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Whooping cough vaccine

Hi all,

When I went for my 25 week midwife appt she mentioned that I could have the whooping cough vaccine from 28 weeks onwards to help protect baby from WC during the first couple of months of his/her life due to outbreak. I obviously don't want my baby to get WC and the thought of the baby suffering (and perhaps even worse) because I didn't try and protect him/her is a horrible thought. I agreed to get the vaccination and am booked in for 3 weeks time.

However, since then, my husband mentioned the vaccine to my mil and she has gone off on one. She says that she never had it with any of her kids, and my sil didn't have it with her two so she doesn't see why I should need to get it done. She told me loads of horror stories of people she knew who had vaccinations during pregnancy and there were horrible resulting consequences to the baby. At the same time she told me how my bil had had WC as a baby and turned blue and was hospitalised twice because of it. 

I looked on internet for advice and when I read the nhs's advice I was all set to ignore her but then I came across a thread from a number of mothers who had lost babies within days of getting the WC vaccination (most likely coincidental). I am not normally a hysterical person but I feel so utterly torn and frightened by what I should do. Husband is of no use...he said I should listen to my mil...and then do what I think is best. I just want to curl up and hibernate until the baby is born and is old enough to have its vaccinations. I feel so annoyed with my mil for scaring me when I was all set to just get vaccinated, particularly when in the same anecdote she is telling me to both have the vaccine and not have the vaccine.

Has everyone else on here decided to have the WC vaccination or had it done already? image

Replies

  • I'll prob be having it done. I had wc as a baby, and my mum said it was awful.
  • I'll be getting it next week. I had the swine flu vaccination last pregnancy and my son is perfectly fine. I would much rather get the vaccination and reduce the risk of my newborn catching wc which *can* be fatal xx
  • I was all set to get it done until my midwife said that it isn't just single whooping cough vaccine that they give, unlike that tried and tested in America, but includes other things as well. She said that there's not a high level of wc in my area and seemed to be dissuading me. However, docs have since also sent me a letter advising me to have it. Am seeing doc next week so was going to ask. All v confusing!
  • I'm having it done as I had whooping cough as I had it as baby and nearly died. Also the rate of whooping cough has gone up and apparently a few babies have died from it recently. Its you and your partners decision and not your Mother in Laws! I've also had my Flu jab. A girl that I work with is due the end of July and she's not having either of them.

  • I had mine yesterday. It's also a booster of tetanus and something else.. can't remember!

    My Dad had WC as a child and honestly it's worth a jab to prevent something which *can* be fatal.

    There are a lot of things that people continue to do during pregnancy (i.e. smoking) even when it's been proven that it harms the baby. Just because their babies 'were alright' doesn't mean it still isn't risky and stupid. I got this from my MIL at the weekend when I mentioned that I'm only having the recommended amount of caffiene per day. Sorry love, but if it's been proven as a risk I'm not going to 'risk it' despite how perfectly fine so and so's kid was. Same applies to the WC vaccine. Alright, you might not need it, but how would you feel if baby did get WC. I think it's worth it.

  • Just had mine too! X

  • Hello everyone,

    Haven't been on here for a few weeks and only just seen the responses. Thank you for your replies...it has given me something to think about. I ended up cancelling the whooping cough vaccination and have rescheduled it for 3 weeks time when I go for my 31 week midwife appt. I am still torn by this decision. My problem is that the vaccine hasn't been tested on pregnant women before so the long and short term effects on baby are unknown. I feel like I am being used as a guinea pig and I don't want to harm my baby over an illness that baby is unlikely to come into contact with. I most likely will have the vaccination but I am scared as well. I wish I could speak to an impartial medical expert but I can't think of who. My midwife is useless and ignores my concerns/problems and tries to get me in and out of appts as quickly as possible. My dr said he could only advise me on what has been advised to him. I'm starting to realise what parenthood is like....constant worry image

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