr vaccine? Yes I don't care for others reactions-although it's not very nice (in life I mean) all I care about is my baby in that I want to do everything in my power to protect them. ..but with this family history I feel I can't which is tearing me apart

 

[Foogirl]

Are you concerned that you might have a reaction to the vaccine too?

 

[A1983]

Me? No not at all-only concerned for my baby. The main reason im not concerned about me is that I had the booster by accident before I went to work in Australia last year! It was only afterwards I learnt pertussis is wc! That was my first exposure to it in my life but I was obviously ok-but maybe it's much less concentrated that the vaccine. Also as an adult I think our bodies can tolerate vaccines that maybe a baby couldn't

 

[Foogirl]

I'm just thinking is it not the case they are asking pregnant women to get vaccinated not only to protect them but to protect their babies? I'm sure I read somewhere it can protect a newborn for 6 months if the mother is vaccinated whilst pregnant. Obviously not a long term solution, but will protect your LO until they are able to be vaccinated or cope better if they did get it.

 

[A1983]

Yep that's part of my dilemma, as I don't know how that vaccine will affect baby whilst in utero? It protects them for first 6-8 weeks of life. It's on my list of questions for my consultant. Just wanted to ask ladies on here too so armed with knowledge when I see him-he may be the 'not listening type'...he better not be x

 

[Foogirl]

It's a good question for sure. I suspect if there were any risk at all, they wouldn't be vaccinating pregnant women. It will be interesting to know the answer

 

[smokey]

It's a good question for sure. I suspect if there were any risk at all, they wouldn't be vaccinating pregnant women. It will be interesting to know the answer

As with most thing such as vaccinations there probably is a risk of some form (I dont think anything in life has a complete no risk promise) but the risk has probably been calculated to be minimal compared to the possible risk of contracting a dissease and the alternative to not being vaccinated (with any vaccination)
As with alot of things in life it comes down to pros and cons, whats the bigger risk? whats the bigger dangerous outcome?

 

[A1983]

Exactly-and it's greatest good for greatest number, I may be in the minority where I wont experience the greatest good if I get me and bubs vaccinated. So hard. Will be having long talks with hopefully a very professional and knowledgeable consultant once ive moved to my new area, so I'll be about 33-34 weeks. It's pushing it a bit for the pregnancy vaccine, but I need to move house!

 

[Foogirl]

As with most thing such as vaccinations there probably is a risk of some form (I dont think anything in life has a complete no risk promise) but the risk has probably been calculated to be minimal compared to the possible risk of contracting a dissease and the alternative to not being vaccinated (with any vaccination)
As with alot of things in life it comes down to pros and cons, whats the bigger risk? whats the bigger dangerous outcome?

Yeah, but after thalidomide, agreeing to give any type of drug at all to pregnant women is a complete no-no. It's just something drug companies and the NHS wont take a chance on.

 

[A1983]

Ok so paediatrician phoned me today to discuss my dilemma with the wc vaccine....im left even more confused and upset.

He said vaccinations are given as a 5 in 1 nowadays, and so even if I decided to leave out the whooping cough vaccine I would have to leave out the other 4 including meningitis, polio etc..which is obviously ridiculous. He also said prolonging vaccinating babies is not recommended as the older a baby gets the more likely they are to already have an illness ie temperature which could interact badly with the vaccine by causing fits/brain damage.

When asked about how much of the booster I had 18 months ago is the original wc vaccine (as I never had the wc vaccine as a child due to my half sister's reaction) he did not know. He then advised me to have the full wc vaccine schedule..and said this would be ok during pregnancy. I advised him that the booster is only being given in pregnancy...and he said he would look into this and get back to me. When asked if any of the vaccine gets through to the baby in utero he said it was believed not, and just the mother's antibodies she creates passes through the placenta.

He ended the conversation saying the vaccine is different nowadays-the wc vaccine still has LIVE BACTERIA but not as much..he then said his recommendation would be for me to be vaccinated during pregnancy with the booster and for my baby to have the usual vaccinations at the recommended times. He added there would be no point in giving smaller doses as if baby is going to react they will...and they wont do it in a controlled environment as a baby could react days later plus they cannot reverse the vaccine or it's effects.

I'm now looking into seperating the vaccines privately but don't know how to go about this and how much it would cost. I don't have lots of money now im on mat leave with a morgage but at the same time my baby's life is everything.

So im really stuck now. My oh says we don't have a choice and we should just vaccinate as recommended as the chances of a reaction are so small...but there is still that chance? It was my half sister it happened to. I would wonder if maybe she had had brain damage from birth and it had nothing to do with the wc vaccine..but my father said she seizured both times she had it. Furthermore she clearly wasn't ill with a temp at both times she was given the vaccine which trumps the paeds hypothesis about a baby having a reaction due to being ill.

Help:'(

 

[Foogirl]

Wow, a tough situation for sure. It sounds like the chances of a reaction are really small, but the consequence is quite bad. Can you get a second opinion from another doctor?

The other thing to think about is - if it is the live vaccine causing the problem, then if you or LO ever get whooping cough you will likely suffer the same reaction. The you've not only had the reaction, you'll have whooping cough too. So by not having it, you're not really preventing anything as there is still a chance it will happen if you catch the disease.

No one can make the decision for you, but I think on your situation, I'd go for the vaccine. Although I would be double checking to see if all the other vaccines are safe in pregnancy too.

 

[Natsku]

I would definitely get a second opinion. And I agree with Foogirl's reasoning there, about the actual disease being likely to cause the same problem as the live vaccine but best to get a second opinion on it.

 

[A1983]

Thanks ladies-re whether the other vaccines are safe in pregnancy it would only be the wc booster vaccine id have whilst pregnant, the other 5 in 1 vaccinations would be for baby once born.

I'm going to find someone that specialises in giving vaccinations individually and hear their argument..again this will probably add to my confusion. But id feel better giving my baby vaccinations separated out and excluding the wc vaccine either for good or until I decide ill allow him to have it ie maybe when he's older. I'm also keen to have the full vaccination schedule myself immediately after birth (as in within a few weeks) to see how I react and if all ok then surely that shows if my child has it when he's older ie 18months he'll also have more of a chance of reacting well to it. I think. My mind is currently in overload and very stressed! I just want to know what is the right outcome!

With the wc reaction you are right...but if he was to react badly from the vaccine id always ask myself if I did the right thing as he could have not had the vaccine and never contract wc either...and have been ok... so tough

 

[A1983]

Just thought-my half sister contracted whooping cough (after all that she went through!) at 3 years of age...mild case but either way had it

 

[sandilion]

"Parents' fear of vaccinations nearly killed their son"

https://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2013/06/06/3776327.htm

So glad I have been vaccinating. Would hate to feel the way that child's parents do.

 

[steph.]

Poor kid, at least he's making a good recovery. I cant even imagine how guilty the parents must have felt. I blame a lot of the anti-vaxing on google. People google as a way to inform themselves and get skewed, scary information in seconds.

 

[Natsku]

That poor kid And his poor parents, they must have felt so terrible Glad he's ok now.