Whooping Cough and Vaccinations - advice please?

[NaeNae]

Hey all,

I am looking for some advice or to see what others did when they had their babies.

I was chatting to my PIL the other day and they mentioned about this program they had seen on the news about whooping cough. My understanding of their interpretation of the story was that people who are not getting their baby vaccinated should encourage other people who will be around the baby vaccinated - though I could be misunderstanding my PIL's

Now my baby will be vaccinated, if others don't do it that is their business and I do not want this to become a thread full of debate about vaccinating babies - PRETTY PLEASE

I know my PIL will be getting a booster done, not just because of our baby but my SIL is also pregnant so for the sake of ALL the babies.

Should DH and I also get boosters?

Should I ask my parents to do it? If I ask parents do you then ask everyone who will be coming in contact with my baby to have it done?

I would hate to think someone would make my baby sick before she was immunized but how far do you actually go with it? Friends? Relatives? Anyoen who comes near the baby?

I don't know much about the disease other than it can be fatal in babies.

What did everyone else do?

Nae x

[ss_storm]

DF and I are getting ours done when DD gets her vaccinations on Tuesday...we probably should have had it done after she was born but i guess time just got away from us... I did mention to my parents about getting it done, but they aren't in regular contact as they live 6 hours away. DF's mum is in north Qld so isnt in regular contact either so we didn't think they would be high risk for transmitting it.

I think they suggest for anyone who is going to be in close, regular contact with the baby to get done, so if any of your relatives/friends will be around the baby a lot then they should probably get vaccinated, although it doesn't prevent bub from getting whooping cough, it may reduce the risk at least until he/she is old enough to get vaccinated.

[Lulu]

Nae - on the Today show this morning there was pro vacc dr who said NOT to get done if you are preg.

In any case, vaccer or not you should limit the amount of contact with the outside world for a few months at least.
People don't seem to get how sick they can make other people and babies....

[Indadhanu]

Don't they have a free booster for new parents now, when bub gets theirs? I thought I saw that on the news?

[Nai]

I was too late hearing about this but I would have got DP and I to have a booster when Miss J was born. She is also vaccinated but I heard they can still get it until the 3rd vaccination at 6m.

[SareBear]

Leasha, you're right, DH and I got a free booster when DS had his first round of needles

[JellyBean]

Hi NaeNae,

We have done/are doing homeopathic 'vaccination' for our children. Homeopathy is a major form of natural medicine. The homeopathic prophylaxis kit includes the remedy for whooping cough as well as all the other common illnesses which are routinely inoculated against.
In this way my children will build specific antibodies and hence increased immunity to the respective pathogens (as with mainstream vaccines), although they will not be exposed to the harmful vaccine additives such as thimerosol, formaldehyde, aspartame, etc. It is important to note that neither conventional or homeopathic vaccines provide 100% immunity against disease - they best they can offer is increased immunity, which would theoretically lead to milder symptoms if the disease does manifest.

If you are interested in researching all your options, I would suggest checking out Issac Golden's website at hom study dot net (no gaps!)
I also recommend checking out the WAVE website (World Association for Vaccine Education), where you can check out all the ingredients for every vaccine according to pathogen type and manufacturer. As a parent, I believe it is your right (and arguably your responsibility) to be fully informed and consent to each and every ingredient that may potentially be injected into your child's blood stream - what those ingredients are, where they come from, how they are cultured, what the potential short-term, long-term and accumulative effects of such substances have in the body.
If we are able to do this with food - why not vaccines? Knowledge is power - and as parents we deserve nothing less.

Best of luck with your decision!!

XX

[~clover~]

Hi hun
They are offering free whopping cough vaccines ATM. I think to everyone who wants it, but not 100% sure.
I was offered, along with my sister, DH, & parents when I last got my depo shot. I was led to believe it would be free for all of us.
We were going to all go back & do it, but haven't gotten around to it yet
Maybe when bubby is born ask if you can get it before you head home??

[rufalina]

My parents had one for free, and so did DH and I (pre pregnancy). In NSW at least they were offering this vaccine free to all parents / grandparents / carers / day care workers etc as there was big outbreak in Northern NSW. It is a nasty thing for babies...

My parents did it off the cuff, like your PIL, (mum works with kids) so I mentioned to to my PIL, just really brought it up in conversation, and I was not concerned either way if they got it, but I think they did. I think it cant hurt to mention it to close family... But like everything, if you are aware there is a potential risk (like visiting a sick person) then you can take precautions.

[NaeNae]

Thanks everyone,

I was planning on waiting until bubby was here before I got mine done - any excuse to get out of a needle for a little while longer

Does anyone know what is considered close regular contact. To me that would be every other day. I might shoot around an email in a few more weeks closer to date and just ask close friends and family members who we might see a bit more regularly to get their boosters done.

I am glad my PIL brought this up with me, my MIL cracked me up as she was soooo nervous to bring the subject up in case I had strong views to not vaccinate. So I am pretty grateful that they broached the subject, saves me asking them to have it done to

Thanks again

Nae x x x

[Snacks]

Hi Nae. As a pro-vaccer, I asked my parents and FIL to get the free booster. DH got one too and I got one a couple of days after she was born. They were all free (paid for by the NSW govt).
I would've asked SIL too except she'd already had whooping cough a couple of years ago.
I think your email to family members is a good idea.
To me, close regular contact would be the people who will be holding her on a fairly regular basis within the first 6 weeks - maybe weekly or a couple of times a week.

[*TripleJ*]

my bub has had the first vac but we didnt even get offered a booster must not be bad in vic or i have slack doctors

[NaeNae]

JwithJ - actually there have been quite a number of cases here in Vic. I think it was the RCH that said the numbers were up on this time last year (from my google researching). I would be chasing that next shot.

I also read that 42% of cases in babies were contracted through the parents I will be definitely getting that booster now I would feel horrible about passing such a horrid thing on to my baby.

Nae x x

[*TripleJ*]

just a quick how often are u supposed to get boosters?

[Jellyfish]

Me, DP, my parents, my brother and DP's parents all got it done (they had theirs done before the birth, I had mine done afterwards).

[mbear]

Should DH and I also get boosters?

Should I ask my parents to do it? If I ask parents do you then ask everyone who will be coming in contact with my baby to have it done?

YES, and YES...you should also get any girlfriends whom will be regularly seeing your newborn done too....

DH and i got our done at H's 8 week immunsiation shot...but looking back, mum (a nurse) wanted to give us the needle a week after H was born - we thought she was overreacting a bit...but since media coverage and looking further into it, its a very serious matter....

[~clover~]

just a quick how often are u supposed to get boosters?

I think every 5 years?

[Inertia]

Nae, Fairly sure I mentioned in a thread that when I was readong about antibodies when I had my brush with WC while pg with Phoebe, in canada they have taken to vaccing new mums in the hospital after the birth. In 10 days the antibodies are in the BM and bubby is indirectly assisted by this until their vaxs. So if you are going for your booster, get it right after you have bubs.