Whooping cough

[Redbootz]

Anyone not having the vaccine??
I have seen a doc, a nurse and a midwife and not one could tell me if I was allowed it as I have allergies to several antibiotics and have had other vaccinations refused in the past due to this and haven't been ruled out with a autoimmune kidney disease which again means it's not recommended with any kidney problems. Then I may have googled safety and I know not scientific but a lot of coincidences in stunted growth and still birth. So now I am freaking out!! I wanted the vaccine until I read a million horror stories and now I am torn and I would blame this for anything bad. I am now so scared. I am booked in today to see the nurse again to have it if I can but now I am not sure I want it. I am very small so it will pass a lot through the placenta and I'm just not sure I want to risk what hasn't been tested. I feel I would rather keep my baby indoors with limited visitors until they can have there immunisations.

 

[RobsLouise]

I had the whooping cough vaccine with my first baby in 2014 and everything was fine. Like you, I googled and worried and got myself all confused! I left it until I was 32 weeks pregnant and got it done. I just knew I'd never have forgiven myself if he'd caught whooping cough as a newborn.
It's a tough decision, there is no right or wrong and it's almost impossible to find unbiased information.
I'm sorry I can't be more help, I remember the agonising so well and no one could help me either! Even my husband just told me to do what I thought was best!!
xx
ETA the vaccine didn't affect my baby at all, he was healthy and a good weight at 6 days past dd. My friends all had the vaccine too with no ill effects and healthy babies.

 

[Jojo84]

Although the vaccine hasn't been officially tested on pregnant mothers it has been around enough years that any link would have been picked up. Personally I feel the benifit far far outweighs the risk and trust that we wouldn't be offered or if it wasn't safe. I couldn't not have something that is benificial to yhe safety of my child. Significantly more children die from whooping cough than are effected by the vaccine. My son certainly has no suffered from it
And I've had it a second time. I would vaccinated baby against anything that is recommended without a second thought or hesitation.

However, if there's a possibility you may be allergic to some of the ingredients then I would certainly be asking for a definitive answer on whether they recommend it or not.

 

[KeelyT90]

I had it with my first and will defo get again. There were no side effects or problems with myself or my little boy from having the vaccine. My baby is due in winter and can't be vaccinated for the first few months of life so I would never forgive myself if he/she got whooping cough that could have been prevented. Its such a dangerous illness for such a tiny baby, it can be fatal.

I am with Jojo - I would have anything offered to prevent my LO's getting poorly.

But as to allergies, definitely worth investigating beforehand.

 

[Redbootz]

Thank you for the advice. I think I would have already had it if the three health professionals I have seen had found out if I could have it. I have been refused MMR and meningitis in the past because of my allergies. But they passed me on to each other like they couldn't be bothered to call the manufacturer and find out. So now I have had time to sit a Google and really scare myself about all the bad things people have reported and I know only bad things are spoken about etc. I will go and speak to the nurse today if I'm not satisfied with her answer or she will have to find out I see the midwife at 31 weeks so will speak to her again and I can have it up to 32 weeks to still time to have it if I am allowed but gives extra time to get my head round it all. I didn't have a problem until I googled about it! I was so worried of not having it with my allergies and it's only recently I have panicked about the health of baby before birth. I am terrified of it affecting the baby. I can feel the anxiety now is just immense I'm so stressed. I wouldn't forgive myself either if baby got whooping cough and if I am not allowed the jab will feel guilty because of my allergies and this kidney thing which hasn't been ruled out.

 

[RobsLouise]

If you can't have the vaccine for allergy reasons don't feel guilty about it, it's beyond your control xx
I learned not to Google stuff in my last pregnancy, it causes so much unnecessary stress. I still panic about things in this pregnancy, flu jabs etc but Google doesn't help!

 

[KeelyT90]

Agreed, keep off google and ask the nurses/doctors instead x

 

[JD.Deedee]

Maybe it's worth asking the pharmacist about it and book an appointment with the vaccination nurse whom has a bit more in depth knowledge in regards to vaccines than a usual nurse x

 

[Redbootz]

Yeah they have a pharmacist at the doc surgery so I can do that, my mother suggested that this morning also. I know it was a faff when I was trying to find out about the meningitis vaccine and the docs called up the manufacturers to find out and then said I couldn't have it. But that was a diff doc surgery. I already saw a nurse that does vaccines and she didn't know. This time it's a diff nurse. They only have two at the surgery.

 

[Copterpops]

Perhaps you could ask for the info leaflet that comes with the vaccine before you go for your appointment? If you know what you are allergic too, it might help. It also gives you a more realistic picture of complications etc than Dr. Google does. Like you say, people generally only complain about the bad stuff, and I bet 99% of the time it actually had nothing to do with what they blame it on.

Although it is recommenced 28-32 weeks, you still can have it after that time, its just not as guaranteed to be as effective from day 1.

I like many others have had the vaccine, and had no reaction to it, (other than a sore arm for a while afterwards). I did think that far outweighed the other possibility of baby ending up with whooping cough. I was less inclined to have the flu jab, but got it as we ended up going to a world wide convention in January and I would have no control over who I came into contact with.

Please don't feel guilty if you can't have it though. Herd immunity is designed for people like yourself who can't be immunised through no fault of their own. As mums to be, we have enough to stress about, never mind stressing over things that are outwith our control.

I think you are doing the sensible thing and trying to get as much info as possible, but it sounds like its more for your own health, that you should be worried.

Good luck with finding out, and whatever way you decide to go.

 

[Redbootz]

Well I saw a diff nurse and she is concerend about one of the antibiotics it may have been in contact with due to anaphylaxis so she needs to speak to the doc and they will get back to me. So no vaccine today but have decided if i am allowed it to have it. I'm just worried now that I can't have it and I feel bad like I've let my baby down. I know still a chance I can have it. But if I can't I'm going to have to tell people not to come near the baby or get them to have the vaccine!

 

[JD.Deedee]

It might be an idea to get dad and say grandparents whomever is going to be close to baby post birth to get vaccinated? When north west was due momanger kris got the entire family jabbed with whooping cough jab. Glad the nurse is chasing it up with the doctor so it's actually checked proper so you can act upon that x

 

[Redbootz]

Yeah I shall def start telling those around us family wise to get the jab. I worry as my 15 year old nephew is always poorly with chest infections and he lives with my parents so I'm freaked out about germs. And maybe say to my oh his family can't visit till baby has vaccines unless they get vaccinated but I can imagine them saying no but they all get colds it's nasty. So I know it sounds mean but I have awful OCD and anxiety. I would rather be called every name under the sun and not let them near than have a poorly baby. Yeah hopefully they can get back to me soon. At least I have done all I can now.

 

[Phoenix85]

But if I can't I'm going to have to tell people not to come near the baby or get them to have the vaccine!

People who have the DTaP vaccine can be asymptomatic carriers and infect others (like newborns)

I haven't had it and won't be doing. I don't feel it is safe or beneficial.

I had two children before the DTaP was given in pregnancy and both are fine, never had pertussis. I don't remember even hearing about babies getting whooping cough back when mine were babies.

 

[JD.Deedee]

They all likely had the vaccine when they were younger so for you to ask them to get a booster isn't silly. They only downside to it is that it will be paid for as I don't think the nhs will do a free catch up unless in a risk group although you could always ask if the nurse comes back to you if you couldn't have it yourself?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-395128/Return-killer-cough.html

On the bottom it refers to whoopingcough.net which is written by dr Doug jenkinson a Nottingham based doctor who did research into whooping cough during his career it has a lot of useful information on it x