To ask my family to have the flu jab this year?

WTF?? The flu jab does not stop the common cold, if someone has the flu they wouldn't be visiting you!

Flu jab will protect them from the symptoms of the Flu.

It won't prevent them passing in on.

I get what you're saying and I would like to think those visiting your baby are in good health but if your ask is get the jab to stop them passing it on, that's an impossibility I'm afraid

I had a December baby so he had many visitors for Christmas and New Year in his first few weeks. No one came obviously ill and all was fine, and it was lovely to have company after a difficult pregnancy and birth that restricted me significantly.

Second baby was born at a different time of year. Toddler went to nursery and ended up getting chicken pox when baby was 7 weeks, and by 9 weeks I had a spotty, grumpy baby. Life carries on and you deal with what unfolds. Second+ babies can't be kept in micro-managed environments.

You can't police other people's health, particularly asking for vaccinations (which are not absent of risk) in people whom public health policy feels that they are not of sufficient benefit. The supply isn't infinite either and there are people with greater personal need who benefit from access to them.

I'd be put off visiting if I was asked to be vaccinated because I'd worry about being blamed for any ailments developing after that point.

Absolutely have your vaccinations because they are yours and baby's best defence, but you can not ask it of anyone else.

Op I'm with you but I can't imagine this will go well
People don't even like to wash their hands with new Born's or not kiss them with cold sores . People are very selfish and naval gazing they want their hugs and don't care about anything else.

I have it most years. Sometimes I forget… very much pro vaxxing but wouldn’t like being told what to do in order to visit a baby, especially as if the mum got her own flu shot while pregnant the baby would be protected.

That's fine if you can and are willing but some people have good reasons to hesitate. One of mine is going through something and the flu or the jab could now cause months of suffering, if not longer, for them. I also have autoimmune conditions, so hesitate. Especially since I got the flu from a vaccinated person last year. My health is important too. Considering the situation with my own child at home, I'd have to decline meeting the baby, even if it was my grandchild, if that was a condition of doing so. They'd just have to understand.

This

I dont think the flu jab is the answer - people still get ill. I was fuming Christmas 2024 as we arrived for Xmas day and hadnt been told MIL had full on plague and one of the kids had a temp of 40, have one child at increased risk with respiratory issues and a tiny prem baby. It wrecked new year for us as everyone got ill, but MIL was saying “it’s not flu, i had the jab, you had the RSV jab” - it’s more about people’s approach and being mindful, a jab won’t help. I’d have some gentle chats in the lead up to due date and say you don’t want to see poorly people with a new born. Hopefully you’ll have better luck than me!

You realise that vaccinations aren’t miracles don’t you? They don’t actually stop anything 🤷‍♀️

I think its a request you can make. As long as you're prepared to pay the £21.95 for each person

Otherwise provide masks/hand sanitiser and ask that people don't visit if they're poorly

You are aware that even those who have had the jab can catch flu?

Plan your next baby to be born on summer then....

DH and I had booster dtp vaccinations the other day because our DIL would prefer for anyone who will be in close contact with baby to have it as there have been some outbreaks of whooping cough around. The pharmacist said we didn’t really need them as we had one six years ago for our first grandchild, but we just said we were unlikely to be able to see baby without it so because it was over five years we could go ahead. Cost $70 each (around £35). Is it technically necessary, probably not but If it makes DIL happy that’s good enough for me. My other adult kids will get them again too and my son who is the dad will support his wife as he should.

I agree!

This is a new level of PFB.

Please dont visit if you are poorly or been in contact with someone who is poorly

Wash hands straight before touching baby

No kissing baby

I had a wicked flu last year. I caught it from someone vaccinated and they were just as sick as I was.

I think it doesn't hurt to ask but I wouldn't have a flu vaccine for this reason. I've never had a flu vaccine.

I do have an immune compromised person in my home and have asked family members in high risk exposure situations to consider it before coming to stay with us. If they declined, I totally supported it. I just got them to stay away for a week after their last high risk situation exposure before visiting, and obviously stay away if they had any symptoms at all.

That’s not true. Flu can range from asymptomatic, mild, serious, and fatal. The idea that if you can lift your head off the pillow it can’t be flu is incorrect, and probably contributes more to the spreading of flu because people don’t believe they have it.

I’m not against it, I get it free through work every year. Someone comes into the office and does it

But if I didn’t, and someone asked me to sort an appointment and pay for it, I’d think they were a bit of a twat. And I wouldn’t do it. If they get the jab in pregnancy, the baby will have some protection anyway for the first few months. And I’d never visit a baby if I was unwell, and would always happily wash my hands, wouldn’t kiss them etc.

Yabu

Unless they are over 65, are or live with someone who is immunosuppressed or have certain conditions like asthma or diabetes then they are not eligible.

It’s a huge ask in the scene of things and it makes you sound ridiculous.

If you are planning on trying to breastfeed, studies show it is effective in reducing hospital admissions in the first 6 months. I ensured I had all possible vaccines during pregnancy too.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20864890/

I v much dont want to start a breastfeeding debate, so caveating if BF doesnt work out then it's not the end of the world - one of mine was formula fed. I mention it because I was very anxious about illnesses and it gave me comfort & reduced the anxiety knowing breastfeeding could potentially prevent the severity of illnesses.

What a perfect response.

Another uptight mother here. In a perfect world yes, I'd absolutely be making everyone get vaccinated (and quarantined) before they saw the baby!!

But it cant happen in reality and I believe that babies are protected via mothers antibodies in the first few weeks - esp if you are planning on breastfeeding.

I had to keep telling myself that we are designed by nature (innately) to live in communities and share childrearing - so there must be some benefit to babies being exposed to lots of people in the first few weeks x

Well she can ask them to leave. Or not come on the first place.

How do you know what percentage of non breast feeders could have been successful? So patronising, you have no idea how traumatic it is when it doesn’t work out
I had plenty of support thank you, decided an alive mum and fed baby might just tip the choice balance

You can ask, and they can tell you where to go