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

I wouldn't want to be near anyone who didn't get a flu jab anyway. How selfish. Do you know many dim people who aren't aware that flu kills huge numbers of vulnerable people every year, and puts a massive unnecessary strain on the NHS? And that even though they might be healthy and recover fine, and even if they're not themselves showing symptoms, they can easily infect people who are less healthy and do not recover? Just explain it to them, and if they still can't grasp it, distance yourself. You'll never be able to trust someone around your children if they won't even take basic safety precautions to protect others. They'll be the sort of person who 'accidentally' leaves the front door open, or 'accidentally' leaves open medication lying around, definitely not worth the risk.

Sorry to hear you didnt get to breastfeed.
Over 90 percent of women are able to, eventhough some need lots of support to do so.

Family member had Guillian-Barre Syndrome after a flu jab and we don’t think it’s worth the risk as DH is the only person in the family to have ever had flu and he’s only had it once.

I have my own reasons for not having the flu jab. It would be a no from me, you carnt expect this..

There’s nothing wrong with getting a flu jab if you feel you need it. The issue is asking family to have it before they come and meet your baby is a bit much.

OP you do realise plenty of babies have been born in the winter months since the beginning of time?

Just tell them to be normal and not visit when they have cold instead.

What difference would a jab make? If they have flu they won't be able to visit you...

Because it's a matter of personal choice and you can't demand that anyone have it because it's their body and not yours. Personally I get all the vaccines going that I am offered. I have no issue with it. My mum can't have it because of an anaphylactic response in the past. I also have a couple of friends who are immunocompromised and they cannot have it either. So in this scenario none of them would get to see the baby even though they might be perfectly well? I think common sense has gone out of the window when people insist that others get vaccinations in order to have access to a visit with a baby. Plus, guess what, you can have the jab and still get flu! And still be infectious and still pass it on! The best you can do is to be well on the day - vaccine or no vaccine - and for the mother of the child to have had all of their vaccines during and after pregnancy.

the flu jab varies in its effectiveness so far more useful is to say that people who are unwell can’t visit.

You could phrase it this way - baby will be born in peak flu season so if you want to be well enough to see baby why not get the flu vaccine?

It was £21.95 Boots last year. And you can't decide if other people have to spend it or not. It's really not up to you.

To get back to the thread - you wouldn’t need to tell DH and me as we have it every year as we think it’s sensible.

I suppose it depends on your family - are they likely to see it as a useful reminder if they meant to book one and just forgot? Or are they anti vaxxers?

What on earth is wrong with the flu jab? Surprised people feel so strongly against it.

No. Don't. It's none of your business.

Not a chance id have a jab because someone wanted me too.
I wish I didnt have the covid jab.
I am entitled to the flu jab but each year when the surgery ring I tell them no I dont want it.
Theres asking someone to take their shoes off but another to ask them to have a medical procedure.
Your child will go to school and pick up everything going cold, flu, d&v , headlice
YABU

Seems like a reasonable request to me, given the season in which you expect to deliver. It's peak people mingling and peak flu season around Christmas.

I dont think you can ask this of people.

How would you have taken this request if you were going to visit a friend or family member?

Get the vaccine yourself & politely ask visitors to stay away if unwell.

If you were asking me to pay for something that I don’t want, I definitely wouldn’t visit you and your baby!!!

You don't have bodily autonomy over others. Just ask people not to visit if they are unwell - it's a system that has worked for centuries and before vaccinations. Also how would it work - they could say they had and actually not done so, so a stupid, fallible system anyway.

Please don’t assume it is a matter of choice whether you bf or not.

I assumed that - until I had DS and even the most militant bf senior mw gave up trying to get him to feed.

I encourage my family to have the flu jab and have it myself every year, regardless of a new baby. If you can get it free, or can afford to pay for it, it seems like an eminently sensible and very easy thing to do.

If I was them I just wouldn’t bother visiting you or the baby if you demanded to have a flu jab. How crazy.