To not get the flu vaccine

[Summerblaze100]

I'll start by saying that I'm not anti vaccine at all. I am fully vaccinated as are my other DC and I have just recently had the mumps vaccine as I am pg.

However for some reason I'm not comfortable with having the flu vaccine which I have just been offered. I've never had the vaccine before nor have I ever had flu. My dad had the vaccine once and said he was quite ill after it.

I am 35 weeks pg so only have 7 weeks at most left so I'm thinking it's not really worth it. Don't want to feel ill during my last few weeks of pg but I also don't want to put my baby at risk. AIBU to not want it or am I being stupid.

I'm not having it, whenever my Dad had his vaccine up until a month afterwards I would get a horrific cold so I used to go away for at least a week & not see him around there.

Also when I was younger I had the flu jab, forced by my mother & I was sick for 3 weeks.
Whether the coincidences or not it clearly doesn't agree with me.

My midwife feels the same & doesn't have it. I've only had the flu twice, that jab when 15 & when I had the norovirus 9 years ago so my immune system was really low.

It's really up to you. I had a bad cold 2 weeks before I had DS but still doesn't make me want that jab.
I have whooping cough & anti D jabs, last time same day so had sore arms.

It's about 40 years since the last Flu pandemic which means it is likely there will be another one soon. There is no way I would not get it. It's potentially fatal to you and you newborn.

Have it, you're protecting the baby too.

I have asthma, I never used to bother having the vaccine, then seven years ago I got flu.

It came on so fast, I was fine all day, by the evening I was floored, my body felt like a dead weight, I had the worst headache I had ever known, I was nauseas, my whole body ached, and I was like that for a week.

I think most people who have never had flu think it's like a heavy cold, it is'nt, its so much worse.

I do have the vaccine every year now, and I had it when I was pregnant too.

I think it's too late for you to have it ow anyway op?

Had it in both pregnancies (along with whooping cough vaccine... had them both done at same time in both pregnancies) and was fine.

Sorry it's the whooping cough jab you need before 32w. You can still have the flu jab.

I've had the flu jab every year and never had a problem. In fact, the last one must have been great because I haven't even had a cold this year!

I would under your circumstances.

This time last year I had the flu. It really is the most awful awful illness and I now fully understand why it is fatal. I blame the advertising agencies for their 'cold & flu' remedies - yes a bit of paracetamol will help with a cold, but if you have flu you probably won't take anything anyway as you're too ill to move, eat, drink and care. I could barely manage to breathe, could either walk or control bladder, not both at the same time - wasn't a good time.

Get the flu jab
Get the flu jab
Get the flu jab
Get the flu jab

Most people that have 'the flu' haven't got it anyway, it's just a cold, don't be ill at such an important stage in your and your babies life.

Real Flu kills, I think people forget this as we all call nasty colds the flu.

I've had the jab annually since 1996. Pregnancy left me with a chronic and currently incurable auto immune disease, and if I get a virus or a cold I am knocked for six. I lost the first three months of this year to shingles, a vit D deficiency and then a flu like virus.

I don't want the bloody flu, and having the jab meant that I was upright and teaching whilst my colleagues (who wouldn't have the jab) were wilting around me, and I lost my frees to cover their lessons.

Flu is not a fun thing to have, and better to have the jab than not.

sycamore It was me and I didn't know about the 15 days so thank you for the info, that wasn't explained to me at the time. I still won't have it again as I won't take anything I don't think is totally necessary but it's always good to be in possession of the facts.

Pretty sure the effectiveness of the vaccine changes year on year. So even if last year's was 55%, this year's could be much better (or worse). I'd absolutely have it done.

How recently have they introduced the flu jab for pregnant women?
(just interested as my youngest is 12 and I was never offered it )

I have the option of having the flu jab at work but have never taken them up on it. I'm nearly 50 and never had the jab or had flu - maybe if I'd had the flu at some point I might think differently and go for it.

I wouldn't bother personally as I think 55% effectiveness is far too low and the risk of catching and then suffering a serious complication from the flu is much lower, depending on your immune system.

My DH has an annual flu jab as he has a compromised immune system but I will not have the jab nor will our DC and I've had real flu twice in my lifetime but both times I recovered fully within a few weeks.

I'm 35 weeks pregnant too. Ive had all the vaccinations offered including the whooping cough jab but I've opted out of the flu injection.

I'm 32 weeks and had mine on Friday, other than a slightly sore arm I've felt completely fine. The whooping cough jab was worse, I couldn't sleep properly after that for about a week because my arm hurt so much.

I'd hate to get the flu with a newborn/while recovering from giving birth. I'm not very good at just carrying on with things when I'm feeling poorly, even if it's just a cold so god knows how shit I'd feel with the flu

I'm not going into lots of details as this is coming up to the time of year it all happened and I don't want to upset myself more or anyone else but I had the flu jab with my second pregnancy and it caused a second trimester miscarriage where I lost my twins and almost died myself. I refused it in my third pregnancy and will never have it again, I am aware how serious flu can be but its just not worth the risk

I'd definitely have it, and have done with my DS. My aunt got flu at 8.5 months pregnant and baby was still born - terrible times

I had the flu jab. The next day I suddenly had every symptom of flu come on at same time (shivers, sweats, aches, etc), and semi collapsed. 30 minutes later I was completely fine! I met someone else who had the same reaction. I will have the jab again but I personally I would NOT do it while pregnant, just wash your hands in antibac soap loads etc. (Also my Dad used to get flu the day after having it and be in bed for a week, every time for 3 times.). I found it is basically impossible to get unbiased info on it.

Ps I've had loads of other jabs, to prevent yellow fever, typhoid, Mmr etc, but never had a bad reaction apart from achy arm, until the flu jab.